Patent ID: 7810513

Claim:
An apparatus for preparing a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a proximity head configured to be applied to a substrate frontside, the proximity head capable of generating a preparation meniscus on the substrate frontside, the preparation meniscus including a preparation chemistry configured to remove a material defined on the substrate frontside; and a megasonic proximity head configured to be applied to a substrate backside, the megasonic proximity head capable of generating a coupling meniscus from a fluid on the substrate backside, the megasonic proximity head further capable of imparting megasonic energy to the coupling meniscus, the megasonic proximity head including, (a) a housing having inlets that define channels from the fluid into a well of the housing, the well being defined by sidewalls of the housing and a base surface, the channels defined in the housing so as to be directed into the well; and (b) a transducer defined in the housing at an area beneath the well and under the base surface; (c) a top surface of the housing defined around the well, the top surface defined to face closest to the substrate backside, and the top surface having a channel outside and around the well, the channel coupled to an outlet for removing the fluid from the well through the megasonic proximity head, and the top surface being spaced apart from the base surface of the well, such that the well resides in the housing that is defined to face the substrate backside; wherein the megasonic energy imparted to the coupling meniscus is configured to enhance a mass transport of the preparation chemistry through a material to be removed on the substrate frontside.