Patent ID: 7703462

Claim:
A proximity head for generating and maintaining a meniscus for processing a substrate, the substrate being supported by a carrier, the carrier comprising a frame surrounding the substrate, the proximity head comprising: a plurality of meniscus nozzles formed in a spaced apart relationship along a linear axis on a face of the proximity head, the meniscus nozzles configured to supply meniscus liquid to the meniscus; a plurality of vacuum ports formed in a spaced apart relationship on the face of the proximity head, the plurality of vacuum ports arranged to form a suction region that completely and contiguously surrounds the plurality of meniscus nozzles, wherein a portion of the plurality of vacuum ports located at a central region along a trailing side of the linear axis along which the plurality of meniscus nozzles are formed, are positioned farther away from the linear axis relative to a remainder of the plurality of vacuum ports present on the trailing side of the linear axis, such that an increased spacing exists between the portion of the plurality of vacuum ports at the central region and the plurality of meniscus nozzles along the linear axis relative to a spacing that exists between the remainder of the plurality of vacuum ports present on the trailing side of the linear axis and the plurality of meniscus nozzles along the linear axis, wherein the increased spacing between the portion of the plurality of vacuum ports at the central region and the plurality of meniscus nozzles along the linear axis reduces a size and a frequency of at least one of entrance or exit marks at a leading edge and a trailing edge on the substrate, thereby aiding and encouraging liquid from the meniscus to evacuate a gap between the substrate and the carrier.