Patent ID: 8236382

Claim:
A method for preparing a surface of a substrate, the substrate being a semiconductor wafer, the method comprising: exposing a first area of the surface of the substrate to a first proximity head dispensing a fluid forming a first meniscus from a distance of between about 0.5 mm and about 4.5 mm between the first proximity head and the surface of the substrate, the fluid being a chemistry; exposing a second area of the surface of the substrate to the first meniscus by translating the substrate relative to the proximity head; applying a vacuum to remove the fluid from the first area while the substrate is translating, the vacuum being applied through a plurality of ports integrated within the first proximity head, the removal of the fluid leaving a precipitate in a dry state on the surface of the substrate in the first area that was exposed to the first meniscus and then to the vacuum; and upon completing the applying of the vacuum to leave the precipitate in the dry state, exposing the first area of the surface of the substrate to a second fluid forming a second meniscus using a second proximity head that is positioned at the distance and arranged beside the first proximity head, the exposure of the first area to the second meniscus occurring immediately after the first area has emerged from the first proximity head in the dry state, the second fluid reacting with the precipitate to form a desired layer on the first area of the substrate; the second proximity head being arranged beside the first proximity head provides at least one phase when the first meniscus and the second meniscus are over the substrate at a same time, and the second meniscus is applied to the first area without applying a deionized water meniscus after exposure to the first meniscus.