Method and device for locally removing and/or modifying a polymer material on a surface

A device for locally removing and/or modifying a polymer material on a surface of a wafer, the device comprising:

• a mask that is alignable with respect to the surface of the wafer;
• a vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light source situated above the mask and configured to locally expose the surface of the wafer through the mask;
• a gas supply system configured to supply a gas mixture containing at least oxygen into a space between the wafer and the mask during exposure with the VUV light source;
• a gas purge system configured to supply a gas mixture containing at least nitrogen and/or oxygen into the space between the wafer and the mask when the VUV light source is switched off;
• an adjustable wafer table configured to hold the wafer and to move the wafer between:
• a first operating state in which an exposure gap is set between the wafer and the mask during the exposure with the VUV light source, and
• a second operating state in which a purge gap, larger than the exposure gap, is set between the wafer and the mask during purging with the VUV light source switched off;
• and
• a control system configured to operate the device in repeated cycles of exposure and purging until the polymer material is removed and/or modified.