System and method for cleaning a wafer surface

A substrate cleaning system, comprising:

• a substrate chuck configured to hold a substrate during substrate cleaning operations;
• a substrate brush;
• and
• an end chuck comprising:
• a cover section comprising a top piece positioned over a periphery of a substrate and a bottom piece positioned under the periphery of the substrate;
• wherein in a closed state the top piece is configured to:
• form a contiguous cover positioned over and around a periphery of the substrate, cover end regions of the substrate, and block the substrate brush from contact with the end regions;
• and
• wherein the bottom piece is configured for positioning under the substrate;
• wherein the cover section forms a contiguous shape from a top view in a closed state and separates into a plurality of non-contacting parts in an open state.

A chucking apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of end chuck sections each comprising:
• a top piece positioned over a section of a periphery of a substrate and configured to cover end regions of the substrate around the periphery,
• a bottom piece positioned under the section of the periphery of the substrate, and
• a middle piece positioned outside the section of the periphery of the substrate, and
• wherein the top piece connects at an end surface to a first end surface of the middle piece, and the middle piece connects at a second end surface to an end surface of the bottom piece,
• wherein the plurality of end chuck sections are moveable to cause each end chuck section of the plurality of end chuck sections to contact another end chuck section of the plurality of end chuck sections to form a substantially contiguous shape from a top view in a closed state and to separate each end chuck section of the plurality of end chuck sections from contacting another end chuck section of the plurality of end chuck sections in an open state.