Process and apparatus for treating a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer

A method for cleaning a flat workpiece comprising the steps of:

• providing heated liquid onto a surface of the workiece;
• spinning the workpiece to, at least in part, form the heated liquid into a boundary layer;
• moving a high pressure jet of liquid across the surface of the workpiece, with the jet penetrating through the boundary layer and impacting against the surface of the workpiece, to physically remove a contaminant from the surface;
• and
• providing ozone around the workpiece, with the ozone diffusing through the boundary layer.

An apparatus for removing contaminants from a workpiece comprising:

• a process chamber;
• an ozone source for introducing ozone into the chamber;
• a fixture in the chamber for holding a workpiece;
• at least one jet nozzle in the chamber directed towards the workpiece;
• a nozzle driver attached, at least indirectly to the nozzle, for moving the nozzle relative to the workpiece;
• and
• a high pressure source of heated liquid connected to the nozzle.

A method for cleaning a flat media workpiece comprising the steps of:

• forming a boundary layer of a heated liquid on the workpiece;
• providing ozone into the environment around the workpiece, with the ozone diffusing through the boundary layer;
• and
• directing a jet of steam through the boundary layer to physically dislodge a contaminant on the workpiece.

An apparatus for removing contaminants from a workpiece comprising:

• a process chamber having an open position, for loading an unloading a workpiece, and a closed position, for processing the workpiece, a fixture in the chamber for holding a workpiece, a motor for rotating the fixture, at least one jet nozzle in the chamber directed towards the workpiece, and a nozzle driver attached, at least indirectly to the nozzle, for moving the nozzle relative to the workpiece;
• a robot for loading and unloading a workpiece into and out of the process chamber;
• an ozone source for introducing ozone into the process chamber;
• and
• a high pressure source of heated liquid connected to the jet nozzle.