Apparatus for supercritical processing of a workpiece

A method of supercritical processing a workpiece comprising the steps of:

• a. transferring the workpiece from an entrance of a transfer module into a transfer module;
• b. transferring the workpiece to a supercritical processing module;
• c. processing the workpiece in the supercritical processing module;
• d. transferring the first workpiece to the non-supercritical processing module;
• e. processing the workpiece in the non-supercritical processing module;
• and
• f. returning the workpiece to the entrance of the transfer module.

An apparatus for supercritical processing a workpiece comprising:

• a. means for transferring the workpiece configured to transfer the workpiece into a transfer module;
• b. means for supercritical processing configured such that in operation the means for transferring transfers the workpiece to the means for supercritical processing and further such that in operation the means for supercritical processing processes the workpiece;
• and
• c. means for non-supercritical processing configured such that in operation the means for transferring transfers the workpiece to the means for non-supercritical processing and further such that in operation the means for non-supercritical processing processes the workpiece.

An apparatus for supercritical processing of a workpiece comprising:

• a. a hand-off station;
• b. a supercritical processing module coupled to the hand-off station;
• c. a non-supercritical processing module coupled to the hand-off station;
• and
• d. a transfer mechanism coupled to the hand-off station, the transfer mechanism configured to move the workpiece between the entrance, the supercritical processing module, and the non-supercritical processing module.