Processes and apparatus for cleaning, rinsing, and drying substrates

A method of creating a two-stage fluid bath for cleaning, rinsing and drying a substrate, comprising:

• supplying a cleaning fluid to a first region of a tank so as to create a cleaning fluid bath region;
• supplying a rinsing fluid to a second region of the tank so as to create a rinsing fluid bath region;
• and
• supplying suction between the cleaning fluid bath region and the rinsing fluid bath region, to deter cleaning fluid from entering the rinsing fluid bath region;
• and
• supplying a drying vapor above the rinsing fluid bath region, so as to dry rinsing fluid from a substrate as the substrate is removed from the rinsing fluid bath region.

A supply system for coupling to a processing tank having a first width, the supply system comprising:

• a first and second supply face that each extend at least the width of a substrate, each of the first and the second supply faces having:
• a first fluid supply configured to supply a first fluid to a surface of a substrate as the substrate is removed from the tank;
• and
• a first suction mechanism, positioned below the first fluid supply, wherein the first suction mechanism is configured to suction fluid supplied from the first fluid supply so as to deter the suctioned fluid from reaching a tank region below the supply system;
• a drying vapor supply positioned above the first fluid supply and configured to supply a drying vapor to a surface of a substrate being removed from the tank;
• and
• an opening through which a substrate is removed from the tank, the opening being defined by the first and second supply faces, wherein the first and second supply faces are positioned so as to extend along a front face and a back face of a substrate that is being removed from the tank there-through, and so as to define a second width that is smaller than the first width of the tank.