Apparatus and method for cleaning semiconductor wafers

A method for cleaning a post-etch semiconductor wafer, comprising:

• heating ultra-pure water to a pre-selected temperature in a water chamber which is coupled to a process chamber but is isolated from said process chamber by a closed valve;
• affixing said post-etch semiconductor wafer to be cleaned to a wafer holder located within said process chamber;
• reducing the pressure in said process chamber to a pressure at or below that calculated to cause ultra-pure water at the pre-selected temperature to convert to ultra-pure dry steam;
• opening said valve resulting in said ultra-pure water in said water chamber being converted to ultra-pure dry steam;
• and,
• directing said ultra-pure dry steam against said surface to be cleaned of said post-etch semiconductor wafer.