Abstract: The invention provides a method of cleaning the surface (3) of a wafer (1), comprising a hot rinse step in which the wafer (1) is at a temperature that is at least 100C higher than room temperature, the wafer (1) is rotated around an axis perpendicular to the wafer surface (3) and water is dispensed on the wafer surface (3). Thereafter a first drying step is performed in which the wafer (1) is rotated around the axis perpendicular to the wafer surface (3) and in which the humidity of the environment is such that the water on the wafer surface (3) is partially removed while the wafer surface (3) remains covered with a film of water (13). The first drying step is followed by a second drying step, which removes the film of water (13) from the wafer surface (3). The method according to the invention advantageously reduces metal ion contamination on the wafer surface (3).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device (10) with a substrate (1) and a semiconductor body (11) which comprises at least one semiconductor element, wherein, after formation of the element, a layer structure is formed which comprises at least one electrically insulating layer (2) or an electrically conductive layer (3), wherein an opening is formed in the layer structure with the aid of a patterned photoresist layer (4) and an etching process, wherein residues are formed on the surface of the semiconductor body (11) during the etching process, and wherein the photoresist layer (4) is ashed, after the etching process, by means of a treatment with an oxygen-containing compound, after which the surface is subjected to a cleaning operation using a cleaning agent comprising a diluted solution of an acid in water and being heated to a temperature above room temperature, thereby causing the residues formed to be removed.