a method of cleaning semiconductor wafers before the epitaxial deposition comprising etching silicon wafers with hf ; rinsing the etched wafers with ozonated ultrapure water ; treating the rinsed wafers with dilute sc1 ; rinsing the treated wafers ; treating the wafers with dilute hf ; rinsing the wafers with di water ; drying the wafers with nitrogen and a trace amount of ipa ; wherein steps through are conducted in a single dryer chamber and wafers are not removed from the chamber between steps . a system comprising a single tank adapted for cleaning , etching , rinsing , and drying the wafers has means to inject hf into a di water stream .