Method for cleaning substrates utilizing surface passivation and/or oxide layer growth to protect from pitting

A process/method for cleaning wafers that eliminates and/or reduces pitting caused by standard clean 1 by performing a pre-etch and then passivating the wafer surface prior to the application of the standard clean 1. The process/method may be especially useful for advanced front end of line post-CPM cleaning. In one embodiment, the invention is a method of processing a substrate comprising: a) providing at least one substrate; b) etching a surface of the substrate by applying an etching solution; c) passivating the etched surface of the substrate by applying ozone; and d) cleaning the passivated surface of the substrate by applying an aqueous solution comprising ammonium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide.