The mechanism of particle deposition onto silicon wafer surfaces during dilute HF cleans is discussed. Direct surface force measurement using an atomic force microscope showed that particle redeposition on a silicon surface is due to the dominant van der Waals interaction between the particle and the wafer surface. The addition of surfactants can affect the clean effectiveness of a dilute HF solution by changing the surface interaction forces between a particle and a wafer. We show that there is a simple correlation between particle deposition and the product of the zeta-potentials of the wafer and particle. This correlation can be explained by introducing the linear superposition approximation to the derivation of electrical double-layer interactions. The addition of surfactant will also decrease dispersion attraction, introduce steric repulsion, and eliminate adhesion force, as indicated by the results of surface force measurements. © 2003 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.