Getting Wafers Wet: Overall, a 193-nanometer water-immersion lithography system looks just like its "dry" counterpart [left]. But by adding a thin layer of water between the projection lens and the wafer, the immersion system can create features 30 percent smaller. One technique proposed for getting the water on and off the wafer is to surround the projection lens with nozzles that squirt out a few drops of water each time the wafer is moved to a new chip location [middle], and then to suck up the water with a vacuum after each exposure [right].