Wafer cleaning, microcontamination and surface passivation are the key focus of this proceedings volume, the 3rd in a successful series from MRS. It is a field in which control of surface chemistry and surface morphology, as well as particle and molecular contamination removal, are of critical importance. This volume expands the scope of the topic to include ultraclean technology in a broader sense, emphasizing the identification and characterization of trace contamination, strategies for removal, and equipment considerations, as well as critical limits for impact on devices. Novel processes, such as chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), and their ramifications for contamination removal are also addressed.