A reticle pressing unit and an EUV reticle pod using the same are provided. An inner assembly includes an upper cover and a lower cover. The lower cover includes a supporting element for supporting the reticle. A pressing unit for pressing the reticle is disposed on the upper cover and includes a pressing element and a limiting cap. The pressing element has oppositely arranged pressing part and pressure receiving part. The pressing part extends through the upper cover to press against the reticle. The pressing element is covered by the limiting cap and is protruded outwardly from a top surface of the to limiting cap. An outer cover has a pushing surface for forming a surface-to-surface contact with the pressure receiving part and for simultaneously pressing against the pressure receiving part and the top surface to solve the problems relating to the reticle which is applied with uneven forces.

A method for producing a crystal substrate includes preparing, measuring, holding, and machining. The preparing prepares a crystal substrate body including a curved crystal lattice plane. The measuring measures a shape feature of the crystal lattice plane. The holding holds the crystal substrate body in a warped state in accordance with the shape feature measured by the measuring, to more flatten the crystal lattice plane than the crystal lattice plane at the preparing. The machining machines a surface of the crystal substrate body held in the warped state, to flatten the surface.

A reticle enclosure includes a base including a first surface, a cover including a second surface and coupled to the base with the first surface facing the second surface. The base and the cover form an internal space that includes a reticle. The reticle enclosure includes restraining mechanisms arranged in the internal space and for securing the reticle, and structures disposed adjacent the reticle in the internal space. The structures enclose the reticle at least partially, and limit passage of contaminants between the internal space and an external environment of the reticle enclosure. The structures include barriers disposed on the first and second surfaces. In other examples, a padding is installed in gaps between the barriers and the first and second surfaces. In other examples, the structures include wall structures disposed on the first and second surfaces and between the restraining mechanisms.

Provided is a quick-release valve including: a quick-release member having a collar detachably coupled to a bottom opening of a base; and a sleeve having a flow passage for allowing a gas to enter or exit a substrate container. The collar has a pair of ear portions extending outward therefrom along a diameter direction and a handle extending outward therefrom along a radius direction. The ear portions are at a height substantially different from the handle.

An EFEM includes a wafer transportation part having a wafer transportation room passed by a wafer transported to a processing room and a load port part airtightly connecting a main opening formed on a container housing the wafer to the room. The transportation part includes a downward current forming device for forming a downward current in the room and a current plate arranged in the room and partly introducing the current into the container connected to the room via the opening. The load port part includes an installation stand for installing the container, a bottom nozzle for communicating with a bottom hole formed at a position distant from the opening more than a bottom surface middle on a bottom surface of the container, and a gas discharge passage for discharging a gas in the container to an outside thereof via the nozzle.

A transport container, in which a stored object is taken in and out through an opening on a side surface, includes a positioner that projects upward from an outside of a placement surface of the stored object on a storage portion where the stored object is placed, and a regulator movable between an advanced position, in which the regulator is advanced to above the stored object placed on the placement surface to regulate upward movement of the stored object, and a retracted position, in which the regulator is retracted from above the stored object to allow upward movement of the stored object.

Self-contained metrology wafer carrier systems and methods of measuring one or more characteristics of semiconductor wafers. The wafer carrier system may include a housing configured for transport within the automated material handling system. A support is configured to support a semiconductor wafer within a housing. A metrology system is disposed within the housing. The metrology system is operable to measure at least one characteristic of the wafer. The metrology system may include a sensing unit and a computing unit operably connected to the sensing unit.

Embodiments herein include a halo having varied conductance. In some embodiments, a halo surrounding a semiconductor workpiece may include a first side opposite a second side, and a first end opposite a second end, wherein the first side is operable to receive an ion beam from an ion source. The halo may further include a plurality of apertures extending between the first side and the second side, wherein the plurality of apertures permit passage of a portion of the ion beam to pass therethrough, and wherein the halo has a varied conductance between the first and second ends. In some embodiments, at least a group of apertures of the plurality of apertures vary in at least one of: pitch, and diameter. In some embodiments, a thickness of the halo between the first side and the second side varies along a height extending between the first end and the second end.

An article transport device includes an article support member for supporting an article having a plate-shaped flange portion in an upper portion thereof, with the article placed on its receiving member. The article support member further includes a restricting member which is positioned such that at least a portion of the restricting member is located across from at least a portion of a front side surface of the flange portion when the article is in the supported state, and which is configured to restrict the article in the supported state from moving at least in the front direction by distances greater than a movement distance specified in advance. The restricting member includes a pair of front restricting portions that are so located to be spaced apart from each other to form a gap, wherein the restricting member and the receiving member are fixedly connected to each other.

A substrate carrier may include a carrier body and a first sensor unit. The carrier body may include an internal space, an inlet port and an outlet port. The internal space may be configured to receive a substrate. A purge gas may be introduced into the internal space through the inlet port. A gas in the internal space may be exhausted through the outlet port. The first sensor unit may be at the outlet port and configured to detect environmental properties of the internal space in real time. Thus, a generation or cause of a contaminant in the carrier body may be accurately identified.