A reticle pod having a positioning member includes a base, a lid and a plurality of positioning members. The lid shuts relative to the base to form a substantially cuboid case. The case has a storing space for receiving a reticle. The positioning members are arranged in a shutting direction and disposed on at least two edges of the lid or at least two edges of the base, respectively. The positioning members each include a connecting portion, a correcting portion and a guiding slope portion. The connecting portion connects the edges of the lid. The correcting portion has one end connected to the connecting portion and extending in a shutting direction and an opposing end connected to the guiding slope portion. The guiding slope portion has a slope extending outward. The reticle pod having a positioning member is error-free, allowing the lid to shut precisely relative to the base.

The instant disclosure discloses a reticle retaining system comprising an inner pod and an outer pod. The inner pod is configured to receive a reticle that includes a first identification feature. The inner pod comprises an inner base having a reticle accommodating region generally at a geometric center thereof and surrounded by a periphery region, and an inner cover configured to establish sealing engagement with the inner base. The inner base has a first observable zone defined in the reticle accommodating region correspondingly arranged to allow observation of the first identification feature. The outer pod is configured to receive the inner base. The outer pod comprises an outer base having a second observable zone defined thereon observably aligned to the first observable zone of the inner pod upon receiving the inner pod, and an outer cover configured to engage the outer base and cover the inner pod.

The invention discloses a reticle pod having a lid and multiple pin assemblies. The pin assembly includes a movable member movable relatively to a ceiling of the lid and an elastic member configured to arrange the movable member in between the elastic member and the ceiling of the lid. In the case where the reticle pod is provided without receiving a reticle, the ceiling of the reticle pod determines the movable member stays at a first level. In the case where the reticle pod is provided with a reticle, the elastic member collaborates with the movable member such that the movable member holds the reticle at a second level that is higher than the first level.

A method for containing a reticle in a pod is provided. The method includes opening the pod such that a pressing element retained movably on the pod by a limiting cap moves to a first position, wherein a shoulder part of the pressing element between a pressure receiving part and a pressing part of the pressing element is spaced from the limiting cap. The method further includes placing the reticle in the pod such that the reticle is pressed by the pressing element.

A pod includes a cover with a cover body, a baseplate with a baseplate body, and one or more seal surfaces. The one or more seal surfaces are formed on one or more of the baseplate body and the cover body to provide sealing. A method of producing a reticle pod includes forming one or more seal surfaces on at least one of a baseplate body of a baseplate and a cover body of a cover. The one or more seal surfaces are formed to provide sealing between the baseplate and the cover. Each of the one or more seal surfaces includes a wear-resistant outermost coating with a Rockwell C hardness of about or greater than 70.

A reticle carrier described herein is configured to quickly discharge the residual charge on a reticle so as to reduce, minimize, and/or prevent particles in the reticle carrier from being attracted to and/or transferred to the reticle. In particular, the reticle carrier may be configured to provide reduced capacitance between an inner baseplate of the reticle carrier and the reticle. The reduction in capacitance may reduce the resistance-capacitance (RC) time constant for discharging the residual charge on the reticle, which may increase the discharge speed for discharging the residual charge through support pins of the reticle carrier. The increase in discharge speed may reduce the likelihood that an electrostatic force in the reticle carrier may attract particles in the reticle carrier to the reticle. This may reduce pattern defects transferred to substrates that are patterned using the reticle, may increase semiconductor device manufacturing quality and yield, and may reduce scrap and rework of semiconductor devices and/or wafers.

The instant disclosure discloses a reticle retaining system comprising an inner pod and an outer pod. The inner pod is configured to receive a reticle that includes a first identification feature. The inner pod comprises an inner base having a reticle accommodating region generally at a geometric center thereof and surrounded by a periphery region, and an inner cover configured to establish sealing engagement with the inner base. The inner base has a first observable zone defined in the reticle accommodating region correspondingly arranged to allow observation of the first identification feature. The outer pod is configured to receive the inner base. The outer pod comprises an outer base having a second observable zone defined thereon observably aligned to the first observable zone of the inner pod upon receiving the inner pod, and an outer cover configured to engage the outer base and cover the inner pod.

An article storage facility is disclosed which has a relatively high article storage efficiency and which can reduce the possibility of degradation, etc., of articles that may occur within a storage structure. The article storage facility includes: a storage structure; a first support station provided inside the storage structure and configured to support a storage container; a second support station configured to support a transporting container; and an article transfer device. A transporting container is a container that is used to transport articles outside the storage structure whereas a storage container is a container that is used to transport and store articles inside the storage structure, and is configured to hold a plurality of articles with greater holding efficiency than a transporting container. The article transfer device is configured to transfer articles, one or more articles at a time, between a storage container placed on the first support station and a transporting container placed on the second support station.

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.

A reticle retaining system including an inner pod and an outer pod is described. The inner pod includes an inner base configured to receive a workpiece; an inner cover configured to couple to the inner base, thereby forming an interior for housing the workpiece; and a hold down pin movably arranged through the inner cover and configured to press the workpiece. The outer pod includes an outer base configured to receive the inner base, an outer cover configured to couple to the outer base, and a pushing element arranged on the outer cover. The hold down pin, the outer cover and the pushing element have a charge dissipation property. When the pushing element pushes the hold down pin to press the workpiece, a charge dissipation path is established from the received workpiece, through the hold down pin and the pushing element, to the outer cover.