A reticle pod includes an outer portion that includes a pod door and a pod dome, and an inner portion including a baseplate and a cover. One of the baseplate or the cover includes a reticle compartment wall extending towards the other of the baseplate or cover. The reticle compartment wall includes one or more retaining features. The pod door or the pod dome includes one or more actuating surfaces configured to contact the retaining features. The retaining features are configured to be moved by contact with the actuating surfaces. The retaining features may be in a position configured to secure a reticle within the inner portion of the reticle pod when the reticle pod is assembled by joining the baseplate and the cover, placing the joined baseplate and cover within the pod dome, and securing the pod door to the pod dome.

A clamping device, a storage system and an operating method for an EUV reticle stocker are provided. The required space for storing EUV reticles is significantly reduced while ensuring a high quality storage environment for the stored EUV reticles. A stocker for storing EUV reticles is also provided.

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 substrate processing apparatus includes: a substrate processing part including a load port configured to place thereon a substrate accommodating vessel in which at least one substrate is accommodated, and configured to take out the at least one substrate from the substrate accommodating vessel and to perform a series of processes on the at least one substrate; and a controller configured to control an opening and closing of a lid of the substrate accommodating vessel, wherein the controller performs control to open the lid after the substrate accommodating vessel is placed on the load port, and the controller performs control to close the lid when an abnormality occurs in the substrate processing part and when none of the at least one substrate removed from the substrate accommodating vessel can be recovered to the substrate accommodating vessel after a predetermined period of time from the occurrence of the abnormality.

A semiconductor wafer is as wide as the industry standard width A (presently 156 mm+/−1 mm) and is longer than the industry standard A by at least 1 mm and as much as the standard equipment can reasonably accommodate, presently approximately 3-20 mm and potentially longer, thus, gaining significant additional surface area for sunlight absorption. Modules may be composed of a plurality of such larger wafers. Such wafers can be processed in conventional processing equipment that has a wafer retaining portion of industry standard size A and a configuration that also accommodates a wafer with a perpendicular second edge longer than A by at least 1 and typically 3-20 mm. Wet bench carriers and transport and inspection stations can be so used.

A reticle pod includes an inner portion that includes a cover and a baseplate, and an outer portion including a pod dome and a pod door. The pod door includes a latch, and one or more movable posts that may be driven to move when the latch is operated. The baseplate includes movable reticle contacts that may be contacted by the movable posts. Contact between the movable posts and the movable reticle contacts moves the movable reticle contacts in the baseplate towards the cover. This movement can secure the reticle within the reticle pod.

A ventilated puck is provided. The ventilated puck includes an upper box, a spider plate, and a lower box. In particular, the upper box is fitted on the lower box to form a hollow structure, in which the spider plate is disposed. A ventilation channel for communicating the hollow structure with an external environment is provided in the upper box, or in the lower box or at interface between the upper box and the lower box. The ventilated puck of the present application may ensure gas exchange during the gas protection process conducted on semiconductor wafers, thereby preventing deformation of the puck due to pressure differences. Optionally, the interior of the ventilation channel is provided with a dustproof labyrinth structure, thereby preventing the entry of dust.

An apparatus includes a reticle pod. The reticle pod includes a baseplate having a first surface, a cover having a second surface, and at least one layer. The first surface includes a first mating surface. The second surface includes a second mating surface. The at least one layer is bonded to one or more of at least a part of the first mating surface and at least a part of the second mating surface. The first surface and the second surface overlap at the first mating surface and the second mating surface when the cover is attached to the baseplate.

The invention discloses a reticle storage device including a top lid, a bottom lid and a soft contact member. The top lid has a ceiling and a cover surrounding the ceiling. The bottom lid has a carrier and a peripheral structure surrounding the carrier. The soft contact member is configured to laterally extend in between the cover and the peripheral structure when the top lid and the bottom lid engage with each other, and to extend from an inside to an outside of the device in order to buffer the contact among the two lids.

This technical disclosure describes a device that includes a recital pod and the method of making and maintaining the pod. The device includes a pod that includes a cover including a cover body; a baseplate including a baseplate body; and one or more mating surfaces formed on one or both of the baseplate body and the cover body to assemble between the cover and the baseplate to each other. The one or more mating surfaces each includes an outermost coating configured to be wear-resistant and lubricating, the outermost coating includes a composite metal plating, and the composite metal plating includes a metal plating with a lubricant embedded therein and/or layered over the metal plating.