A dual containment pod having an outer pod and an inner pod that provides support structure and environmental control means. The inner pod includes a base having a flat, polished surface with protrusions upon which the reticle seats and providing a gap between the reticle and the polished surface. The gap separates the reticle from the flat, polished surface of the base and is dimensioned to inhibit migration of particles into the gap, thereby preventing contamination of sensitive surfaces of the wafer or reticle. The top cover of the inner pod seats on the polished surface proximate a periphery of the base. Moveable reticle engaging pins on the top cover of the inner pod are engaged by the top cover of the outer container when the inner pod is assembled inside the outer pod providing reticle restraint.
1. A dual containment pod for reticles comprising an inner pod and an outer pod, the inner pod comprising a base and an inner pod cover that cooperates with said base, the inner pod having a reticle seating position therein, the outer pod comprising an outer pod cover and a door cooperating with the outer pod cover, the outer pod sized for receiving the inner pod, and wherein the inner pod cover comprises a plurality of vertically moveable members positioned in the inner pod cover, the plurality of vertically movable members movable downwardly with respect to the inner pod cover for engaging the reticle, said plurality of vertically movable members are actuated by the engagement of said plurality of vertically movable members with the outer pod and move downwardly with respect to the inner pod cover as the inner pod is enclosed in the outer pod to engage the reticle.
2. A container for holding reticles, the reticle having a periphery, a top surface, a bottom surface, a side surface, four peripheral corners, a top edge and a bottom edge, the container comprising:
a base having a periphery, four sides, each with side surfaces, positioned at the periphery, a top upwardly facing planar horizontal surface, the top upwardly facing planar horizontal surface traversing between the four sides and extending to the four side surface, with each of the four side extending downwardly from the top upwardly facing planar horizontal surface, the top upwardly facing planar horizontal surface having a plurality of reticle contact elements extending upwardly, the contact elements for engaging the reticle and defining a reticle seating position whereby the reticle is seated close enough to the top upwardly facing planar horizontal surface so as to provide a diffusion barrier for precluding particles from reaching a reticle face of the reticle facing the top upwardly facing planar horizontal surface, the top upwardly facing planar horizontal surface further having a sealing surface extending around the base at or proximate to the periphery of said base, the top upwardly facing horizontal surface extending from the sealing surface to under the reticle seating position and being coextensive therewith;
a cover for engaging the top upwardly facing horizontal surface of the base along the base periphery, thereby defining an interior for holding the reticle, the cover having a downwardly facing horizontal planar sealing surface for cooperating with the sealing surface of the top upwardly facing planar horizontal surface of the base to create a seal therebetween when said respective surfaces are in contact, and wherein the cover comprises a plurality of reticle engagement members positioned in the cover to engage the reticle.
3. The container of claim 1 wherein, each of the reticle engagement members of the cover are movable and have a beveled portion to engage the upper edge of the reticle to urge and constrain the reticle into the reticle seating position.
4. A container for holding reticles, the reticle having a periphery, a top surface, a bottom surface, a side surface, four peripheral corners, a top edge and a bottom edge, the container comprising:
a base having a periphery, and a top upwardly facing horizontal surface with a plurality of contact elements for engaging the reticle, the base having a reticle seating position, the base further having a sealing surface extending around the base at or proximate to the periphery of said base;
a cover for engaging the base along the base periphery, thereby defining an interior for holding the reticle, the cover having a sealing surface for cooperating with the sealing surface of the base to create a seal therebetween, the cover further comprising a vertically movable member positioned in an opening extending through the cover, the vertically movable member actuatable from exterior the cover to move the entire vertically movable member vertically relative to the cover for engaging the reticle in the container at the reticle seating position, the container further comprising an outer cover and a door receivable within the outer cover to define an additional container with an interior, the outer cover and door sized to receive the container for holding reticles in the interior.
5. The container of claim 4 wherein the additional container is configured to actuate the vertically movable member when the container is received in the additional container whereby the vertically movable member moves towards the reticle.
6. The container of claim 2 wherein the top upwardly facing planar horizontal surface of the base is metal and the downwardly facing horizontal planar sealing surface is metal.
7. The container of claim 2 wherein the gap between the reticle face and the upwardly facing planar horizontal surface is between 0.003 to 0.007 inches.
8. The container of claim 2 wherein the top upwardly facing planar horizontal surface of the base is a polished metal surface.
9. The container of claim 1 wherein the plurality of vertically movable members are connected to the inner pod cover by way of a plurality of resilient members.