Side opening unified pod

A substrate carrier configured for coupling to a load port of a substrate processing system that includes a processing section having a processing vacuum and where the load port includes a BOLTS interface, the substrate carrier comprising:

• a shell having shell walls and kinematic coupling features disposed on at least one side wall of the shell walls and being configured to couple the shell with the BOLTS interface of the load port;
• and
• an internal volume formed by the shell, the internal volume including substrate supports;
• wherein the shell includes reinforcing members disposed on the shell, the reinforcing members are configured to reinforce the shell with an exterior of the shell exposed to an atmospheric environment and with the internal volume at the processing vacuum so that the kinematic coupling features provide repeatable coupling of the shell with the BOLTS interface with the internal volume pumped down to the processing vacuum and the exterior of the shell exposed to the atmospheric environment and with the internal volume pumped down to the processing vacuum and the substrate carrier substantially located in an atmospheric environment, where the processing vacuum corresponds to at least one vacuum process from the group of material deposition, ion implantation, etching and lithography, the reinforcing members include reinforcing members that are distinct from the shell walls and the substrate supports, and wherein with the internal volume at the processing vacuum, the repeatable coupling of the shell with the BOLTS interface extends the processing vacuum from the internal volume through the repeatable coupling of the shell with the BOLTS interface to the processing section.