Photomask carrier and container for photomask carrier
OwnerRay Winninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An injection-molded photomask carrier includes a base with a round opening of sufficient size and shape to permit light to pass through during a photolithographic process; at least three wall members joined to, upstanding from and framing the periphery of the base to support the edges of a photomask or a photomask/pellicle array resting on the base; a flange projecting inwardly from one of the walls, and a clip on the side of the base opposite the flange for movable engagement with the portions of the photomask or photomask/pellicle combination at its edges. A container for the carrier is complementary in size and shape to the carrier, injection-molded, and includes an injection-molded cover for the container.
Claims13
An injection-molded photomask carrier including a base having a round opening of sufficient size and shape to permit light to pass through in a photolithographic process;
- at least three wall members joined to, upstanding from and framing the periphery of said base, said wall members having sufficient thickness to protect and support the edges of a photomask or a photomask/pellicle combination resting on said base;
- flange means projecting inwardly from one of said wall members, and spaced from and substantially parallel to said base, for engaging a first portion of the periphery of a photomask placed between said flange means and said base, said flange means being spaced a sufficient distance from said base to permit a photomask whose periphery is between said flange means and said base to tilt away from said base without disengaging at its periphery from said flange means;
- means on the side of said base opposite said flange means for movably engaging with, and disengaging from a second portion of the periphery of said photomask and, in combination with said flange means, for holding said photomask on said base;
- cavity means in at least one of said wall members, and extending below the plane of said base a sufficient distance to permit reaching beneath a photomask resting on said base and lifting said photomask away from said base;
- means on the periphery of said wall members for engaging said carrier with and disengaging said carrier from alignment means in a photolithographic device;
- a plurality of holes for receiving means for modifying the depth of the carrier's mask-receiving well;
- and a substantially uniplanar bottom carrier surface.
An injection-molded, substantially one-piece photomask carrier including a base having an opening of sufficient size and shape to permit light to pass through in a photolithographic process;
- means joined to, upstanding from and framing the periphery of said base, said means having sufficient strength to protect and support the edges of a photomask or a photomask/pellicle combination resting on said base;
- means formed by injection molding on the periphery of said framing means for engaging said carrier with, and disengaging said carrier from alignment means in a photolithographic device;
- means projecting inwardly from one of said framing means for engaging a first portion of the periphery of a photomask or a photomask/pellicle combination between said engaging means and said base, said engaging means being spaced a sufficient distance from said base to permit a photomask whose periphery is between said engaging means and said base to tilt away from said base without disengaging said first portion from said engaging means;
- means on the side of said base opposite said engaging means for movably engaging with, and disengaging from a second portion of the periphery of said photomask or said photomask/pellicle combination and, in combination with said engaging means, for holding said photomask or photomask/pellicle combination on said base;
- said carrier having a plurality of areas of substantially differing thicknesses precisely formed during injection molding, and a plurality of areas that are substantially flat, formed during said injection molding.
An injection-molded, substantially one-piece photomask carrier including a base having an opening of sufficient size and shape to permit light to pass through in a photolithographic process;
- means joined to, upstanding from and framing the periphery of said base, said framing means having sufficient strength to protect and support the edges of a photomask or a photomask/pellicle combination resting on said base;
- means formed by injection molding on the periphery of said framing means for engaging said carrier with, and disengaging said carrier from alignment means in a photolithographic device;
- means projecting inwardly from one of said framing means for engaging a first portion of the periphery of a photomask placed between said engaging means in said base, and means on the side of said base opposite said engaging means for movably engaging with, and disengaging from a second portion of the periphery of said photomask and, in combination with said engaging means, for holding said photomask or photomask/pellicle combination on said base;
- said carrier having a plurality of areas of substantially differing thicknesses precisely formed during injection molding, and a plurality of areas that are substantially flat, formed during said injection molding.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.