Packaged optical pellicle

Abstract

A packaged optical pellicle is provided which includes a pellicle made up of a pellicle membrane and a pellicle frame, and a pellicle package. The pellicle membrane is designed to be tensioned over and mounted to one side of the pellicle frame. A protective cover is removably mounted to the opposite side of the pellicle frame. The protective cover includes opposing portions which extend outwardly beyond the outer periphery of the pellicle frame. The pellicle package includes a base and a top, with the base having a centrally disposed recessed portion and a peripheral portion for supporting the opposing portions of the protective cover. The top of the pellicle package is adapted to fit onto the base, the top having engagement surfaces for engaging the opposing portions of the protective cover and biasing those portions onto the shoulder of the base. It is normal that the protective covering be in the form of a membrane which is of greater thickness than the pellicle membrane, but this is not a critical part of the invention. It is also typical that the engagement portions or surfaces of the top of the package extend in a manner parallel to the shoulder of the base. In any event, the present invention provides a packaging system in which the pellicle is supported such that the pellicle membrane is not contacted by any of the surfaces of the pellicle package during packaging, shipment, and removal from the package.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.