Reticle-holding pods and methods for holding thin, circular reticles, and reticle-handling systems utilizing same

A pod for holding a circular reticle, comprising:

• a base having a respective interior surface;
• a cover having a respective interior surface and being attached to the base in a manner allowing the cover to open and close relative to the base and to define, cooperatively with the base whenever the cover is closed, an internal space between the respective interior surfaces, the internal space being sized to accommodate a circular reticle within the internal space;
• and
• three reticle-support blocks mounted to the interior surface of the base, the reticle-support blocks being arranged substantially equi-distantly from each other so as to support the reticle at three respective locations in a tripod manner in a peripheral handling zone on an under-surface of the reticle, each reticle-support block defining a respective reticle-contact surface that contacts the respective location in the handling zone whenever the reticle has been placed on the reticle-support blocks, wherein at least one of the reticle-support blocks comprises a reticle aligner configured to align the reticle with respect to the pod whenever the reticle is contained in the pod.

A microlithography system, comprising:

• an optical column configured to receive a circular reticle;
• and
• a reticle pod, comprising (i) a base having a respective interior surface;
• (ii) a cover having a respective interior surface and being attached to the base in a manner allowing the cover to open and close relative to the base and to define, cooperatively with the base whenever the cover is closed, an internal space between the respective interior surfaces, the internal space being sized to accommodate a circular reticle within the internal space;
• (iii) three reticle-support blocks mounted to the interior surface of the base, the reticle-support blocks being arranged substantially equi-distantly from each other so as to support the reticle at three respective locations in a tripod manner in a peripheral handling zone on an under-surface of the reticle, each reticle-support block defining a respective reticle-contact surface that contacts the respective location in the handling zone whenever the reticle has been placed on the reticle-support blocks;
• and (iv) three compliant reticle-contact members mounted to the interior surface of the cover so as to be positioned, whenever the cover is closed, opposite a respective reticle-contact surfaces on an upper surface of the reticle, each reticle-contact member being compliant, non-adhesive, and configured to apply, whenever the cover is closed, a reticle-holding force directed from the reticle-contact member to the respective reticle-contact surface.

A microlithography system, comprising:

• an optical column configured to receive a circular reticle;
• and
• a reticle pod, comprising (i) a base having a respective interior surface, (ii) a cover having a respective interior surface and being attached to the base in a manner allowing the cover to open and close relative to the base and to define, cooperatively with the base whenever the cover is closed, an internal space between the respective interior surfaces, the internal space being sized to accommodate a circular reticle within the internal space;
• and (iii) three reticle-support blocks mounted to the interior surface of the base, the reticle-support blocks being arranged substantially equi-distantly from each other so as to support the reticle at three respective locations in a tripod manner in a peripheral handling zone on an under-surface of the reticle, each reticle-support block defining a respective reticle-contact surface that contacts the respective location in the handling zone whenever the reticle has been placed on the reticle-support blocks, wherein at least one of the reticle-support blocks comprises a reticle aligner configured to align the reticle with respect to the pod whenever the reticle is contained in the pod.