Holder for receiving and protecting one side of a photomask or of a photomask with pellicle from a cleaning medium, method for cleaning a photomask or a photomask with pellicle and apparatus for opening and closing a holder

摘要

A holder for receiving and protecting one side of a photomask or a photomask with pellicle from a cleaning medium, a method for cleaning such a photomask and an apparatus for opening and closing a holder. The holder comprises a base having support elements for receiving and holding the photomask or the photomask with pellicle spaced from the bottom surface of the base, and a sealing frame having an upper and a lower side and a center opening, sized for receiving the photomask in a spaced manner. A circumferential, elastic sealing element on the sealing frame extends into the center opening in an inclined manner towards the upper side of the sealing frame. The sealing element, in a no load condition, has an inner circumference which is narrower than the outer circumference of the photomask, and in a load condition circumferentially contacts a photomask in the center opening.