Patent ID: 6948619

Claim:
A pod for transporting a reticle during a semiconductor manufacturing process, and a reticle corresponding to the pod, the reticle comprising a base made of isolating material and a metallic layer deposited onto a surface of a base of the reticle, the metallic layer being cut in selected areas to receive complementary reticle support pins, the pod comprising: an upper cover, an upper liner, a reticle support, a lower liner, and a lower cover, wherein the reticle support is made in the form of a substantially U-shape element and is provided with complementary reticle pins arranged to contact and match the selected cut areas of the reticle metallic layer and to keep the reticle support from contacting the reticle metallic layer when supporting the reticle, whereby scratching the metallic layer and thus releasing metallic particles from the layer is prevented.