Holder for receiving and for 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

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 centre opening, sized for receiving the photomask in a spaced manner. A circumferential, elastic sealing element on the sealing frame extends into the centre 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 smaller than the outer circumference of the photomask, and in a load condition circumferentially contacts a photomask in the centre opening. A holder for receiving and for 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 are disclosed. The holder comprises a base having at least three support elements, which are arranged for receiving and for holding the photomask or the photomask with pellicle spaced from the bottom surface of the base, a sealing frame having an upper side and a lower side, wherein the lower side may be seated onto the base, and wherein the sealing frame comprises a centre opening, which is sized such that it may receive the photomask in a spaced manner. A circumferential, elastic sealing element is provided on the sealing frame, which extends from the inner circumference of the centre opening into the centre opening in an inclined manner towards the upper side of the sealing frame, wherein the sealing element in a no load condition has an inner circumference, which is smaller than the outer circumference of the photomask, and in a load condition circumferentially contacts a photomask, which is received in the centre opening, at its side surface.