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In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a wafer retaining arrangement is incorporated into a transport module suitable for 300 mm wafers. The wafer retaining arrangement attaches to an interior of a door of the transport module and includes a framework, and a first and a second plurality of wafe

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a wafer retaining arrangement is incorporated into a transport module suitable for 300 mm wafers. The wafer retaining arrangement attaches to an interior of a door of the transport module and includes a framework, and a first and a second plurality of wafer engaging members that secure semiconductor wafers within the transport module and that extend laterally from respective first and second sidewall portions and are preferably parallel to one another. Each of the wafer engaging members includes an arm portion and a wafer engagement head spaced laterally from the respective sidewall portion, wherein the wafer engagement heads of the first plurality of wafer engaging members are in close proximity to the wafer engagement heads of the second plurality of wafer engaging members.

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1. A front opening wafer container for holding a plurality of wafers in a horizontal vertically stacked and spaced arrangement, the container comprising an enclosure portion with an open front and a door to close the open front, the door comprising a wafer cushion extending vertically on an inside s

1. A front opening wafer container for holding a plurality of wafers in a horizontal vertically stacked and spaced arrangement, the container comprising an enclosure portion with an open front and a door to close the open front, the door comprising a wafer cushion extending vertically on an inside surface of the door for engaging the wafers when the door is in place on the enclosure portion, the wafer cushion comprising a rigid rectilinear framework with a pair of horizontal endwall rails, a left vertical sidewall rail, and a right vertical sidewall rail, a first vertical row of wafer engaging members extending inwardly from the left sidewall rail and a second vertical row of wafer engaging members extending inwardly from the right sidewall rail, each wafer engaging member having an arm portion and a wafer engagement head, the arm portion presenting a longitudinal axis and extending substantially linearly from the respective rail when not deflected, wherein the wafer engagement heads of the row of wafer engagement members extending from the left vertical sidewall rail are positioned in close proximity to the wafer engagement heads of the row of wafer engagement members extending from the right vertical sidewall rail and the longitudinal axis of each arm portion of the row of wafer engagement members extending from the left vertical sidewall rail is substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the arm portion of a separate one of the wafer engagement members in the row of wafer engagement members extending from the right vertical sidewall rail when the wafer engagement members are not deflected.2. The front opening wafer container of claim 1 wherein the wafer engagement heads of the row of wafer engagement members extending from the left vertical sidewall rail are within 1 centimeter of the wafer engagement heads of the row of wafer engagement members extending from the right vertical sidewall rail.3. The front opening wafer container of claim 1 wherein the wafer engagement heads of the row of wafer engagement members extending from the left vertical sidewall rail are about 5 mm from the wafer engagement heads of the row of wafer engagement members extending from the right vertical sidewall rail.4. The front opening wafer container of claim 1 wherein each wafer engagement head has a wafer engagement surface with a square sawtooth shape.5. The front opening wafer container of claim 4 wherein each wafer engagement head has a vertical flat for receiving the edge of the wafer, and wherein the height of said flat is at least two times the thickness of the wafer to be received.6. The front opening wafer container of claim 1 wherein the wafer cushion is integrally formed and is comprised of poly ether ether ketone.7. The front opening wafer container of claim 1 wherein the wafer cushion is positioned in a recess in the inside surface of the door and the framework attaches onto posts extending from the door.8. A front opening wafer container for holding a plurality of wafers in a horizontal vertically stacked and spaced arrangement, the container comprising an enclosure portion with an open front and a door to close the open front, the door comprising a wafer cushion extending vertically on an inside surface of the door for engaging the wafers when the door is in place on the enclosure portion, the wafer cushion comprising a rigid framework with a left vertical sidewall rail, and a right vertical sidewall rail, a first vertical row of wafer engaging members extending inwardly from the left sidewall rail and a second vertical row of wafer engaging members extending inwardly from the right sidewall rail, each wafer engaging member having an arm portion extending from the respective rail and a wafer engagement head, the arm portion of each wafer engaging member presenting a longitudinal axis, wherein the wafer engagement heads of the row of wafer engagement members extending from the left vertical sidewall rail are positioned within one centimeter of the wafer engagement heads of the row of wafer engagement members extending from the right vertical sidewall rail, and the longitudinal axis of each arm portion in the row of wafer engagement members extending from the left vertical sidewall rail is substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the arm portion of a separate one of the wafer engagement members in the row of wafer engagement members extending from the right vertical sidewall rail.9. The front opening wafer container of claim 8 wherein the arm portions of the row of wafer engagement members extending from the left vertical sidewall rail are parallel to the arm portions of the row of wafer engagement members extending from the right vertical sidewall rail when the wafer engagement members are not deflected.10. A front opening wafer container for holding a plurality of 300 mm wafers in a horizontal vertically stacked and spaced arrangement, the container comprising an enclosure portion with an open front and a door to close the open front, the door comprising a wafer cushion extending vertically on an inside surface of the door for engaging the wafers when the door is in place on the enclosure portion, the wafer cushion comprising a rigid framework with a left vertical sidewall rail, and a right vertical sidewall rail, a first vertical row of wafer engaging members extending inwardly from the left sidewall rail and a second vertical row of wafer engaging members extending inwardly from the right sidewall rail, each wafer engaging member having an arm portion extending from the respective rail and a wafer engagement head, the arm portion of each wafer engaging member presenting a longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal axis of each arm portion in the row of wafer engagement members extending from the left vertical sidewall rail is substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the arm portion of a separate one of the wafer engagement members in the row of wafer engagement members extending from the right vertical sidewall rail when the wafer engagement members are not deflected.11. The front opening wafer container of claim 10 wherein the wafer engagement heads of the row of wafer engagement members extending from the left vertical sidewall rail are within 1 centimeter of the wafer engagement heads of the row of wafer engagement members extending from the right vertical sidewall rail.12. The front opening wafer container of claim 10 wherein each wafer engagement head has a wafer engagement surface with a square sawtooth shape.13. A disk retaining arrangement for use in an apparatus for transporting and storing semiconductor disks, the disk retaining arrangement comprising:a frame having a top and a bottom portion adapted to connect a first and a second sidewall portion, the first and second sidewall portions having a length that extends from the top portion to the bottom portion of the frame; and a first and second plurality of disk engaging members adapted to secure a semiconductor disk within a disk transport apparatus, the disk engaging members extending laterally from and being substantially perpendicular to an inner surface of the respective first and second sidewall portions, the first plurality of disk engaging members parallel to and opposingly aligned with the second plurality of disk engaging members, each of the disk engaging members including an arm portion and a disk engagement head spaced laterally from the respective sidewall portion, each disk engaging member presenting a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis of each disk engaging member in the first plurality of disk engaging members substantially coaxially aligned with the longitudinal axis of a separate one of the disk engaging members in the second plurality of disk engaging members when the disk engaging members are not deflected, the disk engagement heads of the first plurality of disk engaging members disposed in close proximity to the disk engagement heads of the second plurality of disk engaging members, wherein a force is applied on the disk from the frame as a function of the close proximity of the aligned disk engagement heads of the first and second plurality of disk engaging members, wherein the disk engagement head is comprised of a concave profile adapted to secure the semiconductor disk, the concave profile including a middle base portion bounded by side flanges, and wherein the middle base portion is vertical and the side flanges extend substantially perpendicular to the middle base portion. 14. The disk retaining arrangement of claim 13, wherein the disk engagement head is comprised of square tooth profile adapted to secure the semiconductor disk, the square tooth profile including a middle base portion bounded by side flanges, the middle base portion having a surface that is parallel to a surface of the arm portions and side flanges adapted to extend perpendicularly from the middle base portion.15. The disk retaining arrangement of claim 13, wherein the frame further comprises a plurality of apertures and a mounting flange disposed on each of the vertical sidewall rails, the apertures sized for posts extending horizontally from a door wherein the framework is secured to the door of the disk transport apparatus.16. The disk retaining arrangement of claim 13 wherein the disk engaging members are adapted to be disposed below an interior surface of a door when the disk retaining arrangement is mounted on the door.17. The disk retaining arrangement of claim 13, wherein each of the disk engaging members are adapted to flex without causing movement to an adjacent disk engaging member.18. A wafer carrier for transporting a plurality of wafers in a semiconductor facility, the wafer carrier comprising:a housing having an opening for insertion and removal of the wafers; a door for closing the opening of the housing having an inwardly facing surface; and a wafer retaining arrangement comprised of: a frame having a top and a bottom portion adapted to connect a first and a second sidewall portion, the first and second sidewall portions having a length that extends from the top portion to the a first and second plurality of wafer engaging members adapted to secure a semiconductor disk within the wafer carrier, the wafer engaging members extending laterally from and being perpendicular to an inner surface of the respective first and second sidewall portions, each of the wafer engaging members presenting a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis of each wafer engaging member in the first plurality of wafer engaging members substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of a separate one of the wafer engaging members in the second plurality of wafer engaging members when the wafer engaging members are not deflected, each of the wafer engaging members including an arm portion and a wafer engagement head spaced laterally from the respective sidewall portion, the wafer engagement heads of the first plurality of wafer engaging members disposed in close proximity to the wafer engagement heads of the second plurality of wafer engaging members. 19. The wafer carrier of claim 18, wherein the wafer engagement head is comprised of a concave profile adapted to secure the semiconductor wafer, the concave profile including a middle base portion bounded by side flanges, wherein the middle base portion has a plane that is perpendicular to the respective sidewall portion and the side flanges are adapted to extend substantially perpendicular to the middle base portion.20. The wafer carrier of claim 19, wherein the arm portion of each of the wafer engaging members has a width that extends along a length of the respective sidewalls and the middle base portion has a width that is parallel to the width of the arm portion, the arm portion adapted to facilitate deflection as the width of the arm portion is less than the width of the middle base portion.21. The wafer carrier of claim 18, wherein the frame further comprises at least one mounting aperture and a mounting flange disposed on at least one sidewall portion adapted to secure the frame to the door of the wafer carrier.22. The wafer carrier of claim 21, wherein the wafer engaging members are adapted to be disposed below an interior surface of the door when the wafer retaining arrangement is mounted on the door.23. A front opening wafer container for holding a plurality of 300 mm wafers in a horizontal vertically stacked and spaced arrangement, the container comprising an enclosure portion with an open front and a door to close the open front, the door comprising a wafer cushion extending vertically on an inside surface of the door for engaging the wafers when the door is in place on the enclosure portion, the wafer cushion comprising a rigid framework with a left vertical sidewall rail, and a right vertical sidewall rail, a first vertical row of wafer engaging members extending inwardly from the left sidewall rail and a second vertical row of wafer engaging members extending inwardly from the right sidewall rail, each wafer engaging member having an arm portion extending from the respective rail and a wafer engagement head, each of the wafer engaging members presenting a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis of each wafer engaging member in the first vertical row of wafer engaging members substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of a separate one of the wafer engaging members in the second vertical row of wafer engaging members when the wafer engaging members are not deflected, wherein each wafer engagement head has a vertical flat for receiving the edge of the wafer intermediate horizontal side flanges, and wherein the height of said flat is at least two times the thickness of the wafer to be received and wherein the side flanges are substantially perpendicular to the vertical flat.24. The front opening wafer container of claim 23 wherein the wafer engagement heads of the row of wafer engagement members extending from the left vertical sidewall rail are about 5 mm from the wafer engagement heads of the row of wafer engagement members extending from the right vertical sidewall rail.