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The U.S. government, photomask companies and several semiconductor makers are reportedly in the final stages of forming a research consortium to help overcome the technical and economic difficulties associated with […]

Photronics Inc., Jupiter, FL, is breaking ground for a 13,000 ft. [Sup.2] addition to its existing manufaturing operation in Brookfield, CT. The expansion will provide an additional 6000 ft. [Sup.2] […]

Micronic Laser Systems AB, Taby, Sweden, and ASML Holding NV, Veldhoven, Netherlands, have reached an agreement in principle to enter into a strategic alliance where the companies will start a […]

EVEN THE DESIGN SECTOR OF THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY isn't immune from the current downturn, as evidenced by Photronics Inc., which recently lowered its expectations for fiscal third-quarter revenues. The company […]

* Profile: Photronics makes high-precision quartz photomasks, a key element in the construction of semiconductors. Photomasks carry microscopic images of electronic circuits and are used as blueprints to transfer circuit [...]

THE smaller they get, the harder they are to make. And that's good news for Photronics Inc., which manufactures glass photomasks for mass production of semiconductors or microchips at its [...]

David Doubledee has joined HTA Photomask as VP and general manager of HTA Enterprises, a California corporation. Doubledee has over 30 years experience in semiconductor photomask-making, most recently with LSI [...]

Photronics Inc., Jupiter, FL, and ASM Lithography (ASML), Veldhoven, The Netherlands, have agreed to cooperate in developing reticles for 0.1 mm imaging technologies. The pact, the companies say, reflects the […]

The merger of Photronics and Align-Rite International has been completed. The deal in which Photronics, Jupiter, FL, acquired Align-Rite in a stock swap, was valued at approximately $100 million. The […]

PDF Solutions Inc. has announced completion of its acquisition of AISS GmbH, which provides software to model and compensate for the physical effects involved in IC maskmaking and lithography. The […]

Sharp Corp. is reportedly selling its photomask division to photomask supplier Toppan Printing, according to press reports by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun newspaper. The move is the latest transition in […]

Laporte may sell its £20-million($33 million)/year Compugraphics (Glenrothes, U.K) photomasks business, under a plan to focus its electronic chemicals division on wet chemicals. The company says the other two operations [...]

Photronics, Align-Rite Amend Merger Terms Photomask maker Photronics Inc. last week reached an agreement with Align-Rite International Inc. to amend the terms of its previously announced stock transaction merger. Under […]

In a deal that may have a significant effect on photomask pricing, Photronics Inc. has agreed to acquire Align-Rite International in a stock swap deal valued at about $115 million. […]

Photomasks maker Photronics (Jupiter, FL) says it will relocate its manufacturing to a 30,000-sq ft site outside Phoenix, AZ by spring 2000. The new location allows for capacity expansions and [...]

BURBANK, CALIF. - Photronics' acquisition or the Hoya Micro Mask photomask manufacturing business will affect domestic competition in the mask industry since Photronics' now-dominant position will win the company preferential […]

MASKMAKER PHOTRONICS INC. HAS REORGANIZED ITS SEN-ior management team, including appointing a new permanent CEO and CEO. Dan Del Rosario is taking over as CEO, replacing interim CEO, Chairman Dino […]

Veeco Instruments Inc., Woodbury, NY, and Photronics Inc., Jupiter, FL, have formed a strategic relationship in hopes of accelerating the development of manufacturing technologies for enhanced reticle and next-generation lithography […]

Veeco Instruments Inc., Woodbury; NY, and Photronics Inc., Jupiter, FL, have formed a strategic relationship to accelerate the development of advanced manufacturing technologies required to fabricate enhanced reticle and next-generation […]

DuPont Photomasks, Round Rock, TX, has modified its Corbeil-Essonnes, France, facility to include a 7000-[ft.sup.2] cleanroom. The cleanroom is designed to support the future production of advanced photomasks below 70nm […]

DuPont Photomasks has amended its credit agreement with its principal stockholder, E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. by increasing the borrowing capacity from $100 million to $200 million. Added […]

Round Rock, Texas -- DuPont Photomasks, Inc., has filed a registration for a secondary public offer of 2.0 million shares of its common stock and plans to raise about $98 […]

Arthur W. Launder, executive VP of North American photomask operations for Du Pont Photomasks, Inc. (DPI), resigned 'to pursue other interests,' the company said. Preston M. Adcox, DPI's president and […]

Los Angeles--Photomask maker Align-Rite International Inc. reported FY96 revenues rose 31 percent to $33.3 million from $25.4 million in FY95. Net income for the year ended March 31, 1996 rose […]

BROOKFIELD, CONN.--Photronics signed a definitive agreement to acquire the photomask manufacturing operations of Hoya Micro Mask in Sunnyvale, Calif. Consummation of the transaction is subject to completion of a due […]

Reports on the agreement between ASML MaskTools and Photronics Inc. to promote the use of CPL masks, the latest equipment in the growing demand of reticle-enhancement technologies that semiconductor companies are using to extend 193-nanometer lithography to the 65-nanometer node and beyond. Advantages of CPL over the alternating phase-shift masks; Terms of the agreement.

Focuses on the challenges facing the semiconductor industry in the U.S. Reduction in the number of mask redesigns; Cost of a mask set for 130-nanometer logic devices; Need of a more-complete simulation and verification before committing to a design.

The article reports on the funding struggles of the mask infrastructure despite the continuous flow of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography investments in the U.S. It says that the EUV mask infrastructure is at the top of the critical list for EUV lithography readiness. According to the author, source suppliers continue to fund development in this field although source power continues to be a critical challenge. The concerns of maskmakers about their return on investment (ROI) are also discussed.

Like children around the Christmas tree, IC production equipment suppliers eye 1984 with feverish anticipation, believing their U.S. customers will go all-out this year to match the previous growth in [...]

The article presents the results of a mask industry survey. At the September 18, 2007 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Symposium on Photomask Technology, the annual self-assessment survey showed that the industry is moving at a steady pace. The author notes that the industry maintained its 1.2% revenue share in the semiconductor industry while shipping at 700,000 per year. Cited also are meeting highlights on reticle technologies focusing on printing assist features (PrAF) which reduce mask error enhancement factor.

This article predicts the decline of the overall photomask market in 2006, according to Information Network. After recording strong gains of 18.7 percent in 2004 and 9.7 percent in 2005, the photomask market is expected to grow only 4.3 percent in 2006, reaching sales of $3.2 billion, the firm predicted. The changes in the mix of semiconductors toward memory will affect the type and quantity of photomasks utilized.

Offers news briefs concerning the semiconductor industry. Purpose of a bag-in-a-bottle package system developed by ATMI and Tokyo Electron Ltd.; Plan of Photronics Inc. to build a photomask fabrication facility in South Korea; Deal signed by Elionix Co. Ltd. with SEMTech Solutions.

This article focuses on the 2005 Mask Magnification/Field Size Workshop sponsored by the Austin, Texas-based research and development consortium Sematech held in Belgium. The workshop concluded that the existing lithography mask standard of 4x magnification with a 26-millimeter field size is likely resilient enough to take the semiconductor industry to the 32-nanometer half-pitch generation. Participants at the workshop also reached consensus that moving to new mask ratios, fields and reticle sizes is not likely to be needed. Attendees expressed confidence that mask suppliers would be ready for 32-nanometer half-pitch lithography by 2010. Participants however did identify a list of critical issues that could necessitate a change in magnification, field size or photomask standards, if the underlying assumptions on the progress of the industry regarding these critical issues are not met.

Reports on a reduction of deposition tool-generated defects in mask blanks used for extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) by Sematech in an experiment with the Nexus system from Veeco. Significance of the achievement to the semiconductor industry; Impact of the achievement on a joint venture of Sematech with several universities; Expectations regarding the memory capacity of EUVL-produced semiconductor microchips.

Reports that integration and couplings between mask-makers and fabricators have become more crucial in the semiconductor industry. Insights from the Advanced Reticle Symposium; Communication of specifications; Development of standards to make the process more efficient.