Quality is a critical component in the manufacture of photomasks and an essential guiding principle throughout the entire Photronics organization. By using the latest inspection and repair equipment available, Photronics is able to consistently deliver quality products to all of its worldwide customers. Photronics? ISO certified facilities and stringent internal quality systems and procedures ensure customers the best photomask and reticle products available.

ISO 9002 ? All Photronics facilities are certified.

QS 9000 ? Currently four facilities are certified and others are scheduled in the near future. These sites are implementing FMEA (Failure mode and effect analysis), DOE (Design of Experiments) and Control Plans in preparation for QS 9000.

SPC ? Photronics has upgraded its Corporate SPC program with on-line process control and corrective action activities (OCAPs) which will give engineering an even greater degree of production data for proactive quality control initiatives.

Corporate CD and Grid Standardization / Correlation - New processes have been implemented into all Photronics manufacturing facilities to insure that all manufacturing and measurement tools have been calibrated to an industry standard and correlated to each other.

Airborne Contaminants ? AMC (Airborne Molecular Contamination) and Latent Image Decay have been addressed in the clean room environments through the use of charcoal filters, isolated air and closed systems. These efforts ensure the highest quality conditions for manufacturing.

Photronics is actively engaged in a number of joint development projects with its customers and vendors.

ASML ? Photronics and ASML have entered into a joint development agreement to develop advanced reticles to support the early characterization work of ASML?s most advanced lithography systems. The reticles will be used to evaluate wafer results on both 248 nanometer and 193 nanometer ASML systems.

Corning ? Photronics and Corning have joined together to develop a new generation of photoblanks.

IMEC ? Photronics has partnered with the IMEC, Europe?s largest independent microelectronics research center, to jointly develop 193nm reticle technology.

Photronics? Technology Development Group is focused on developing production capable advanced photomask manufacturing solutions. These advanced processes are critical as reticle designs increase in complexity and requirements dictate sub-wavelength features. Photronics? proprietary Sub Wavelength Reticle Solutions? product family (SRS?) provides solutions to these production challenges. The importance of developing production ready advanced manufacturing solutions is critical. Photronics is meeting these challenges and is dedicated to being the leader in photomask technology.

Photronics has developed an innovative password protected extranet which enables customers to check their mask product status online via MaskLink™. This system gives customers instant access to important production data.

Photronics is actively supporting the ISO 14001 environmental management system and has currently received certification at seven facilities. Qualification activities are underway at those currently not certified. The ISO 14001 system is a valuable environmental management system and is especially helpful to companies with global manufacturing networks, as it strengthens environmental control through standardization between sites. Environmental commitment and responsibility are very important at Photronics, and each employee is empowered to do their part to reduce waste in compliance with all internal and external environmental regulations.

Photronics is actively engaged in a quartz substrate reclaim program. Used substrates can be refurbished and reused for less critical applications with customer approval. This recycling effort has been successful in reducing waste and is an important part of Photronics? overall commitment to the environment.

INNOVATION AND AUTOMATION REDUCE ERRORS

As the semiconductor industry continues to evolve, the role of the photomask manufacturer has increased in importance. Keeping Photronics ahead of the pack in terms of customer service, is an updated set of e-business initiatives through the introduction of CyberMask?, innovative new software that revolutionizes and streamlines the production of photomasks. Cybermask? simplifies and accelerates interaction between Photronics and our customers by automating the receipt and preparation of customer data for manufacturing.

Cybermask? was made possible by the introduction of the Semi P10 data specifications - industry-standard data structures that permit cross-enterprise exchange of technical specifications for photomask manufacturing. As a P10-certified vendor, data can be transmitted to Photronics as an ASCII file for integration into the Company's manufacturing tracking systems.

Key drivers for the initiative include cycle time reduction, RMA reduction, optimized resource utilization and improved operations while processing increasingly complex mask requirements.
CyberMask? can help us reduce a 4-hour order entry and job initiation process (this is a best-case scenario with no sit-time) by more than 50% through a fully automated process while simultaneously reducing errors incurred during processing.

Automated front-end processes through CyberMask? include: order entry, data preparation and directing the job to the manufacturing facility.

CyberMask? is aimed at top-tier customers across most technology nodes that Photronics offers to them. Immediate customer benefits include: improved cycle time, greater consistency and quality of data delivered to manufacturing, standardization of front-end job preparation, establishment of a single point of entry when placing orders with Photronics; and increased confidence that Photronics can consistently deliver both the quality and turnaround times requested.

Photronics is committed to innovations like CyberMask? since they widen the gap between our competitors and ourselves. By leveraging the benefits of centralized, automated processing and advanced tools such as data fracture engines, Photronics is continuing to differentiate its offerings through high value-add services. This enhances customer loyalty while helping maintain our pricing strength.