Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. today announced that it is the first photomask maker to develop a 32nm photomask manufacturing process and will begin volume production in June. The new process shortens mask cycle time and helps control costs, which are major concerns of the industry. The photomask's performance has been demonstrated at chipmakers who are leading the industry's migration to 32nm chips for digital cameras, mobile phones and other devices.

Toppan developed the next-generation photomasks by adopting new materials, or blanks, and significantly revising conventional materials and structures, while concurrently developing its manufacturing processes to maximize the new material's features. Building on new binary type and new half-tone type leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing processes instead of conventional manufacturing processes for fine-pattern formulation, the project significantly improved dimension accuracy in both types.

Moreover, Toppan's new photomask enables binary-type wafer performance that matches the fine-pattern formulation and dimension accuracy of half-tone type wafers, produced with embedded attenuated phase shift masks. These results promise to shorten photomask cycle time and help customers control mask costs by reducing the manufacturing process for critical layer masks.

"Our collaboration with customers, material suppliers and tool manufacturers has produced a new 32nm photomask solution that would have been difficult to develop on our own," said Toshiro Masuda, head of Semiconductor Solutions Division and managing director of Toppan Printing. "We will continue to reinforce our alliances with these partners to offer new solutions to our global customers and to streamline and advance semiconductor technology development."

About Toppan Printing's Photomask Business

Toppan Printing is the world's premier photomask manufacturer. The company supports the global semiconductor industry, from the initial launch of the semiconductor manufacturing process through commercial production, by providing state-of-the-art photomask technology. Toppan is the only global photomask manufacturer providing the highest quality products in a timely manner to customers across Japan, the United States, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.toppan.co.jp.