1. Take advantage of design and engineering services.
2. Find reputable photomask companies with low cost and quick turnaround.
3. Protect the finished product.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Make use of any design and/or engineering services offered by photomask companies

Most photomask manufacturers are staffed with employees that are well versed in the photomask design process. A good photomask company will be able to create your end product from a wide variety of sources and will work with you to create the very best photomask design for your product.

I recommend: Advance Reproductions offers scanning, CAD editing and circuit layout digitizing services. HTA Photomask can produce photomasks from a wide variety of data sources, from rubylith artwork and engineering drawings to various design file formats such as Gerber data, autoCAD, and Calma Stream GDSII.

Find photomask equipment manufacturers that balance quality with low cost and quick turnaround

In such a detailed field, it is essential that you use a company that ensures a high quality product. However, it's useless to use your entire budget on one product and not have the funds or time to produce your final product. Therefore, look to find a photomask company that offers cost-effective solutions with a quick turnaround time without sacrificing quality.

I recommend: Applied Materials offers high resolution photomask making, via their Tetra III technology, at competitive prices. Digidat offers an encompassing photomask service with competitive prices and specifications.

Protect the finished photomask material

The highest quality photomasks will be useless if you don't have the right equipment to protect them. Any contamination on the photomask will affect your final product, so it's essential to be able to handle, store, and transport your photomasks safely.

I recommend: Pozzetta Products offer a wide range of photomask compacts to safely store and transport your photomasks. Syntec offers photomask handling tools, cleaners, storage systems and more.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Train your employees well on the handling and storage of the photomasks. The highest quality photomask can be quickly and easily ruined by sloppy handling or storage practices.