Development and production of photolithography masks for the global semiconductor industry – from 250 nm to EUV.
Advanced Mask Technology Center GmbH & Co. KG
Dresden · Rähnitzer Allee 9New on Amplifa
About the AMTC
The Advanced Mask Technology Center (AMTC), based in Dresden, is a joint venture between GlobalFoundries and Tekscend Photomask and has been producing photolithography masks since 2002. Photomasks are ultra-pure quartz or glass substrates that contain precise images of integrated circuits and are used as tools in semiconductor fabs for exposing silicon wafers. The product portfolio includes masks for 193-nm dry and immersion lithography (single and multiple exposure) as well as for EUV lithography; the mask generations produced range from 250 nm to 12 nm technology. The multi-stage manufacturing process comprises data processing in a high-performance computer cluster, electron and laser beam writing, wet-chemical resist development, plasma etching, metrology and inspection technology, laser and ion beam repair as well as pellicle mounting. Around 320 employees produce 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, on a production area of 30.000 m². The AMTC supplies semiconductor fabs all over the world and is embedded in the Silicon Saxony cluster.
- Site
- Dresden
- Processes
- Photomask manufacturing (development and production of photolithography masks), Photomasks for 193-nm dry lithography, Photomasks for 193-nm immersion lithography (single and multiple exposure), Photomasks for EUV lithography, Mask production 250 nm to 12 nm technology, Data processing (circuit layout processing in the high-performance computer cluster), Electron beam writing, Laser beam writing
- Materials
- Quartz (ultra-pure quartz blanks/glass substrates), Glass (ultra-pure glass sheets), Photoactive resist, Absorber layer material, Silicon substrate (wafer), Ultra-pure quartz blanks, Ultra-pure glass substrates
- Certificates
- ISO 9001, ISO 14001 (certified environmental management system since 2006), ISO 50001 (energy management system), ISO 27001 (only data centers of the EQS whistleblower portal), ISO 14001, ISO 50001, IATF 16949, EN 9100
- Founded
- 2002
- Employees
- 320
- Industries
- Semiconductor industry, Semiconductor manufacturing (wafers/fabs)
- 01
Data processing (circuit layout in the high-performance computer cluster)
- 02
Electron or laser beam writing into the photoactive resist layer
- 03
Wet-chemical resist development
- 04
Plasma etching (transfer of the structures into the absorber layer)
- 05
Cleaning
- 06
Optical, AFM and electron beam metrology
- 07
Inspection
- 08
Laser and ion beam repair / ion-induced deposition
- 09
Pellicle mounting (protective film)
- 10
Final inspection and shipping to semiconductor fabs
Materials and Processes
Ultra-pure quartz blanks
Base material of the photomasks with a special, application-dependent layer structure of absorber and photoactive layer.
Ultra-pure glass substrates
Alternative mask substrate for precise images of integrated circuits.
Photoactive resist
Structured by electron or photon exposure and subsequently wet-chemically developed.
Absorber layer material
Transferred by plasma etching together with the resulting structures of the resist layer.
Locations
Dresden
DEHeadquarters, development and production (mask center)
- Materials
- Quartz, glass, photoactive resist, absorber layer material
- Multibeam mask writer (IMS Nanofabrication, since 2024)
- Electron beam writer
- Laser beam writer
- Electron beam microscopes
- Inspection systems
- High-performance computer cluster
- Large-scale heat pump (since 2025)
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photomask manufacturing (development and production of photolithography masks)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Quartz, Glass |
| Photomasks for 193-nm dry lithographyEngineering | – | – | – | – | Quartz, Glass |
| Photomasks for 193-nm immersion lithography (single and multiple exposure)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Quartz, Glass |
| Photomasks for EUV lithographyEngineering | – | – | – | – | Quartz, Glass |
| Mask production 250 nm to 12 nm technologyEngineering | – | – | – | – | Quartz, Glass |
| Data processing (circuit layout processing in the high-performance computer cluster)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Electron beam writingEngineering | – | – | – | – | Quartz |
| Laser beam writingEngineering | – | – | – | – | Quartz |
| Wet-chemical resist developmentSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Plasma etchingSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Optical, AFM and electron beam metrologyTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| InspectionTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Laser and ion beam repairSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ion-induced depositionSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Pellicle mountingAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Cleaning of photomasksSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
7 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multibeam mask writer | IMS Nanofabrication | 1 | – | 2024 | Dresden |
| Electron beam writer | – | – | – | – | Dresden |
| Laser beam writer | – | – | – | – | Dresden |
| Electron beam microscopes | – | – | – | – | Dresden |
| Inspection systems | – | – | – | – | Dresden |
| High-performance computer cluster | – | – | – | – | Dresden |
| Large-scale heat pump | – | 1 | – | 2025 | Dresden |
Additional services
Quality and Certifications
The company's processes are certified to ISO 9001; extensive cleaning and metrology steps with optical, AFM and electron beam measurements as well as complex inspection systems ensure dimensional accuracy and defect-free quality of every mask. In addition, the AMTC maintains an environmental management system according to ISO 14001 (since 2006) and an energy management system according to ISO 50001.
| Evidence | Dresden |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | |
| ISO 14001 | |
| ISO 50001 | |
| IATF 16949 | |
| EN 9100 |
History
- 2002
May: Company founding with Infineon Technologies AG, DuPont Photomasks, Inc. (later Toppan Photomasks) and AMD; founding purpose: production of optical photomasks, pilot line. June: Groundbreaking in Dresden.
- 2003
April: Delivery of the equipment; October: completion of the first mask.
- 2004
Start of pilot production.
- 2005
End: production fully equipped.
- 2008
January: Transfer of shares from Infineon Technologies AG to Qimonda AG.
- 2009
Exclusion of Qimonda AG; AMD and Toppan Photomasks remain shareholders.
- 2012
April: Transfer of the company shares from AMD to GlobalFoundries; partial transfer of production from Toppan Deutschland to AMTC; new founding purpose: development & manufacture of optical photomasks.
- 2022
20 years of AMTC – 20 years of mask history in Dresden.
- 2024
November: Presentation of Europe's first multibeam mask writer (Tekscend Photomask/IMS Nanofabrication); October: Joining of the association "Wirtschaft für ein weltoffenes Sachsen".
- 2025
June: Commissioning of a new large-scale heat pump; reduction of energy consumption per mask by more than 60% since 2013.
- 2026
February: Cooperation with DAS Environmental Experts (DAS EE) for sustainable exhaust gas treatment.