PLAB Company Profile

Photronics, Inc. is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of photomasks, which are high precision photographic quartz or glass plates containing microscopic images of electronic circuits. Photomasks are a key element in the manufacture of semiconductors and flat panel displays (“FPDs”), and are used as masters to transfer circuit patterns onto semiconductor wafers and flat panel display substrates during the fabrication of integrated circuits (“ICs” or “semiconductors”) and a variety of FPDs and, to a lesser extent, other types of electrical and optical components. The Company currently operates principally from nine manufacturing facilities; two of which are located in Europe, three in Taiwan, one in Korea and three in the United States.

The Board has adopted a code of ethics, which is posted on the Company’s website at http://www.photronics.com/plab/photronics/. The code of ethics may be found as follows: from the Company’s web address listed above, first click on “Investors” then click on “Corporate Governance”, then on “Photronics, Inc. Code of Ethics”. The Company’s code of ethics applies to the Company’s senior financial officers, including our Chief Executive Officer; Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Chief Financial Officer, Asia; Vice President and Treasurer; Vice President, Corporate Controller; and Vice President, Tax. We intend to disclose any amendment to, or waiver from, the code of ethics for our senior financial officers, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller or persons performing similar functions, to the extent disclosure is required by applicable rules of the SEC and NASDAQ Stock Market LLC by posting such information on our website, at the address and location specified above.

We manufacture photomasks, which are used as masters to transfer circuit patterns onto semiconductor wafers and flat panel display substrates. Photomasks are manufactured in accordance with circuit designs provided to us on a confidential basis by our customers. IC and FPD photomask sets are manufactured in layers, each having a distinct pattern which is etched onto a different photomask. The resulting series of photomasks is then used to image the circuit patterns onto each successive layer of a semiconductor wafer or flat panel display substrate. The typical manufacturing process for a photomask involves the receipt and conversion of circuit design data to manufacturing pattern data. A lithography system then exposes the circuit pattern onto the photomask blank. The exposed areas are developed and etched to produce that pattern on the photomask. The photomask is then inspected for defects and conformity to the customer’s design data. After any defects are repaired, the photomask is cleaned, any required pellicles (protective translucent cellulose membranes) are applied and, after final inspection, the photomask is shipped to the customer.

We currently support customers across the full spectrum of IC production and FPD technologies by manufacturing photomasks using electron beam or optical (laser-based) systems, which are the predominant technologies used for photomask manufacturing, and are capable of producing the finer line resolution, tighter overlay and larger die size for the larger and more complex circuits currently being designed. Electron beam and laser generated photomasks can be used to produce the most advanced semiconductors and FPDs for use in an array of products. However, in the case of IC production, the large majority of higher cost critical layer photomasks are fabricated using electron beam technologies, while photomasks produced using laser-based systems are less expensive and less precise. End markets served with IC photomasks include devices used for microprocessors, memory, telecommunications and related applications. We currently own a number of both high-end and mature electron beam and laser-based systems.