photomask

A photomask is a transparent plate, usually made of glass or quartz, with a precise pattern of opaque regions on its surface. Used in semiconductor manufacturing, it acts like a stencil for copying intricate circuit designs onto silicon wafers. During photolithography, light shines through the mask, transferring the pattern onto a photo-sensitive material on the wafer. This process creates the tiny features needed for integrated circuits. Think of a photomask as a high-precision blueprint that guides the creation of complex electronic components at a microscopic scale.