Slow-down in the photomask market

In 2004 the market for semiconductor photomasks gained 18.7 percent and in 2005 the figure was 9.7 percent and the trend seems to go on to reach only 4.3 percent in growth this year. This year that market is expected to reach $3.2 billion in sales according to The Information Network. "While the semiconductor market is anticipated to grow strongly in 2006, demand for photomasks is directly a function of design activity rather than sales volume from products using photomasks. Therefore, an increase in the semiconductor market does not necessarily translate to an increase in photomask sales," said Dr Robert Castellano, president of The Information Network, in a statement.