Wafers are thin, flat disks of silicon, the raw material of ICs.
Photomasks are high precision, quartz, synthetic plates that contain microscopic images of electronic circuits. The photomask is used as a master image to transpose the circuit patterns onto the silicon wafer. Nikon produces equipment for the photolithographic imaging of wafers and the measurement, inspection and cleaning of photomasks. This equipment requires advanced precision optical and mechanical systems and has an expected productive lifecycle approaching ten years. Every three years, according to Moore's Law, the technology used to build ICs takes another step forward, requiring even more advanced production equipment.