TABLE IV.

Comparison between the types of photomasks and their pros and cons.^136,137

Type of photomask	Advantages	Disadvantages
Quartz photomask	High resolution (>= 1.0 μm) Very stable Low thermal expansion coefficient Easy to clean Non-restricted wavelength range (> 180 nm)	Could break Very expensive Time consuming
Glass (soda lime) photomask	Cost-effective solution Stable Easy to clean High resolution (>= 2 μm)	Fragile Limited wavelength range (> 350 nm) Time consuming
Plastic photomask	Cheapest option of all Very easy to handle Rapid prototyping method Flexible Thin	Weak stability Low resolution (> 6 μm) Limited wavelength range (> 350 nm)