-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001266457-11-000002.txt : 20110218
<SEC-HEADER>0001266457-11-000002.hdr.sgml : 20110218
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20110218183218
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001266457-11-000002
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20110216
FILED AS OF DATE:		20110218
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20110218

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			GARNREITER MICHAEL
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001207669

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-11412
		FILM NUMBER:		11625963

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		6735 E. GREENWAY PARKWAY
		STREET 2:		UNIT #2049
		CITY:			SCOTTSDALE
		STATE:			AZ
		ZIP:			85254

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			AMTECH SYSTEMS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000720500
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SPECIAL INDUSTRY MACHINERY, NEC [3559]
		IRS NUMBER:				860411215
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			AZ
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0930

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		131 S CLARK DR
		CITY:			TEMPE
		STATE:			AZ
		ZIP:			85281
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6029675146

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		131 SOUTH CLARK DRIVE
		CITY:			TEMPE
		STATE:			AZ
		ZIP:			85281

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	QUARTZ ENGINEERING & MATERIALS INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19870715
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-02-16</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000720500</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMTECH SYSTEMS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>asys</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001207669</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GARNREITER MICHAEL</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>6735 E. GREENWAY PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>UNIT #2049</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SCOTTSDALE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>AZ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>85254</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Amtech Systems, Inc. $.01 par value common stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-02-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1148</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>7.3</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1148</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Amtech Systems, Inc. $.01 par value common stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-02-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1148</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>25</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Amtech Systems, Inc. $.01 par value common stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-02-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>852</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>7.3</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>852</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Amtech Systems, Inc. $.01 par value common stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-02-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>7.3</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2852</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Amtech Systems, Inc. $.01 par value common stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-02-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>852</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>25.05</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Amtech Systems, Inc. $.01 par value common stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-02-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>25.0325</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Amtech Systems, Inc. Non-Employee Director Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>7.3</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-02-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1148</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-02-19</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2017-02-19</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Amtech Systems, Inc. $.01 par value common stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1148</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3852</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Amtech Systems, Inc. Non-Employee Director Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>7.3</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-02-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>852</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-02-19</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2017-02-19</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Amtech Systems, Inc. $.01 par value common stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>852</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Amtech Systems, Inc. Non-Employee Director Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>7.3</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-02-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-02-19</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2017-02-19</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Amtech Systems, Inc. $.01 par value common stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Price omitted because the transaction is a grant of a stock option.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This is the number of derivative securities, with the same terms and conditions, following the reported transaction.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">This is the number of derivative securities, with the same terms and conditions, following the reported transaction. Total of all derivative securities, with different terms and conditions, held following the reported transaction is 21,000.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Robert T. Hass on behalf of Michael Garnreiter by Power of Attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-02-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
