-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 A5eWo8BJRQcrZIYuFXHqDdNCNkTCZMSicEgq2NIllrPiUi9GxEeQSOJlvCEDIWWT
 K2SMmGfENBmHPPAlvSBOOQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001206577-10-000005.txt : 20101012
<SEC-HEADER>0001206577-10-000005.hdr.sgml : 20101011
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20101012120424
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001206577-10-000005
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20101007
FILED AS OF DATE:		20101012
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20101012

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Hergenrother Christine Terese
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001320919

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-26824
		FILM NUMBER:		101118251

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2201 S. MCDOWELL BOULEVARD
		CITY:			PETALUMA
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94954

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			TEGAL CORP /DE/
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000931059
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SPECIAL INDUSTRY MACHINERY, NEC [3559]
		IRS NUMBER:				680370244
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0331

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2201 SOUTH MCDOWELL BLVD
		CITY:			PETALUMA
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94954
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7077635600

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2201 SOUTH MCDOWELL BLVD
		CITY:			PETALUMA
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94954
</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>2010-10-07</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000931059</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TEGAL CORP /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>tgal</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001320919</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Hergenrother Christine Terese</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2201 S. MCDOWELL BOULEVARD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PETALUMA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94954</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP and CFO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Unit</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-10-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2010-10-07</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>215181</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-11-05</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2020-10-07</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>215181</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>305689</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">N/A</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">16,495 cliff vesting on November 5, 2010, 161,385 cliff vesting at one year anniversary dates from November 5, 2010 through November 5, 2013, and 37,301 cliff vesting on November 5, 2014.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">N/A</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Christine Hergenrother</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-10-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----