MTSN Mattson Technology, Inc.

Mattson Technology Reinforces Strip Leadership With New Strip System for Sub-90 nm Manufacturing Aspen III eHighlands Delivers Advanced Processing Capabilities for BEOL Low-k/Copper Strip Applications FREMONT, Calif., July 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Mattson Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MTSN), a leading supplier of advanced process equipment used to manufacture semiconductors, today introduced its new Aspen III eHighlands dry strip system designed for critical front-end-of-line (FEOL) and back-end-of-line (BEOL) process applications, including photoresist strip over low-k materials. Mattson has received multiple orders for the tool, and the eHighlands is being qualified for 65 nm and below chip manufacturing at key customer sites. In advanced BEOL applications, photoresist removal processes represent major challenges to low-k/copper (Cu) integration because conventional dry cleaning processes introduce damage in low-k materials, leading to adverse changes in the dielectric and the materials' physical properties. The Aspen III eHighlands was designed to help chipmakers overcome the integration challenges associated with these sensitive materials. Building upon Mattson's field-proven Aspen III Highlands, the eHighlands features Mattson's proprietary inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source and a bias capability that enables independent control of ion energy and ion density at low pressures to minimize damage to low-k materials for sub-90 nm processing. The eHighlands' unique "three-in-one" integration scheme, where the low-k strip, barrier removal and Cu surface treatment processes are performed in-situ, provides chipmakers up to 35% lower cost-of-ownership than dielectric etch tools, which use an "all-in-one" approach. "Our customers need a high-productivity platform and a cost-effective strip solution for their 90 nm high-volume manufacturing requirements that is easily extendible to future process generations," said Randy Y. Matsuda, vice president and general manager of Mattson Technology's Films Etch Product Group. "We continue to build upon our leadership in the strip market with the success of our Aspen platform, and our new Aspen III eHighlands offers a full breadth of capabilities, from cost-efficient, standard dry strip techniques to advanced low-k/copper integration applications. We will continue to drive advancements that will enable our customers to increase productivity and lower costs as they move into the sub-90 nm era." According to Gartner Dataquest, an independent market research firm, the dry strip market size for 2004 was $351 million, and Mattson was the number one strip supplier, leading the dry strip industry in market share in 2004. The addition of the eHighlands to Mattson Technology's full line of dry strip product offerings for FEOL and BEOL process applications is expected to strengthen Mattson's leadership position and enable increased share gains in the dry strip market. About the Aspen III eHighlands The latest addition to Mattson's complete family of dry strip products, the Aspen III eHighlands meets all critical FEOL dry strip process requirements and enables chipmakers to handle copper/low-k dielectric integration, ultra low-k ashing, barrier layer removal and other BEOL dry strip challenges with a single tool. With a low-pressure regime, the eHighlands provides improved profile control, low-k material preservation and a wider process window. Available in 200 mm and 300 mm versions, the system builds on the production-proven Aspen III Highlands and is designed for reliable, high-productivity, low-cost-of-ownership manufacturing for 90 nm and below. About Mattson Technology, Inc. Mattson Technology, Inc. is the leading supplier of dry strip equipment and the second largest supplier of rapid thermal processing equipment in the global semiconductor industry. The company's strip and RTP equipment utilize innovative technology to deliver advanced processing performance and productivity gains to semiconductor manufacturers worldwide for the fabrication of current- and next-generation devices. For more information, please contact Mattson Technology, Inc., 47131 Bayside Parkway, Fremont, Calif. 94538. Telephone: 800-MATTSON/510-657-5900. Fax: 510-492-5911. Internet: http://www.mattson.com/. CONTACT: Lauren Vu of Mattson Technology, Inc., +1-510-492-6518, or fax, +1-510-492-2800, or . DATASOURCE: Mattson Technology, Inc. CONTACT: Lauren Vu of Mattson Technology, Inc., +1-510-492-6518, or fax, +1-510-492-2800, or Web site: http://www.mattson.com/

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