ADE Reports Technological Breakthrough in Development Program With SSi.

Business/Technology Editors

WESTWOOD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 2, 2001

Company's AWIS System Achieves 40nm Detection Capability as ADE

Accomplishes Key Goal for Super Silicon Crystal Research Institute

ADE Corporation (NASDAQ: ADEX) today announced that, as a part of the company's three-year development program with Super Silicon Crystal Research Institute Corporation, ADE has produced a system capable of detecting 40nm particles required for meeting the 0.10um technology node. ADE's complete edge-grip handling system, which is capable of measuring 200mm, 300mm, and 400mm wafers, is the latest application of ADE's patented AWIS (Advanced Wafer Inspection System) technology.

Mr. Kiyosha Takada, Director and General Manager of SSi stated: "One of SSi's main requirements for high quality wafer production was the detection of approximately 40nm particles that was derived from the 0.13um flatness target. This was acknowledged as one of the most difficult goals of the SSi program. Because of the difficulty of this task, SSi decided to put this development into the hands of ADE, who had extensive experience and achievements in this field. Therefore, in August of 1997, SSi visited ADE's CEO Mr. Robert Abbe and his engineering team to ask them to accept this challenging request."

"Now, after 3 years, ADE has proven the ability of its inspection equipment to detect 40nm particles and has met 100% of the program's objectives. SSi would like to show its highest respect and admiration to ADE's engineering team who made this possible."

"SSi hopes that this development will give impetus to ADE's new 0.10um products for 200mm and 300mm wafers expected to begin production ramp up in 2005. Because the SSi project completion date is January 2001, this advancement will not be applicable to 400mm wafers."

Robert Abbe, ADE's President and CEO stated, "ADE is honored to have the opportunity to work with SSi in the development of metrology tools for their ground-breaking advancements in wafer technology. A very significant development was SSi's success in creating super-smooth wafer surfaces, which meet the requirements for 100nm and 80nm device generations. ADE estimates that forty percent (40%) of the challenge, to successfully detect 40nm particles, is directly attributed to SSi's meeting 100% of its goal to make these almost perfect Silicon surfaces. The advancement of ADE's patented AWIS technology utilized in our partnership with SSi has been directly transferred to our 200mm and 300mm edge-grip inspection systems. Our relationship with SSi has had an invaluable impact on ADE's development of tools to support the 0.10um generation and beyond. ADE would like to thank SSi for their support and guidance during the past three years."

Super Silicon Crystal Research Institute Corp. (SSi), is a consortium of the Japan Key Technology Center (Governmental organization) and the six largest Japanese manufacturers of silicon wafers.

ADE Corporation is a leading supplier of metrology and inspection systems for the silicon wafer and computer disk manufacturing industries. The Company's systems analyze and report product quality at critical manufacturing process steps for yield enhancement and provide quality certification data that is relied upon by semiconductor and computer disk manufacturers. The Company's systems also are used in the fabrication of integrated circuits. To learn more about ADE, visit the Company's Web site at http://www.ade.com.

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These statements include those relating to the successful development of products using technology from the SSi development project. These statements involve risks and uncertainties associated with the strength of the semiconductor and hard disk markets, wafer pricing and wafer demand, the results of its product development efforts, the success of ADE's product offerings to meet customer needs within the timeframes required by customers in these markets, further increases in backlog, our visibility, and the Companies predictions of future financial outcomes. Further information on potential factors that could affect ADE Corporation's business is described in the each company's reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2000.