Accent Announces 100th RPM Sale.

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BEND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 15, 2001

Accent Optical Technologies (www.accentopto.com), a leading supplier of process control and measurement tools for the optoelectronics, wireless, and silicon semiconductor equipment industries, today announced the sale of its 100th RPM system to Nova Crystals (www.novacrystals.com), a developer and manufacturer of high-speed, long-wavelength laser components for fiber-optic data and telecommunications applications.

Accent's RPM system, rapid photoluminescence (PL) mapper, is used by epitaxial process engineers and managers seeking tight control of key process parameters and improvement in the yield of their reactors. Room temperature PL wafer maps, output by the RPM, give vital information on the uniformity of alloy composition, material quality and defects in substrates, epilayers and device structures.

The first RPM system, the RPM2000, was launched just over 2 years ago. In May 2000 the RPM4000 was introduced to the market as a fully automated, room temperature PL mapping system with wafer handling. The product has received wide acceptance from the worldwide market including customers in Asia, Europe and North America.

"We selected the RPM4000 because of its versatile functionality, automation capabilities and solid track record. The feature set of the RPM4000 combined with its high throughput allows us to utilize a single tool to support our entire range of developmental and manufacturing efforts. Also, Accent's customer service and future vision gives us confidence in them as a vendor partner with whom we can build a good, long-term working relationship," said Dr. Steve Hummel, Director of Engineering, Nova Crystals.

"The demand for the RPM has been great and has paralleled the growth of our customers and the market segments including LED, telecom and datacom lasers, VCSELS and detectors. By incorporating the RPM4000 into their manufacturing process, our customers are finding that they no longer have to use random sample measurement, but can afford to test every wafer," said Raj Mundhe, Vice President Sales, Marketing sand Business Development, Optoelectronics Division. "Given an average manufacturing environment, measuring every wafer costs only 16 cents per wafer."

The wide acceptance of the RPM4000 demonstrates the turn towards automation and standardization of process control procedures. This is similar to what the semiconductor industry did in its infancy in the 1970s, and the RPM4000 is quickly becoming the standard for this automation.

For sales or product information, please contact: Raj Mundhe 617/630-6928 phone or [e-mail].

Accent Optical Technologies (www.accentopto.com) is a leading supplier of optoelectronics and silicon process control systems. The company's legacy dates backs over 300 years to its optical instrument manufacturing roots in York, England. It serves leading manufacturers of laser diodes, VCSELs, HBTs and high electron mobility transistors and supplies optical CD measurement, thin film characterization and optical lithography feedback control systems to leading silicon device manufacturers. Accent Optical Technologies, a privately held company headquartered in Bend, Ore., operates in 11 countries with more than 280 employees, including over 70 technologists.

Except for historical information, the matters discussed in this news release include forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These include statements relating to our ability to reach our expansion goals and penetrate markets. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to materially differ from those projected. Our business is subject to several risks, including, but not limited to, the cyclicality in the industries in which we participate, fluctuations in our operating results, rapid technological change and market acceptance of our products, as well as, general market conditions. We assume no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because of subsequent events.

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