Amtech Systems Inc. Announces Introduction and Initial Orders for Its 300mm Diffusion Furnaces.

Business Editors & Technology Writers

TEMPE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 12, 2001

Amtech Systems, Inc. (NasdaqNM:ASYS) ("Amtech" or the "Company") has announced that it has secured two orders for 300mm wafer processing diffusion furnace systems.

These orders represent the first sales of Amtech's 300mm semiconductor diffusion furnace system products. The Company expects to ship these systems during the next six months. These two systems will have three and two 300mm reactor chambers, respectively. There is a trend within the semiconductor industry to the use of larger silicon wafers in order to increase the efficiencies in the fabrication of semiconductor devices. Processing 300mm wafers represents the leading edge in the production of semiconductors. By introducing its 300mm line of diffusion furnace systems, Amtech is expanding its targeted available market. The second of these orders also includes Amtech Systems, Inc.'s S-300 Automation package, expanding the market for that product, as well.

J.S. Whang, the Company's President and CEO, stated, "I am elated that leaders within the semiconductor industry would choose Amtech Systems, Inc. to meet their need for 300mm diffusion furnaces and related automation. These orders confirm our multi-pronged growth strategy, which includes the introduction of new models of existing products to increase sales by expanding the size of our served available markets. These system orders also support our belief that horizontal diffusion furnaces have the competitive advantage over vertical furnaces for certain applications in use today. With the order announced today, Amtech became one of only a few suppliers of 300mm horizontal diffusion furnaces in the world. Sales prices of our semiconductor diffusion furnace system packages range from $200,000 to over $1 million, depending on the configuration, including the functions and features requested by the customer."

Amtech Systems, Inc. manufactures capital equipment, including silicon wafer handling automation, semiconductor processing equipment and related consumables used in fabricating semiconductor devices. Semiconductors, or semiconductor chips, are fabricated on silicon wafer substrates, sliced from ingots, and are part of the circuitry, or electronic components, of many products including computers, telecommunications devices, automotive products, consumer goods, industrial automation and control systems, and solar cells. The Company's semiconductor handling and processing products currently address the polishing of newly sliced silicon wafers and reclaimed test wafers and the oxidation and deposition steps used in the fabrication of semiconductors, optical components and solar cells.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements. Certain information included in this press release (as well as information included in oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by Amtech Systems, Inc.) contains statements that are forward-looking. Such forward looking information involves a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed or anticipated by management. Potential risks and uncertainties include, among other factors, industry specific and general business conditions, competitive market conditions, success of Amtech's growth and sales strategies, the possibility of customer changes in delivery schedules, cancellation of orders, potential delays in product shipments, delays in obtaining inventory parts from suppliers, failure to satisfy customer acceptance requirements, difficulties in collecting receivables and the effects of adopting Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 101, "Revenue Recognition in Financial Statements," which was issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission.