Applied Materials Celebrates 10 Years of RTP Leadership.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Applied Materials, Inc. celebrates the 10th anniversary of its revolutionary Applied Centura(R) RTP (rapid thermal processing) system. Following its introduction in 1995, the Centura RTP quickly became the industry standard for thermal-budget-sensitive anneal applications due to its innovative temperature control and lamp head design. Building on these core capabilities, Applied has continued to deliver leading-edge thermal processing solutions for every technology generation, shipping more than 1,200 RTP systems to customers worldwide. Applied's RTP systems now address over twenty critical thermal applications for advanced device manufacturing.

Before the introduction of the Applied Centura RTP system in 1995, the limited temperature control and lengthy thermal cycles of batch furnaces negatively impacted transistor performance. The Centura RTP system revolutionized thermal processing, delivering precise temperature control and uniformity through two groundbreaking innovations: the Honeycomb lamp array and the Emissometer(R). Through its continued advancements in RTP technology and performance, Applied has provided leading-edge, reliable manufacturing capability for over six device generations.

Today, the Applied RadiancePlus(TM) RTP chamber addresses multiple applications, including advanced spike anneal, low temperature nickel silicide formation and advanced substrate manufacturing. The Applied Vantage(R) RadOx(TM) RTP system, introduced in May 2005, offers a patented radical oxidation technology for critical applications including gate oxide, poly reoxidation, and flash oxides.

According to market researcher Dataquest, Applied had 78% share of the RTP market in 2004.

"Our leading position in the RTP market is a result of continuous innovation by our engineers over the past ten years," said Dr. Randhir Thakur, group vice president and general manager of Applied Materials' Front End Products group. "As the next generation's advanced transistors require additional, more tightly controlled thermal process steps, our customers can continue to rely on Applied Materials to develop RTP solutions to meet their most demanding manufacturing challenges."

Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq:AMAT), headquartered in Santa Clara, California, is the largest supplier of equipment and services to the global semiconductor industry. Applied Materials' web site is www.appliedmaterials.com.