Brooks Automation, Inc. Continues to Gain Market Share With Production-Ready Gemini Express Bridge Tool.

Business/Technology Editors

CHELMSFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 17, 2000

Newest Brooks Customer Receives First Shipment of Fab-Ready Gemini

Express Cluster Tools

Brooks Automation, Inc. (NASDAQ:BRKS), a leader in semiconductor tool and factory automation solutions for the global semiconductor industry, today announced the first shipment of its increasingly popular turnkey Gemini Express(TM) (GX) tool to AIXTRON AG, a leader in CVD process technology based in Aachen, Germany. The configuration is a fully featured cluster tool automation system encompassing complete hardware and integrated software for factory interface, atmospheric handling, vacuum handling, and process module controls. The system includes Brooks' best of class MagnaTran(TM) 7 vacuum robot, AcuTran(TM) atmospheric robot, load ports, factory interface, vacuum system, and complete ClusterLink 3(TM) controls software package including the graphical user interface and CIM integration features.

Dr. Holger Jurgensen, President and Chief Executive Officer of AIXTRON, emphasized the advantages of employing the Gemini Express platform, saying, "AIXTRON is committed to being the leader in CVD equipment technology for advanced multi-component oxide thin film applications, to be integrated in highly flexible and versatile cluster architectures. To help us meet this goal, AIXTRON has developed the Tricent(TM) MOCVD tool for the deposition of BST, SBT and PZT thin films, featuring advanced technology for the highly efficient delivery and evaporation of liquid precursors. After carefully evaluating the various options, we decided on Brooks Automation's Gemini Express as the platform-of-choice."

"With its 200mm/300mm wafer size configurability, its overall flexibility and versatility, and its low cost-of-ownership, the Gemini Express is a perfect match for AIXTRON's Tricent 200mm/300mm bridge tool. Another selection criterion for AIXTRON was the Gemini Express' fully developed controls, which have set industry standards." Dr. Jurgensen added, "Overall, Brooks Automation's focus and commitment to integrated Fab solutions, and the depth of their expertise in ultra-clean high vacuum wafer handling, makes Brooks a highly valuable partner for AIXTRON as an equipment manufacturer."

"Innovation in the Gemini Express architecture has allowed Brooks to provide a fully-loaded but extensible, low-cost system with advanced and integrated features," said Robert J. Therrien, President and Chief Executive Officer of Brooks Automation, Inc. "Further, the turnkey GX is Fab-ready, supporting the popular one-communication wire connection from the tool to the factory. Its controls have been designed to maximize equipment utilization and optimize yield."

The modularity, ease of integration, and ease of configuration of the Gemini Express product line reflect Brooks' many years of cluster tool design and controls expertise. The Gemini Express platform enables OEMs to drastically shorten time to market for new tool designs and better meet the demands of the end user market. It has received significant attention from existing Brooks customers and is attracting a wide array of new customers, from an increasing number of startup companies to large OEMs that need to standardize product offerings and suppliers.

Brooks Automation, Inc.

We are a leading supplier of integrated tool and factory automation solutions for the global semiconductor manufacturing and related industries. Our automation solutions are designed to optimize equipment and factory productivity. These solutions include tool automation modules, complete semiconductor wafer handling systems and automation software and integration services. We sell our tool automation products principally to manufacturers of process equipment used in semiconductor fabrication facilities, or fabs. We sell our factory automation products principally to semiconductor manufacturers. We also sell our products to data storage and flat panel display manufacturers. We believe that we are the largest independent producer of vacuum tool automation systems and a leading independent producer of tool software and controls. The Company has ISO 9001 certification, is headquartered in Chelmsford, Mass. and has direct operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Singapore. The Brooks' web site is www.brooks.com.

AIXTRON AG

Established in 1983, AIXTRON is the world's leading manufacturer of state-of-the-art MOCVD equipment with focus on multicomponent materials. AIXTRON pioneered the commercial introduction and success of MOCVD, VPE and MOVPE technologies and has played a leading role in the continuing development and success of these technologies. AIXTRON provides its worldwide customer base with CVD Engineering services and expertise, including CVD or MOCVD manufacturing equipment with the related processes, for qualified large-scale production or flexible R&D arrangements.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The foregoing discussion contains forward-looking statements relating to the expected benefits of Brooks Automation's products sold to AIXTRON. These statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, risks relating to the manner in which the customer uses the products and integrates the products with other components, the Company's dependence on the cyclical semiconductor industry, the ability of the Company to continue to successfully develop and market new products and product enhancements on a timely basis, the Company's dependence on relatively few customers for a significant portion of its revenues, the Company's reliance on sales to OEM customers and the lengthy sales cycles of those customers, the highly competitive nature and rapid technological change that characterize the industries in which the Company competes, and other risks and uncertainties described in the Company's reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result, there can be no assurance that the Company's future results will not be materially different from those projected. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only of the Company's expectations as of the date of this press release. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statement to reflect any change in the Company's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.