Cabot's New Polysilicon Slurry Provides Improved Performance for Advanced DRAM Processes.

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 12, 1999--

Cabot Corporation's (NYSE:CBT) Microelectronics Materials Division (MMD), the pioneer and leading global supplier of chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) polishing slurries for the semiconductor industry, today introduced its Semi-Sperse(R) P1000 -- a breakthrough polysilicon slurry featuring the highest selectivity rate in the industry. The first in a family of new slurries optimized for today's most advanced polysilicon CMP processes, the Semi-Sperse P1000 is specifically designed for use in the manufacture of leading-edge devices such as 256 megabit and faster DRAMs.

Development of the Semi-Sperse P1000 is being driven by the industry's transition from polysilicon etch techniques to CMP. Cabot officials believe that growth in the polysilicon slurry market will be analogous to the success achieved in the tungsten slurry market. The migration toward more precise one gigabit DRAMs is increasing the demand for more complex process solutions in applications such as polysilicon plugs and deep-trench isolation, polysilicon capacitor fabrication and polysilicon inlaid gates.

According to Cabot MMD's Dielectric Program Manager Paul Feeney, "CMP allows better, easier and finer control than polysilicon etching, enabling higher yields in advanced DRAM manufacturing." In response to these improvements in wafer finishing technology, Cabot MMD estimates the polysilicon slurry market will grow at rates exceeding 50 percent during the next five years. Feeney reports that this forecast is based on both the escalating conversion of traditional etch processes to CMP and the projected growth of the overall DRAM market.

What sets Cabot's new Semi-Sperse P1000 apart from competitive slurries is its very high oxide-to-silicon nitrate selectivity rate -- more than 300 to one. In addition, the Semi-Sperse P1000 affords low defectivity -- surface finish of three-angstrom roughness -- making it ideally suited for polishing today's polysilicon plugs and exposed polysilicon vias after chemical vapor deposition. These capabilities are equally well suited for emerging process requirements such as polysilicon damascene polishing -- a process expected to gain acceptance as device features continue to shrink.

The Semi-Sperse P1000 high-purity slurry offers easy post-CMP clean and high colloidal stability with a shelf life of more than 12 months. The Semi-Sperse P1000 slurry's excellent surface finish, high selectivity to oxide and low defectivity rates contribute to higher yields for chipmakers.

Cabot's Semi-Sperse P1000 -- the latest slurry in the company's overall CMP solutions strategy -- complements the company's existing portfolio of polishing slurries used in interlevel dielectric oxide, tungsten, aluminum and copper CMP applications. Cabot's key executives will be available to meet with customers, editors and analysts during SEMICON West at booth 6086 in San Francisco.

Cabot Corporation's Microelectronics Materials Division (www.cabot-corp.com/mmd), Aurora, Ill., is the leading global supplier of CMP slurries for polishing oxide, tungsten, copper and aluminum used in semiconductor manufacturing processes. Cabot MMD is a division of Cabot Corp. (www.cabot-corp.com). Headquartered in Boston, Mass., Cabot is a global chemical manufacturing company that specializes in production and handling surface chemistry of fine particles for the automotive, industrial, construction, semiconductor, coatings and inkjet colorant markets. The company also operates a liquefied natural gas business. Cabot had revenues of $1.67 billion in 1998. Its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CBT.

Semi-Sperse is a registered trademark of the Cabot Corporation