David Lam Joins Tru-Si Technologies, Inc. as Chairman of the Board.

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 28, 1999--

Founder of Lam Research Brings Experiences in Plasma Etch Market

to Tru-Si as Company Transitions Out of Start-up Phase

Tru-Si Technologies Inc., a pioneering developer of enabling semiconductor wafer thinning technology, announced today that David K. Lam, Sc.D., will serve as chairman of its Board of Directors.

A trailblazer in the semiconductor equipment industry and founder of Lam Research, Corp., Lam, 56, will leverage his experiences in growing startup companies to critical mass as he helps Tru-Si strengthen its position as a technological leader in the semiconductor equipment industry.

"David has contributed immensely to the growth and development of this industry, and we're honored to have him chair our board," said Sergey Savastiouk, president and CEO of Tru-Si Technologies Inc. "David's management experience and industry know-how will be instrumental in guiding Tru-Si as we transition out of the start-up phase and toward our goal of becoming a leading provider of innovative semiconductor manufacturing technology."

Last year, in anticipation of the emerging global requirement for ultra-thin semiconductor packages, Tru-Si announced the development of the industry's first Atmospheric Downstream Plasma (ADP) process. ADP is an innovative isotropic etch process that removes a uniform layer of silicon from the backside of semiconductor wafers.

By utilizing ADP, semiconductor manufacturers can thin wafers to less than 4 mils, or 100 microns, achieving the exacting thickness requirements of advanced ultra-thin semiconductor packages. Another key benefit of ADP is its ability to remove post grind stress and damage from wafers.

This is accomplished without the need for expensive frontside wafer protection and without the use of hazardous chemicals required in wet etching and chemical mechanical planarization.

"Tru-Si's ADP process is literally bringing front-end wafer processing technology to the back end," said Lam. "ADP could revolutionize back-end semiconductor manufacturing in the same way that plasma etch technology did in the early 1980s. I'm very pleased to be part of this innovative company and share my experiences with Tru-Si as it brings this dynamic technology to market."

As chairman of Tru-Si, Lam will help guide the company's strategic direction and recruit new talent to further build and strengthen Tru-Si's management team. He will also play a key role in building relationships with customers, investors and potential business partners. "I believe Tru-Si is in a very good position to move to the next level," added Lam. "Product demos have already been successfully completed at a large number of major chipmakers and the company is preparing for shipment this year."

Lam is probably best known for Lam Research, which he founded in 1980. Under his guidance, the company introduced the first fully automated plasma etcher for wafer processing in 1981. Lam Research went public in 1984 and has since become a global leader in semiconductor capital equipment. Over the past 12 years, Lam has used his experience and expertise to provide guidance to emerging technology companies.

In addition to his corporate experience, Lam was appointed by President George Bush to serve on the U.S. Commission on Minority Business Development and by California Chief Justice Malcolm Lucas to serve on the Commission on the Future of the Courts. He is an advisor to the President of the California State University at San Jose and a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum.

In addition, Lam is a member of the Board of Governors of the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ). He was a keynote speaker at the 1999 SEMI Industry Strategy Symposium held at Pebble Beach, Calif., in January. Lam graduated from the University of Toronto with a bachelor's degree in engineering physics, and holds master's and doctoral degrees in chemical engineering from MIT.

Founded in 1996, Tru-Si Technologies manufactures equipment for thinning semiconductor wafers for the emerging ultra-thin device markets. Tru-Si's systems incorporate the company's proprietary Atmospheric Downstream Plasma and No-Touch(tm) wafer handling technologies to enable the manufacture of ultra-thin semiconductors for high-density and high-performance chip markets including smart cards, hand held devices and other applications. Tru-Si is headquartered in Sunnyvale. Visit Tru-Si online at www.trusi.com