Mattson Technology Unveils Low Temperature Stripping at SEMICON Southwest 1997; Mattson's New Strip Capabilities Address Difficult Residue and Resist Removal.

FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 13, 1997--Mattson Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MTSN), a global supplier of advanced process equipment used to manufacture semiconductors, will introduce new low temperature stripping capabilities for its Aspen Strip systems at SEMICON Southwest 97 on Oct. 13, in Austin's Convention Center, Booth No. 1000.

Mattson's innovative ICP(SM)(Inductively Coupled Plasma Selectable Mode) addresses a long standing requirement to successfully remove implanted resist and etch residue. The flexible design provides competitive throughput which exceeds 70 wafers an hour. Increasing the effectiveness of difficult resist and residue removal applications, Mattson's low temperature stripping improvements result in lowered costs, reduced wet-station requirements and shorter cycle times for manufacturers.

"It's not enough to just focus on capital productivity. Mattson is continuing to design process tools that help customers realize their technology goals as well," commented Dave Dutton, general manager and vice president of Mattson's Strip and Etch Division. "Our new low temp applications for the Aspen ICP Strip system raise the bar for technology performance on advanced strip equipment for IC fabrication."

To achieve high level performance, Mattson designed this new source technology based on its field-proven Mattson ICP source used worldwide in strip and isotropic etch applications. Specifically addressing customer requirements for controlling charge damage, contamination drive-in, and residue removal while maintaining extremely high strip rates, ICP technology uses an electrostatic Faraday shield to eliminate capacitively coupled power and control electron energy distribution in the plasma. Resulting in a truly inductively coupled plasma with high dissociation and very low ionization, ICP technology creates ideal conditions for bulk strip applications.

The new ICP(SM) source provides additional flexibility by permitting the user to select and control the plasma at various steps in the process. A software controlled relay sets the electrical state of the Faraday shield, enabling the plasma to operate in two modes, with either a high or low energy plasma. The plasma mode can be changed at any point in the recipe, allowing for multi-strip recipes within one chamber. Mattson's multi-strip recipes result in the highest throughput for the most advanced stripping currently available.

Designed with the same rigorous standards and technological innovation as the original ICP technology, which is installed in leading manufacturing facilities worldwide, the ICP(SM) source eliminates charge damage and minimizes contamination level. The aggressive plasma mode is used to remove the advanced residues, and the extreme lower energy ICP mode is used to complete the clean.

Mattson Technology Inc. is a leading supplier of advanced semiconductor process equipment for photoresist strip, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), rapid thermal processing (RTP) and isotropic etch. The company's products combine advanced process technology on a high productivity platform, backed by industry-leading support. Since beginning operations in 1989, the company's core vision is to continue to bring dramatic productivity gains to semiconductor manufacturers worldwide. Mattson maintains sales and support centers throughout the United States, Europe, Asia/Pacific and Japan. Contact Mattson Technology, Inc., 3550 W. Warren Avenue, Fremont, CA 94538. Tel: 800/MATTSON. Fax: [phone]. Internet: http://www.mattson.com .

This press release may contain forward looking statements regarding, among other matters, the company's future financial performance. Forward looking statements address matters which are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. In addition to the general risks associated with the development of complex technology, future results of the company will depend on a variety of factors, including the timing of new product releases by the company's competitors. Reference is made to the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for further discussion of the risks and uncertainties regarding the company's business.

CONTACT: Mattson Technology, Inc.

Lindsey Mitobe, 510/492-6334

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The Loomis Group, Inc.

Tanya Rodante, 415/882-9494

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