New On-site Fluorine Solution for the Semiconductor Industry.

PARIS -- Air Liquide introduces FLORA, a new on-site fluorine solution, for tool cleaning in the semiconductor industry.

FLORA is a safe, reliable and effective alternative to wet chemical cleaning widely used for the cleaning of quartz tubes: gaseous fluorine cleaning significantly reduces cleaning time, improves reproducibility and process reliability before and after maintenance, and optimizes long term cost of ownership by reducing the cost of quartz as a consumable. In the FLORA offer, Air Liquide provides a complete solution ranging from fluorine cylinder supply to on-site fluorine generation, including all necessary related equipment. Air Liquide builds, owns and operates all the systems which ensure continuous supply of fluorine gas to the customer through Total Gas and Chemical Management centers (more than 60 Air Liquide TGCM and 800 specialists worldwide).

This process has been successfully pioneered with Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL), Japan, a worldwide leader in semiconductor process equipment, for their TELFORMULA(R) semiconductor tool. Since 2002, FLORA F100, an on-site generator, has been supplying up to 40L/hr of fluorine gas to clean multiple tools. TEL has qualified FLORA F100 for their fluorine cleaning process.

Christophe Fontaine, Vice-President of Air Liquide Electronics said, "Through this innovative technology and our worldwide leadership in on-site services for the semiconductor industry, Air Liquide demonstrates its capability to introduce new integrated solutions to this market. FLORA is the right solution to safely and reliably provide fluorine at the point of use."

Yasuyuki Kuriki, Vice-President and General Manager, Thermal Processing Systems BU (TEL) said, "TEL has developed fluorine cleaning process for TELFORMULA(R) by using Air Liquide on-site fluorine generation system. We have been very comfortable with the level of service that Air Liquide has provided for many years. During the development, Air Liquide has also brought their fluorine analysis expertise to improve the process. We believe fluorine will introduce a new and very efficient cleaning method in our industry."

TELFORMULA(R) is a registered trademark of TEL.

With 2,200 employees worldwide, Air Liquide's Electronics business line recorded sales of 830 million euros in 2003, i.e. 11.5% of the Group's gas and services sales. Its core activities are the supply of ultra-pure gases and fluids, the distribution and facilitation equipment and tailored services.

Present in 65 countries, Air Liquide is the world leader in industrial and medical gases and related services. The Group offers innovative solutions based on constantly enhanced technologies. These solutions, which are in line with Air Liquide's commitment to sustainable development, help to protect life and enable our customers to manufacture many indispensable everyday products. Founded in 1902, Air Liquide has more than 31,900 employees. The Group has successfully developed a long-term relationship with its shareholders built on confidence and transparency and guided by the principles of corporate governance. Since the publication of its first consolidated financial statements in 1971, Air Liquide has posted strong and steady earnings growth. Sales in 2003 totaled 8,394 million euros, of which sales outside France accounted almost 80%. Air Liquide is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange and is a component of the CAC 40 and EuroStoxx 50 indexes (ISIN code FR 0000120073).