Trikon and ASM Sign Supply Agreements.

Business/Technology Editors

NEWPORT, United Kingdom--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 22, 2001

Trikon Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRKN), a technology leader in semiconductor processing equipment, today announced that it had signed non-exclusive, commercial supply agreements with ASM International N.V., (Nasdaq: ASMI and AEX: ASM). These agreements enable Trikon to supply ASM with sputter etch modules and ASM to supply Trikon with atomic layer chemical vapor deposition (ALCVD) modules for integration onto Trikon's cluster tools.

"I am very pleased to be announcing these supply agreements," said Carl Brancher, vice president of corporate development at Trikon. "Trikon is now able to offer ALCVD, the most advanced ultra thin film conformal deposition technology for all applications including barrier layers for next-generation applications beyond Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) technologies."

"Trikon has already begun to ship its Soft Sputter Etch modules for integration onto ASM's ALCVD cluster tools," continued Mr. Brancher. "We expect ASM's continued success with ALCVD technology to lead to many more sales of Soft Sputter Etch modules."

"Atomic layer deposition has an important part to play in the future for copper/damascene barriers," said Nigel Wheeler, president and chief executive officer at Trikon. "ASM is clearly the technology leader and we have therefore secured them as a source of atomic layer deposition technology. By integrating ASM's ALCVD modules with Trikon's PVD and sputter etch technologies our cluster tools will provide advanced functionality for the most advanced applications."

About Trikon Technologies:

Trikon Technologies, Inc., offers a broad range of semiconductor processing equipment for silicon, compound device and optoelectronic production. Trikon has patents and patents pending on processes and equipment and continues to develop new low-k chemistries and processes for advanced applications. Trikon's website can be visited at www.trikon.com

Trikon's new technology products include:

Planar fxP Low K Flowfill(TM). An advanced low-k dielectric deposition system capable of both gap fill and planarization enabling the low-k advantage of increased device speed to be brought to existing aluminum metalization devices as well as copper.

Sigma(R) fxP PVD. A metalization system offering high throughput and reliability with advanced process modules for high uniformity PVD, metal plug (Forcefill(R)) and advanced barrier deposition processes including ionized PVD.

Omega(R) M0RI(TM). An advanced high-density plasma etch chamber on a small footprint platform. The Omega etcher can be configured with two chambers offering plasma etching and dedicated post etch processing or dual chambers for higher throughput.

"Safe Harbor" Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995: This news release contains certain forward-looking statements that include without limitation, anticipated component purchases and technology competitiveness. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially, including, but not limited to, (1) that the semiconductor industry will experience conditions, such as changes in demand for various types of semiconductors, that will affect the demand for semiconductor production equipment and Trikon's products, (2) that Trikon will not adequately respond to technological developments impacting the semiconductor industry, (3) market acceptance of Trikon's products will not be forthcoming. These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of all risks and uncertainties inherent in the Company's business, and should be read in conjunction with the more detailed cautionary statements included in the company's SEC reports, including, without limitation, its annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K.