Varian Semiconductor Launches VIISta HC Ion Implanter; New Single Wafe

    Business Editors/High-Tech Editors

    GLOUCESTER, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 18, 2005--Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSEA) today introduced its single wafer VIISta(TM) HC high current ion implanter. Based on the industry's leading production-proven single wafer high current system, the VIISta 80, the VIISta HC is designed to deliver the highest productivity for low energy applications. Multiple VIISta HC tools have shipped and additional follow-on orders have been received from leading DRAM, Foundry and Logic chipmakers for both mass production and advanced R&D.
    "The market for single wafer high current tools is really taking off with 300mm and 65nm fabs coming on line," said John Aldeborgh, Varian Semiconductor's vice president of marketing. "The single wafer high current market more than doubled in 2004 to about 25% of the total high current market. We anticipate this trend will rapidly accelerate in 2005 as semiconductor manufacturers focus more of their investments on 300mm expansion and the beginning of the 65nm ramp."
    "Varian Semiconductor pioneered single wafer ion implant technology over twenty-five years ago," said Gary Dickerson, chief executive officer of Varian Semiconductor. "Building on this strong foundation of expertise and innovation, the VIISta HC delivers more than just leading edge technology; it delivers the strength and experience of the industry leader in single wafer ion implant, with over a thousand single wafer tools in production. As the single wafer high current segment continues to expand, we are confident that we have developed the critical technologies needed to be successful in this emerging market."
    The VIISta HC features a unique decel mode configuration for increased throughput and Varian Semiconductor's patented dual magnet, ribbon beam architecture for enhanced low-energy performance. The beamline transmission and on-wafer beam utilization has been increased to ensure outstanding productivity for high current driver applications. Varian Semiconductor's advancements in the VIISta HC also enable it to maintain high productivity while simultaneously providing the needed dose, beam steering, and low contamination levels essential in transistor device scaling to the 90nm node and beyond. High throughput coupled with single wafer contamination control provides the highest overall productivity for advanced 300mm applications.
    With over 100 VIISta high current ion implanters already in production, Varian Semiconductor is the market leader in single wafer high current systems. The VIISta HC high current ion implanter is designed to deliver the highest sub-90nm technology productivity and yields due to its unique beam steering capability and exceptional particle performance. The VIISta HC is a member of the VIISta suite of ion implanters - the only single wafer platform solution for all production applications. For more information on the VIISta HC, please visit our website at: http://www.vsea.com/products/VIIStaHC.

    About Varian Semiconductor

    Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc. is a leading producer of ion implantation equipment used in the manufacture of semiconductors. The company is headquartered in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and operates worldwide. Varian Semiconductor maintains a web site at www.vsea.com. The information contained in the company's web site is not incorporated by reference into this release, and the web site address is included in this release as an inactive textual reference only.

    Note: This release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For this purpose, the statements concerning the company's performance, market share and technology leadership, technological capabilities and benefits are forward-looking statements and any statements using the terms "believes," "anticipates," "expects," "plans," or similar expressions are forward-looking statements. There are a number of important risks and factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those suggested or indicated by such forward-looking statements. These include, among others, volatility in the semiconductor equipment industry; economic conditions in general and as they affect the company's customers; significant fluctuations in the company's quarterly operating results; the impact of rapid technological change; the company's dependence on the development and introduction of new products; the company's concentration on ion implantation systems and related products; concentration in the company's customer base and lengthy sales cycles; the highly competitive market in which the company competes; risks of international sales; foreign currency risks; and general economic conditions; and other factors identified in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, and the most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company cannot guarantee any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievement. The company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release.

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CONTACT: Varian Semiconductor Public Relations and Communications Susan Torbitt, 978-282-2410 susan.torbitt@vsea.com or Director, Investor Relations Mary Wright, 978-282-5859 mary.wright@vsea.com

KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE SOFTWARE COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURING SOURCE: Varian Semiconductor

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