AIXTRON - The Nobel Prize Committee ...

!!! Press Release !!!

The Nobel Prize Committee has awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Physics to Professor Kroemer, who holds an honorary doctorate from the Technical University of Aachen, for his key role in developing the compound semiconductors used by today's communications-based society

Compound semiconductors are a major player in this year's Nobel Prize ceremony. The Nobel Prize in Physics 2000 has been awarded to German-born Herbert Kroemer, University of Santa Barbara, US, and Zhores I. Alferov, A.F. Ioffe Physico-Technical Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia. The researchers will receive the award for laying stable foundations for today's communications technologies 40 years ago. AIXTRON AG was delighted to receive news of this award. Herbert Kroemer's and Zhores I. Alferov's scientific links with the Aachen-based company in the past are still maintained today. Professor Kroemer spent some time in the 1970s working on compound semiconductors with AIXTRON's founders at the Institute for Semiconductor Technology at the Technical University of Aachen (RWTH) before the spin-off to form AIXTRON. Herbert Kroemer's honorary doctorate from the RWTH also dates back to this time. AIXTRON's current head of research, Professor Heuken, worked with Professor Kroemer again in Santa Barbara in 1997 and the two scientists jointly published the results of their research. AIXTRON is currently working with Professor Alferov and his institute on a research project aimed at developing a green laser for leading-edge measuring technology, laser displays and laser TV.

Their revolutionary findings meet all the requirements placed on a state-of-the-art information system: it has to be fast to be able to transfer large quantities of data, and the users' equipment has to be compact and energy- efficient. The core components of the laser diodes and fast transistors developed by Kroemer and Alferov are layered compound semiconductors (heterostructures). Laser diodes drive the flow of information in fiber-optics networks and fast transistors (e.g. in mobile phones) - for mobile data transfer for example - and these are now the key elements of global communication. These laser diodes are also used in CD and DVD equipment for reading and writing data. In addition, heterostructure technology is being used to build compound semiconductors for powerful light-emitting diodes. These ultra-high brightness LEDs will be used as a highly efficient light source in coming years and will replace traditional light bulbs in the traffic signal and lighting technology sector.

Dr. Holger Juergensen, President of AIXTRON AG's: "This prize is impressive evidence of how the findings of the targeted research conducted back then can be used in everyday applications. We would like to warmly congratulate the prizewinners. These experts' fundamental research has had a positive effect on the success of both our customers and our company"

AIXTRON's success and its unique global positioning are based on the company's ability to rapidly convert the results of fundamental research into useable technologies. The company's team of experts, which is growing constantly and enjoys worldwide recognition, develops equipment used in the manufacture of compound semiconductors and other multi-component materials. These materials are currently used by all well-known electronics groups (e.g. Agilent, Nortel, Siemens, JDS Uniphase, Lucent, Ericsson, Philips) worldwide. As the world market leader with a global market share of 54% in 1999 (1998: 51%), AIXTRON provides the first technological step - and a mission-critical one at that - for a wide range of microelectronic and optoelectronic applications in rapidly expanding markets.

For further information please contact:

Dr. Claus Ehrenbeck
Investor Relations Manager
AIXTRON AG
Kackertstr. 15-17
52072 Aachen
Germany
Tel: 49 241 8909-444
Fax: 49 241 8909-445
E-mail: invest@aixtron.com