SUCCESSFUL LED PRODUCTION START-UP OF LARGE SCALE AIXTRON III-NITRIDE MOCVD REACTOR AT TEKCORE

!!! Press Release !!!

Successful LED Production Start-Up of Large Scale
AIXTRON III-Nitride MOCVD Reactor at Tekcore

Enabling high capacity cost-effective mass production of GaN materials

Aachen/Nantou, Taiwan - December 3 , 2002 - Tekcore and AIXTRON today announced the successful LED production start-up of an AIX 2600G3 HT in 24x2" at Tekcore Co. Ltd., a manufacturer of GaN based LED wafers, located in Nantou, Taiwan. Expanding Tekcore's AIXTRON based production platform, this system immediately expands the sophisticated high-volume production of superior class Nitride-based Ultra-High-Brightness LEDs for the spectral range from ultra-violet to green. This release for production of the AIX 2400/2600G3 HT has once more proven AIXTRON's continual success in supplying its green-blue-white LED manufacturing customers with a cost-breaking high capacity G3 MOCVD Technology. Relevant application markets for this technology include cellular phones, backlights, automotive lighting, huge outdoor full color displays, traffic signals and as lighting sources for the fiber-optic industry.

Mr. Nithi M. Nithipalan, President of Tekcore comments: "We are impressed by the quick installation, process demonstration and production ramp-up of AIXTRON's AIX 2600G3 HT system. Now, we are looking forward to continuing our fruitful co-operation with the AIXTRON team." Dr. Christian Geng, General Manager of AIXTRON Taiwan Co. Ltd. adds: "This newest production ramp-up once again proves the technological leadership of AIXTRON's mass production tool for GaN LEDs. Thanks to AIXTRON's state-of-the-art technology, Tekcore can be sure of producing highest quality material, at lowest operational costs."

The AIX 2400/2600G3 HT has a capacity of up to 24x2" or 8x4" wafers. The two-flow horizontal Planetary Reactor is recognized as the most widely used multiwafer MOCVD reactor for compound semiconductor applications. The unique reactor concept allows for laminar gas flow without turbulence for precise control of the material composition and achievement of ultra-sharp interfaces. Ultra-high uniformity along with high growth efficiency on multiple 2", 3" and 4" wafers is achieved through wafer rotation with the patented Gas Foil Rotation.

AIXTRON is, as verified by VLSI Research Inc., the world leading supplier of equipment for semiconductor epitaxy. Its equipment is used by a diverse range of customers worldwide to manufacture critical, advanced components such as HBTs, PHEMTs, MESFETs, Lasers, LEDs, Detectors and VCSELs used in fiber optic communications systems, wireless and mobile telephony applications, optical storage devices, illumination, signaling and lighting, as well as a range of other leading-edge technologies. AIXTRON AG (FSE: AIX ISIN DE0005066203) is included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index World and the MSCI World Index.

For further information please contact:

Dr. Claus Ehrenbeck
Head of Investor Relations and
Corporate Communications
AIXTRON AG
Kackertstr. 15 - 17
D-52072 Aachen, Germany
Phone:+49 241 8909 444
Fax: +49 241 8909 445
E-mail: invest@aixtron.com