WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY EXTENDING RESEARCH OF NITRIDE MATERIALS FOR OPTICAL AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES

!!! Press Release !!!

West Virginia University extending research of Nitride
materials for optical and electronic devices
with AIXTRON's 200/4 RF-S MOCVD system

Aachen / Morgantown, WV, 1 December, 2003 – AIXTRON proudly announces a purchase order for an AIX 200/4 RF-S MOCVD system from its new customer West Virginia University (WVU), Morgantown, West Virginia, USA.

Dr. Eugene Cilento, Dean of the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources having been deeply involved in the decision for the AIXTRON equipment explained that: "The potential to develop new nitride related material composites together with niche applications using the AIX 200/4 RF S holds great promise while working at the forefront of dramatically increasing R&D activities for devices like UV emitters and detectors, biological sensors and HEMT's. The availability of this new tool at our campus in the future also will allow us to increase significantly our research focus in nanotechnology through our nitride research ".

"We are impressed by the highly developed engineering expertise in conjunction with comprehensive semiconductor technology background as shown by AIXTRON' s MOCVD tools. We are convinced that the materials produced by the AIXTRON MOCVD system will push our studies of nitride-based devices," adds Dr. Dimitris Korakakis, Assistant Professor at the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering who will together with his students benefit from the excellent performance of this state-of-the-art R&D tool.

Dr. Bernd Schulte, Exec. VP and COO of AIXTRON's Compound Semiconductor TechnologieS notes: "We very much welcome WVU's decision for the AIXTRON Technology as their major tool to develop new nitride-based materials. We are encouraging Dr. Korakakis and his team to take full advantage of the more than 20 years of experience at AIXTRON covering all different kinds of aspects related to compound semiconductor materials and their applications. AIXTRON acknowledges WVU's contributions in the field of semiconductor devices and is very much looking forward to a long-term relationship in the future."

Based on the extremely successful AIX 200/4 reactor series, the stainless steel version AIX 200/4 RF-S for growth at high temperatures offers high flexibility in the choice of in-situ measurement methods. Numerous optical ports allow for the connection of various in-situ monitoring tools.

WVU, founded in 1867, offers 170 bachelor's, master's, doctoral and professional degree programs through its 13 schools and colleges. As West Virginia's major research and development center and only comprehensive doctoral-granting institution, WVU faculty conducted over $137 million in sponsored contracts and grants last year.

AIXTRON is, as verified by a independent market research institute, 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 communication 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 listed in the Prime Standard and Tec-DAX of the German Stock Exchange (Deutsche Börse) and is included in 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