!!! Press Release !!!

Aachen / Beijing / Hong Kong, 22 June, 2004 - AIXTRON is proud to announce that the BMBF (International Bureaus of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research) approved the funding for a joint project to establish an R&D training center in China for optical technologies. Tsinghua University, Beijing, RWTH Aachen University of Technology and Hong Kong University (HKUST) will partner AIXTRON in this joint program.

The scope of the program is the advancement of R&D as well as training in the field of Compound Semiconductors for optoelectronic applications. A rapid technology transfer to support the fast growing Compound Semiconductor industry in China will be necessary. Therefore business students and engineers of small and medium sized companies will be trained to develop competitive new products in the field of optoelectronic using AIXTRON technology. Basic physical understanding as well as modern device concepts, e. g. for telecom lasers, for white LED technology etc. will be imparted.

Planned project steps comprise an MOCVD short course in China giving basics of Compound Semiconductor Technology, electronic and optoelectronic devices, production issues, and the usage of nanotechnology for improved devices. Further hands on lab courses will be conducted in China using state-of-the-art MOCVD equipment. These courses will include the improvement of material and device quality, yield management and other relevant topics. At a later stage, Chinese students and engineers will do scientific work in Aachen regarding GaN on Si for solid state lighting, new laser concepts, improved LED manufacturing, high power high frequency HEMT.

Professor Dr. Michael Heuken, Vice President of Corporate Research & Development at AIXTRON comments: "We are very pleased to receive funding of the BMBF for this promising project. Our definitive goal is to enable the Compound Semiconductor Industry in China to serve the markets needs. Therefore we will teach young students and engineers state-of-the-art Compound Semiconductor technology for optoelectronic devices. This know-how can be directly transferred to the local device manufacturers thus also our customers will benefit from this program. After the successful launch of this R&D project with the first MOCVD short course in April we are convinced that soon the Chinese Compound Semiconductor industry will ramp up production for innovative optoelectronic devices. We are delighted that experienced colleagues like Prof. Dr. Luo of Tsinghua University, Prof. Dr. Lau of HKUST as well as Prof. Dr. Jansen of RWTH Aachen will support this project."

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.

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© AIXTRON AG, June 22, 2004

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