FIRST COMMERCIAL GAN MOCVD SYSTEM NOW IN RUSSIA

!!! Press Release !!!

FIRST COMMERCIAL GAN MOCVD SYSTEM NOW IN RUSSIA: FEDERAL NUCLEAR CENTER (RFNC-VNIITF) CHOOSES AIXTRON SYSTEM FOR RAMPING UP BLUE LED PRODUCTION

Aachen/Chelyabinsk, February 18th, 2002 - The Federal Nuclear Center (RFNC- VNIITF), a young company based in Chelyabinsk, Russia, has just made the purchase decision for an AIXTRON 2400G3 HT for the manufacture of nitride based ultra-high brightness blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to cater for the strong demands of the optoelectronics industry. This is the first of and kind of volume production MOCVD equipment in Russia and indicates Russia's move towards industrial LED production.

Dr. Mikhail E. Zheleznov, Deputy Director, comments "We are confident that this AIXTRON System, with its proven outstanding performance and highest capability will enable us to produce an industrial standard brightness with highest uniformity, best efficiencies and lowest operational costs. The winning feature combination of large capacity and excellent precursor efficiencies will ensure a valuable device yield and high uptime." According to industry experts high-brightness LEDs have certainly reached a critical mass-market stage with booming applications in traffic-lights, signals, automobiles, very large video screens, etc. This sector has enjoyed robust growth of more than 50% per annum over the past several years and this is expected to continue on into the future.

The AIX 2400 G3 HT has a capacity of up to 11x2" or 5x3" wafers and is equipped with a fully automated wafer loading/unloading system. 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 laminar gas flow without turbulences for precise control of the material composition and achievement of ultra-sharp interfaces. Ultra-high uniformity along with high growth efficiency on multiple 2" or 3" wafers is achieved through wafer rotation with the patented Gas Foil Rotation®.

As the leading supplier of MOCVD equipment and with an installed base of well over 600 systems worldwide AIXTRON is represented in over 15 countries. The company provides an extensive service and support network for maintenance as well as upgrading of systems. Due to its high level of customer service worldwide, AIXTRON has been rated once more among the 2001 10 BEST in its category in VLSI Research Inc's Customer Satisfaction Survey. In addition AIXTRON's close and reliable partnership with its stakeholders (e.g. customers, suppliers, inventors) is reflected in the inclusion of AIXTRON shares into the Dow Jones Sustainability Index World. AIXTRON's many customers include Agere, Alcatel, Anritsu, ATMI, Avalon, AXT, Epson, Honeywell, IQE, JDS-Uniphase, ITT, Kopin, LumiLeds, Mitsubishi, Motorola, Nortel, Optospeed, Osram, Showa Denko, Samsung, Sumitomo, Thales, UEC, VPEC as well as numerous Japanese corporations. AIXTRON systems have also been installed in the most renowned research institutes worldwide, including CNRS, Fraunhofer Institute, ITRI-OES, JPL, Meijo University, Research Center Jülich, RIKEN, Sandia Nat. Lab, University of Tokyo. AIXTRON is very active in advancing MOCVD technology through collaborations and joint R&D projects with major partners worldwide.

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