HOWA DENKO QUALIFIES AIX 2400G3HT MOCVD SYSTEM

!!! Press Release !!!

SHOWA DENKO QUALIFIES AIX 2400G3HT MOCVD SYSTEM IN "THE LIGHT FOR THE 21ST CENTURY" PROJECT FOR HIGH VOLUME PRODUCTION OF BLUE LED

Aachen/Chiba, March 6th, 2002 - Showa Denko K.K. (SDK) has qualified the AIXTRON AIX 2400G3HT Planetary Reactor® System for the mass production of Ultra-High-Brightness blue LEDs (470 nm). Dr. Okuyama, senior researcher at SDK states: "The performance of the AIXTRON system has surpassed our expectations. The Planetary Reactor® offers the most convincing solution to the strict requirements with respect to layer quality and system up-time for high-volume/high-yield production. The uniformity on wafer, wafer-to-wafer and run-to-run specifications meets our precise qualification requests. Furthermore, we are very satisfied with the superior quality customer support and co-operation which has been provided to us by AIXTRON to achieve this final goal."

Showa Denko is one of the leading manufacturers of wafers produced by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and continues to focus on maintaining its world leading market position and advanced technology level. Their commitment to expanding their compound semiconductor business has been underlined by the recent successful installment of several AIXTRON systems. This particular AIXTRON system has been kindly financed within the framework of the NEDO Project entitled "The light for the 21st Century". NEDO is a semi-governmental organization affiliated with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan. The project aims at developing a new illuminating device that is highly efficient and which possesses highly luminous characteristics (twice as energy efficient as compared to existing fluorescent lights) using LEDs, which will be able to replace incandescent bulbs and fluorescent lamps. This project will be jointly carried out by the NEDO and the Japan Research and Development Center for Metals (JRCM) through a subsidy provided to NEDO by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. JRCM will carry out the research and development with the co-operation of the universities and enterprises.

The Planetary Reactor® systems demonstrate AIXTRON's approach to supply also to its green, blue and white LED manufacturing customers cost-breaking high-capacity G3-MOCVD Technology. High efficiency and low total carrier gas flows recommend this tool particularly for the deposition of Nitride-based materials in order to meet the rigid requirements for outstanding layer uniformities together with high-yield performance to allow for ramping-up capacity in a minimum period of time. This tool clearly demonstrates the most elaborate MOCVD tool for mass production of opto-electronic and electronic devices.

With 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 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" or 3" wafers is achieved through wafer rotation with the patented Gas Foil Rotation®.

As the leading supplier of semiconductor 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 2001. AIXTRON's many customers include Agere, Alcatel, Anritsu, ATMI, Avalon, AXT, Epson, Honeywell, IQE, ITT, JDS-Uniphase, Kopin, LumiLeds, Mitsubishi, Motorola, Nortel, Optospeed, Osram, Procomp, Samsung, Showa Denko, Sumitomo, Thales, UEC, VPEC as well as numerous Japanese corporations. AIXTRON systems have also been installed in many 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. AIXTRON shares are listed at the stock exchange in Frankfurt, Germany (Reuters symbol: AIXG.DE; ISIN: DE0005066203).

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