Kopin adds 8 New AIXTRON HBT Production Systems

Kopin Corporation, the leading provider of gallium arsenide (GaAs) heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBT) for the wireless communications market, today announced that it has acquired eight additional AIXTRON HBT production systems, which will be delivered in calendar year 2000. This production expansion will bring to 16 the total number of high-volume systems installed at Kopin by the end of 2000. The company will have eight multiple 4-inch HBT systems and eight AIX 2600G3 multiple 6-inch HBT systems.

The additional capacity will support Kopin's strategy to expand its position as the leading volume manufacturer of GaAs HBT transistors for the wireless communications marketplace. The Company's proprietary high-performance transistors are used to produce power amplifier circuits for CDMA, TDMA and GSM digital cellular and PCS handsets, as well as for the third-generation (3G) digital wireless standard which will support wireless Internet. Kopin's HBT materials are also used in circuits for broadband OC-48 and OC-192 SONET systems, which form the backbone of the highest speed fiber optic networks.

"The demand for our high-performance HBT transistor products continues to be very strong in both the wireless handset and Internet fiberline sectors," stated Dr. John C.C. Fan, Kopin's president and chief executive officer. "In addition, our partners are designing our InGaP and AlGaAs HBT transistors into other digital telecommunications and broadband applications."

"The new AIXTRON systems will increase Kopin's 4-inch HBT transistor capacity to more than 300,000 wafers per year and our 6-inch capacity to 120,000 wafers per year," Fan continued. "This will enhance our ability to support the increasing product demand in these high-growth telecom markets. Kopin's commitment to our HBT circuit partners is unique, demonstrated by the quality and magnitude of the resources we have dedicated to their programs."

"Our HBT production expansion program remains on schedule and we are now embarking on an additional phase of expansion," stated Daily S. Hill, Kopin's vice president of GaAs operations. "Our goal is to offer absolute world class support to demanding, high volume HBT consumers. We have achieved excellent results on our AIX 2600G3 multiple 6-inch systems, resulting in our ordering additional AIX 2600G3 multiple 6-inch systems for this year. In order to achieve short cycle delivery for high-volume programs, we continue to bring on-line state-of-the-art AIXTRON production systems, information technology systems, automation and other sophisticated manufacturing tools at an unprecedented rate. In addition, these new systems will augment our ability to rapidly develop new, advanced HBT structures for next generation applications."