!!! Press Release !!!

AIXTRON Participates in Two Centres of Excellence in Nanotechnology

AIXTRON will shortly be active in two "Centres of Excellence in Nanotechnology" sponsored by the BMBF (German Ministry for Education, Science, Research and Technology). This decision was taken by an independent panel made up of scientists and led by the Swiss professor of physics, Hans E. Hintermann.

According to experts, nanotechnology will be one of the key technologies of the 21st century. The six newly established interdisciplinary Centres of Excellence each consist of a virtual network made up of research institutes and industry and have different R&D goals within the scope of nanotechnology. The project, which is being sponsored to the amount of 150 mil. DM over a period of 5 years, should, according to Minister Ruettgers, "greatly assist Germany in becoming a leading player in the area of nanotechnology".

One of the Centers of Excellence "NanOp - Applications of Nanostructures in Optoelectronics", is led by Prof. Dieter Bimberg from the Technical University of Berlin. This Centreÿs goal is the application of the quantum effects in future optoelectronic components where opportunities are opening up for many innovative products, such as consumer goods like laser-TV, new types of lighting systems as well as screens and displays. In the computer and communications industry examples include data storage, data connections, optical data transfer and telecoms, while in the area of measurement technology and environmental monitoring and control examples include gas sensors and contamination control.

The focus of the Centre of Excellence at the Technical University of Aachen (RWTH), led by Professor Heinrich Kurz is "the creation and implementation of lateral nanostructures". Central to the project are innovative structural and manipulation techniques at the atomic level, in order to accelerate the application of nanostructures in the electronics industry. This gives rise to the possibility of a new technological generation of portable, intelligent electronic equipment, satellite communication as well as complex data processing. Notably, AIXTRON AG was established in 1983 as a spin-off from the Institute for Semiconductor Technology at the Technical University of Aachen and has been continuously involved in state research projects.

AIXTRON AG will be involved in both Centres of Excellence, applying its core competency to the development of tailor-made production processes for special nano-layers made from compound semiconductors. The company will also contribute to the market introduction of these systems and technologies: "Through focused co-operation between government and industry, Germany can avoid the mistake often made in the past, where a new technology is developed here but then the profits from this technology are made outside our country. We are talking about thousands of jobs here", commented Dr. Holger Juergensen of the AIXTRON executive board. He was speaking on the occasion of a visit by Dr. Juergen Ruettgers, the German Minister for Research, to AIXTRON. Dr. Juergensen added that "Germany, and in particular, the Aachen region, have important advantages.... Fortunately, AIXTRON, with 90% of its revenues generated from exports, had never considered moving abroad".

Although often referred to as a "technology of the future", nanotechnology is already behind many marketable products. Further areas still at the research level will, through focused co-operation between business, science and private capital, be developed into marketable products in the Centres of Excellence. The markets for the products which can be produced by nanotechnology are huge. The markets for micro- and opto-electronic applications, for which AIXTRON AG already provides the enabling technologies, are growing at a yearly rate of between 15 and 100%.

Finally, from October 12th, AIXTRON AG shares will be traded on the electronic trading system, Xetra, and, in parallel, on the floor of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. To the advantage of private investors, the smallest tradable order size, or so-called minimum lot, will continue to be one share. Dr. Claus Ehrenbeck, Manager Investor Relations at AIXTRON said that "With the Xetra system and its worldwide availability, the AIXTRON shares will then also be directly tradable by international market participants. This will lead to greater liquidity, wider market presence and a further increase in investors. At the same time as the commencement of trading in Xetra, so-called Designated Sponsors will become active. As from October 12, there will no longer be any such Designated Sponsors on the trading floor. By retaining the trading on the floor, the German stock exchange is responding to the wishes of market participants who will thus be able to benefit from the advantages of both trading platforms".

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© AIXTRON AG September 1998

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