Axcelis Receives Multiple Orders for Yield Enhancing Upgrade as Customers Realize Enabling Technology and Device Performance Benefits

BEVERLY, Mass., Sept. 30, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Axcelis Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:ACLS), a leading supplier of innovative, high-productivity solutions for the semiconductor industry, announced today that it has introduced a significant performance enhancing upgrade for its industry leading high energy ion implanter product line. Axcelis has already made several successful installations and received multiple follow-on orders from customers as they realize compelling technology and device performance benefits.

The Low Angle Implant upgrade is designed to deliver higher yields and improved overall device performance. This upgrade extends the capabilities of high energy multi-wafer systems for next generation device manufacturing with improved cross-wafer uniformity while maintaining best-in-class reliability.

William Bintz, vice president of marketing, commented, "Axcelis is committed to providing a continuous performance enhancement path for its customers. Currently, we offer a broad portfolio of upgrades, designed to boost productivity, device performance and enable technology breakthroughs. Our leadership in high energy implant provides us with a unique understanding of customer requirements in this applications space. Customer results demonstrate that the Low Angle Implant upgrade results in improved uniformity, enhanced device performance, higher packing density, reduced transistor threshold voltage variability and improved transistor matching. The upgrade also allows customers significant extendibility into future technology nodes, allowing them to maximize the return on their equipment investment."

Axcelis is the industry's foremost supplier of high energy ion implant systems, with the world's largest installed base and leading market share. It offers the most comprehensive product offering in high energy, with the broadest product suite and a complete range of energy levels for both single and multi wafer requirements. Most recently, the company introduced the Optima XE, extending its high energy market strength. The Optima XE combines Axcelis' production-proven RF Linac high energy, spot beam technology with a high-speed, state-of-the-art single wafer endstation, enabling unmatched productivity. Its inherent flexibility and broad energy range of 10keV to 4.5MeV allow a single tool to support chipmakers' dynamic high energy requirements for DRAM, NAND and NOR FLASH, embedded memory, image sensor and logic device manufacturing.

Axcelis Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:ACLS) headquartered in Beverly, Massachusetts, provides innovative, high-productivity solutions for the semiconductor industry. Axcelis is dedicated to developing enabling process applications through the design, manufacture and complete life cycle support of ion implantation and cleaning systems. The company's Internet address is: www.axcelis.com.

CONTACT: Axcelis Technologies, Inc. Editorial/Media Maureen Hart 978.787.4266 Financial Community Stephen Bassett 978.787.4000