Novellus Systems, Inc. News

Novellus Sets New Benchmark in Tungsten Productivity

SAN JOSE, Calif., July 1 PRNewswire-FirstCall — Novellus Systems today announced the introduction of ALTUS(R) Max(TM), the latest enhancement to its industry-leading pulsed nucleation layer (PNL(TM)) tungsten deposition platform. Targeting high-volume memory megafabs, ALTUS Max delivers the industry's highest level of productivity for tungsten contact fill and interconnect applications with the platform's benchmark reliability. The system incorporates the latest technology and advanced processing capability to provide tungsten films that meet or exceed 20nm memory requirements for fill, resistivity, roughness and defects.

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"The new memory megafabs coming online are looking for specialized value in the form of high productivity and reduced cost of ownership along with leading-edge technology," said Aaron Fellis, ALTUS product general manager at Novellus. "ALTUS Max fulfills this need in tungsten deposition with significant savings in fab space due to the decrease in total system footprint. It is the first atomic layer deposition tungsten system to break the 120WPH throughput barrier, while providing world-class reliability and single-digit defect performance. The multi-station architecture also enables the latest in nucleation technology, PNLxT, to offer both exceptional fill and the lowest possible tungsten resistivity."

ALTUS Max combines advanced technology with Novellus' production-proven multi-station sequential deposition architecture to provide a 50 percent higher throughput than competing products. The system employs SwiftTrak(TM) wafer handling for improved throughput and reliability. In addition, the new ALTUS Max Multi-Thickness Recipe management system, in which wafers of different film thicknesses can be processed simultaneously within the same chamber, further improves the system efficiency, resulting in higher throughput.

ALTUS Max also features the latest advanced deposition technology. The latest process technology innovation, PNLxT(TM), provides lower contact resistance and enables tungsten fill of aggressive, high-aspect-ratio features at the 20nm node. The new chamber clean technology provides a fundamental improvement in particle performance, achieving single-digit defects at 65nm particle size.

Currently in production qualification with a large memory manufacturer in Asia, ALTUS Max will be available for volume shipment beginning in Q4 of 2008.

About ALTUS:

Introduced in 1991, ALTUS is the industry's tool of choice for tungsten deposition. The system provides leading productivity and technology for contact and local interconnect applications. Its pulsed nucleation layer integrates a high-throughput atomic layer deposition (ALD) nucleation layer with chemical vapor deposition (CVD bulk deposition). Novellus' Multi-Station Sequential Deposition (MSSD) architecture enables the nucleation layer and CVD fill to be performed within the same ALTUS chamber. The integrated PNL and CVD approach produces benchmark productivity and superior production availability, resulting in the lowest-cost-of-ownership tungsten deposition solution in the industry.

About Novellus:

Novellus Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVLS) is a leading provider of advanced process equipment for the global semiconductor industry. The company's products deliver value to customers by providing innovative technology backed by trusted productivity. An S&P 500 company, Novellus is headquartered in San Jose, Calif. with subsidiary offices across the globe. For more information, please visit http://www.novellus.com.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements regarding (i) our beliefs regarding the productivity, performance and incorporation of advanced technology of and into the ALTUS Max, (ii) our belief that new memory megafabs coming online are looking for specialized value in the form of high productivity and reduced cost ownership along with leading edge technology, (iii) our expectation that ALTUS Max will be available for volume shipment beginning in Q4 of 2008 and (iv) other matters discussed in this press release that are not purely historical, all of which are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, changes in the focus of new memory megafabs coming online, delays and difficulties in the manufacturing and distribution process and other risks indicated in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 29, 2008, and our Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to such reports. Forward-looking statements are made and based on information available to us on the date of this press release. We do not assume, and expressly disclaim, any obligation to update this information.

ALTUS is a registered trademark and Max, PNL, SwiftTrak and PNLxT are trademarks of Novellus Systems, Inc.

SOURCE Novellus Systems, Inc.

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