Genus Announces ALD Process Solutions For Aluminum and Tantalum Oxide

SUNNYVALE, Calif. (July 11, 2000) – Genus, Inc. (NASDAQ: GGNS) announced another successful milestone in the development of advanced dielectrics for memory capacitors and logic gate stacks with the introduction of new Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) solutions. The newly characterized application is a validation of ALD technology down to angstrom level control and is designed to address the markets for capacitor and ultra-thin gate films.

"We are providing exciting mixed materials to allow for the near-term scaling of advanced capacitors. Later, the technology can be applied to advanced gates as well. We continue with our history of pioneering advanced tools and processes in the marketplace," said Tom Seidel, Genus CTO. We believe Genus is the only deposition equipment supplier offering a production-level ALD tool. We will introduce multiple dielectric and barrier metal materials in the near future."

The new process capability provides higher temperature stability during chip integration, with improved dielectric properties. Genus has achieved this by using process solutions for alloys of Al₂O₃ and Ta₂O₅, with compositional control for any ratio of Al to Ta. Furthermore, nano-laminate stack structures films can also be fabricated directly in the LYNX2™ ALD system using sequential reactions without any throughput penalties. Atomic level uniformity and 100 percent step coverage on very high aspect ratio features, which are both standard properties of ALD, are demonstrated for the alloys and nano-laminates.

"With regards to logic, the alloy and nano-laminate technologies can also provide advances for gate performance. Recent results have shown that AL₂O₃ demonstrates significantly lower gate leakage than that of SiO₂, when used as a gate dielectric. Lower leakage of the aluminium oxide gate capacitor dielectrics can reduce power consumption and stand-by current usage at very competitive equivalent oxide thicknesses of 15-20 angstroms, providing low-power, high-performance capabilities, especially for telecommunications applications," commented Seidel.

Safe Harbor

This press release contains statements that may be deemed forward-looking regarding the use of ALD technology by the semiconductor industry. Any such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including actual acceptance of ALD technology by the marketplace, potential development of competing technologies, cyclical economic conditions in the semiconductor equipment market, and global economic conditions. Additional associated risks and uncertainties are found in the Management's Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations section of Genus' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 1999 and in Genus' subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

About Genus

Founded in 1982, Genus, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets capital equipment and deposition processes for advanced semiconductor manufacturing, as well as for other emerging non-semiconductor applications. Genus offers various thin-film deposition modules using its own production-proven equipment and processes for both chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD). The deposition processes are used to manufacture integrated circuits for the computer, communications, medical, military, transportation, and consumer electronics industries. Genus' customers include semiconductor manufacturers located throughout the United States, Europe, and the Pacific Rim, including Korea and Japan. Company headquarters are in Sunnyvale, California. For additional information, visit Genus' Web site at www.genus.com.