Metron Technology Delivers New Solutions for Green Manufacturing

"Metron's expanded environmental product line further strengthensour ability to partner with customers globally in their efforts toimprove production efficiencies and protect the environment," saidWerner Finsterbusch, general manager of Metron Technology. "With acomprehensive array of cost-effective and resource-efficient newtechnologies, Metron can work closely with customers to implementflexible environmental strategies that fit their specific regionalneeds."

To help chipmakers address ever-tighter environmental regulations,Metron this month launched the innovative, point-of-use Aquareus(TM)copper abatement system that enables customers to remove 99% ofdissolved copper from CMP(1) slurry. Metron is also featuring a numberof PFC(1) abatement systems, including the Marathon(TM), Trinity(TM)and Litmas(TM) systems that utilize a diverse set of technologies toeliminate global warming gases. These innovative solutions allowcustomers to meet their environmental regulations at an improved costof ownership over existing systems.

Reducing fab power consumption is a critical issue for customers.As part of its family of energy-saving technologies, Metron isintroducing its unique Idle-Mode software that enables process toolssuch as etch or CVD(1) systems to instruct the Marathon(TM) abatementsystem to return to "idle" setting, dramatically conserving electricpower. Use of Idle-Mode technology in Applied Materials' MaydanTechnology Center has demonstrated savings of up to 17% on chilledwater costs alone; chilled water systems can consume over 20% of aproduction fab's energy.

Metron also will show its line of Toyota vacuum pumps, which weredesigned in conjunction with Applied Materials to radically reducepower consumption. Conventional pumps are a significant energy drainin fabs, consuming nearly one-third of the electric power used duringproduction. As the global semiconductor industry distributor for theseultra-high efficiency Toyota pumps, which use less than half the powerof competing products, Metron is helping customers overcomechallenging electric power resource issues.

Please visit Metron during the Semicon West trade show in Booth#319 of the South Hall of Moscone Center.

Metron Technology, Inc. is an independent supplier of fab-widesupport services to the semiconductor and related industries providingcustom integrated solutions for optimizing operations and improvingmanufacturing efficiency. Metron is headquartered in San Jose,California, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Applied Materials,Inc. (Nasdaq:AMAT). Metron can be found on the web atwww.metrontech.com.

(1) CMP= chemical mechanical planarization; PFC= perfluorocarbon;CVD= chemical vapor deposition