ASM International NV and Oxford Instruments sign licensing agreement for ALD technology

BILTHOVEN, the Netherlands and EYNSHAM, UK, November 29, 2005 --- ASM International N.V. (Nasdaq: ASMI and Euronext Amsterdam: ASM) and Oxford Instruments plc (LSE: OXIG) announced that they have signed an agreement granting Oxford Instruments a license on ASM’s patent portfolio relating to Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) technology. The license includes over 280 issued and published patents and allows Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology to develop new products and processes exploiting ALD technology under ASM’s patents. Terms of the licensing agreement were not disclosed.

ALD is a technology that is capable of depositing a large variety of ultra-thin films atomic layer by atomic layer, and allows excellent step coverage over geometrical features and excellent control in composition and thickness.  ALD can be applied in many technological areas including, but not limited to, semiconductor technology, micro-mechanical devices, nanotechnology, opto-electronics, and magnetic heads.

Jim Hutchins, Managing Director of Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology comments, “ALD is an exciting technology for semiconductor processing, with further potential for exploitation in numerous applications of nanotechnology.  We are pleased to enter an agreement with ASM which will enable Oxford Instruments to deliver world leading ALD technologies to the research and development community world wide and to offer our customers a valuable addition to their processing capability.”

According to VLSI Research, the market for ALD equipment in semiconductor processing, which is about US $140 million today, could reach US $700 million or more in five years.  “The license from ASM together with a portfolio of products currently in development gives Oxford Instruments access to this market”, continued Dr. Hutchins.

Menso Hendriks, ASM’s Global Intellectual Property Manager, commented, “ASM recognizes that licensing can greatly accelerate the acceptance of ALD in the market. Therefore we are pleased that Oxford Instruments has joined the ASM licensing program for Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) technology.”