Tegal Receives Silicon DRIE Tool Order From Advanced Systems and Technologies Provider

Tegal Corporation, (Nasdaq:TGAL) an innovator of specialized production solutions for the fabrication of advanced MEMS, power ICs and optoelectronic devices, today announced it has received an order for a Tegal 110 S/DE DRIE tool from a leading provider of advanced systems and technologies products. The Tegal 110 S/DE DRIE tool will ship in the current quarter, and will be used by the customer for multiple silicon DRIE and dielectric film DRIE applications.

The DRIE tool order from this first-time Tegal DRIE customer was secured by Tegal following a thorough, multi-vendor competitive evaluation by the customer, which included an inspection visit to Tegal's Petaluma, CA, DRIE process demonstration laboratory. The Tegal 110 S/DE, with its superior DRIE process results, wide-ranging DRIE process flexibility, robust and user-friendly industrial design, combined with Tegal's long-standing reputation for award-winning post-sales customer support, represented the best overall value of all the DRIE tools evaluated by the customer, resulting in the present order.

The Tegal 110 S/DE system is a high-density plasma etch tool featuring an inductively coupled plasma etch reactor and magnetic plasma confinement. The tool can run Tegal's patented SHARP -- Super High Aspect Ratio Process, achieving etched feature aspect ratios of >100:1 in production environments. Together with its high reliability, broad process windows, and high etch rates, the Tegal 110 S/DE system is a critical enabler for etching silicon (S) and dielectric (DE) films found in the MEMS/MOEMS, bio-tech, and hi-voltage markets. Tegal DRIE tools are presently employed in numerous research and development laboratories throughout the world, engaging in both commercial and academic research programs, and are also found in MEMS foundries and other dedicated commercial High Volume Manufacturing lines world-wide.

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Except for historical information, matters discussed in this news release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. Forward-looking statements, which are based on assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, are generally identifiable by the use of the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "project" or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions about the Company including, but not limited to industry conditions, economic conditions, acceptance of new technologies and market acceptance of the Company's products and services. All forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements in this paragraph. For a further discussion of these risks and uncertainties, please refer to the Company's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

About Tegal Corporation

Tegal is an innovator of specialized production solutions for the fabrication of advanced MEMS, power ICs and optoelectronic devices found in products like smart phones, networking gear, solid-state lighting, and digital imaging. The Company's plasma etch and deposition tools enable sophisticated manufacturing techniques, such as 3D interconnect structures formed by intricate silicon etch, also known as Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE). Tegal combines proven expertise with practical system strategies to deliver application-specific solutions that are robust and reliable, and deliver exceptional process quality and high yields at a lower overall cost of ownership. Headquartered in Petaluma, California, the company has more than 35 years of expertise and innovation in specialized technologies, over 100 patents, and an installed base of more than 1900 systems worldwide. Please visit us on the web at www.Tegal.com.

SOURCE: Tegal Corporation

Tegal Corporation 
Paul Werbaneth, +1 707-765-5608 
Vice President -- Marketing and Applications 
pwerbane@tegal.com 
www.tegal.com 
or 
The Blueshirt Group 
Chris Danne, +1 415-217-7722

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