Press Releases

Lam Research Corporation Announces Donation Of Rainbow Etch System To The Tech Museum Of Innovation In San Jose FREMONT, Calif., October 30, 1998 - Lam Research Corporation (Nasdaq: LRCX), a leading supplier of wafer fabrication equipment to the worldwide semiconductor industry, today announced donation of a plasma etch system to The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, California. The Tech Museum, officially re-opening October 31, 1998, will display the etch system in its new wafer fabrication clean room exhibit. The donated system is the first pre-production prototype of the Lam Rainbow etcher, the PPP1, first used in 1985. Today, the Rainbow Series has an installed base of nearly 2,500 chambers.

“The Lam etch system is an exciting piece of equipment for the museum to receive and showcase because it represents today’s advanced chip manufacturing technology as well as a rich history in the semiconductor industry,” said Peter Giles, President and CEO of The Tech Museum.

Lam pioneered single-wafer plasma etch tools in 1982 with its first product, the Lam AutoEtch^® plasma etcher, which etched features of 1-2 microns in size. The Rainbow system, introduced in 1985, was Lam’s answer to a second-generation product and etched 3" to 8" diameter wafers. Today these systems etch features down to 0.25 micron.

“The Tech Museum is an important source of education on the importance of technology and the role of the semiconductor industry to the local economy and daily life. We are pleased to be able to donate a Lam etch system and provide technical advice for setting up the museum’s clean room to support this important project,” stated Al Gipson, Director of Corporate Community Affairs at Lam.

In preparation for the donation, the PPP1 was completely refurbished after 13 years of service. A professional team of engineers and technicians volunteered their time and state-of-the-art skills to restore the system. Three members of the team, Teresa Fugit, Kerry Thorn, and Gary Frost, were among the original group that built and programmed the system when it rolled off the assembly line back in 1985. Other team members responsible for restoring the PPP1 were Doug Alvarez, Project Manager; Candi Kristoffersen; and Keith James.

Lam Research Corporation is a leading supplier of wafer fabrication equipment and services to the world’s semiconductor industry. Lam’s headquarters are located in Fremont, California. The company’s common stock trades on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol LRCX. Lam’s World Wide Web address is http://www.lamrc.com.

The Tech Museum of Innovation engages people of all ages and backgrounds in exploring and experiencing the technologies affecting their lives and aims to inspire the innovator in everyone. The Tech’s World Wide Web address is http://www.thetech.org. For general information, call 408-294-TECH.