Press Releases

Lam Research Ships 2,000th High-Density Tcp^TM Etch Chamber FREMONT, Calif., November 29, 2000-Lam Research Corporation (Nasdaq: LRCX) today announced shipment of the 2,000th transformer coupled plasma (TCP) etch chamber. Japan's Matsushita Electronics Corporation received this 2,000th TCP chamber, also the 1,000th metal etch chamber. Matsushita was also the recipient of the 1,000th polysilicon etch chamber in August. Metal and polysilicon etch chambers were the first TCP systems to be introduced by Lam in 1992.

"Shipping the 2000th TCP chamber confirms the continued market and technological leadership of our patented TCP technology, known for its superior profile and selectivity control," commented James W. Bagley, Lam's chairman of the board and CEO.

Matsushita has more than 100 TCP chambers for metal, oxide, and poly etch with over 30 systems in production, including using the TCP 9400PTX for critical gate and STI etch. TCP systems are also involved in advanced R&D work at Matsushita's lab in Kyoto. TCP systems are utilized for both capacity and technology needs because of their proven reliability and low cost of ownership, while meeting strict performance requirements for advanced devices. At Matsushita's Tonami production fab, significant yield improvements were realized for 0.18-micron logic devices.

Lam's TCP polysilicon etch chambers have consistently led the market, largely due to their process flexibility-a function of the TCP source-which enables multi-process capability in a single chamber. More recently, the new TCP 9400DFM, combining TCP process flexibility, control and design features, and a ceramic-free chamber for excellent particle performance, has enabled development of key advanced poly etch processes for 0.13 micron and below. These include in situ mask open and patent-pending top corner rounding for STI.

"The simple design and process flexibility of Lam's TCP source also make it inherently scalable for 300 mm. As a result, we have been able to develop an intelligent, highly advanced chamber and platform for 300 mm in a low-risk format using the TCP source," stated Dr. Richard Gottscho, Lam's vice president of conductor etch technology and engineering.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, which are subject to the Safe Harbor provisions created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, anticipated product shipments under existing orders, shipment schedules, the prospective demand for the company's products, the future acceptance, performance and competitiveness of the company's products, and the technical and market transition to new processes. Such statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and changes in condition and other risks detailed in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including specifically the report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 25, 2000, and the Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 24, 2000. The company undertakes no obligation to update the information in this Press Release.

Lam Research Corporation is a leading supplier of front-end wafer processing equipment and services to the worldwide semiconductor manufacturing industry. 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.