Axcelis/Applied Materials Trial Set

BEVERLY, Mass. -- Axcelis Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACLS) today reported that the Federal District Court for the District of Massachusetts has set a trial date of May 12, 2003 in Axcelis' pending patent infringement suit against Applied Materials. The Court also stated that pending summary judgement motions will be resolved beginning in March. Axcelis expects that this process will narrow the issues for trial. "We are very pleased to have a specific trial date," said Mary Puma, Axcelis' president and CEO. "This case has been pending for more than two years and we look forward to having the infringement issue resolved in the first half of 2003." Axcelis filed suit against Applied in January 2001 in the United District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The suit charges that Applied is using Axcelis' patented technology unlawfully. Specifically, Axcelis charges that Applied's medium current/high energy ion implanter machine, known as the 'Swift', infringes an Axcelis patent relating to the use of radio frequency linear accelerator ("rf LINAC") technology in ion implantation equipment. Applied Materials Inc. Axcelis Technologies Inc.