FSI International (ticker: FSII, exchange: NASDAQ) News Release - 3/20/06
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FSI Introduces New ViPR™ Technology for Ash-Free, Wet Resist Stripping Technology Available on ZETA® G3 Spray Cleaning Platform

MINNEAPOLIS (March 20, 2006) -- FSI International, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSII) today introduced its new ViPR™ technology. This innovative technology eliminates the need for ashing on most implanted photoresist stripping steps, including 1x1017 ions/cm2 plasma doped (PLAD) photoresist. The ViPR technology is available on FSI’s ZETA® G3 Spray Cleaning Platform.

By eliminating approximately 80 percent of FEOL ashing steps, FSI provides IC manufacturers with a solution to reduce surface damage, material loss, manufacturing cycle time and capital investment. Photoresist stripping in IC manufacturing has become an industry-wide challenge as the number of implanted photoresist levels has risen while allowable levels of material loss and surface damage have decreased. FSI expects the ViPR technology will be required for 65 and 45nm manufacturing and some adoption will occur for current 90nm production.

The ViPR process utilizes FSI’s proprietary chemical blending, delivery and temperature control technologies to enable removal of highly implanted photoresist. It is the FSI ZETA spray processing system’s unique design features that allow implementation of this new process. Wet stripping of highly implanted resist has had only limited success with immersion or single wafer cleaning platforms.

“Our ViPR technology extends our capabilities in post-ash cleaning and expands our served markets in photoresist stripping,” said Don Mitchell, FSI chairman and CEO. “We partnered with key customers to develop this technology and are pleased to provide IC makers with a process solution to enhance their competitive edge by reducing material loss, surface damage, cycle time and cost. Initial ZETA G3 systems with ViPR technology shipped in March for process optimization, integration and qualification.”

The ZETA G3 platform builds on the capabilities of previous generation ZETA systems and offers IC manufacturers better performance and higher productivity. The ZETA’s G3 hardware uniquely enables implementing ViPR technology and features enhanced robotics that increase throughput by 20 percent for certain applications. The ZETA G3 platform is designed for 300mm batch spray FEOL and BEOL cleaning processes with proven capability for 90, 65 and 45nm technology nodes.

The ZETA system uses centrifugal spray combined with versatile chemical delivery technology to prepare chemicals at a controlled composition and temperature for dispensing directly onto wafers. The ZETA systems are proven for a wide range of applications, including Co and Ni etch for salicide formation, PR strip and post-ash clean, non-megasonic particle removal and wafer reclaim. Additionally, to help IC manufacturers implement salicide formation at the 65nm technology node, FSI developed the PlatNiStrip™ process for nickel platinum films.

About FSI

FSI International, Inc. is a global supplier of surface conditioning equipment technology and support services for microelectronics manufacturing. Using the Company’s broad portfolio of cleaning products, which include batch and single-wafer platforms for immersion, spray, vapor and CryoKinetic technologies, customers are able to achieve their process performance, flexibility and productivity goals. The Company’s support services programs provide product and process enhancements to extend the life of installed FSI equipment, enabling worldwide customers to realize a higher return on their capital investment. FSI maintains a web site at http://www.fsi-intl.com.

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