Company Contact
Paul Werbaneth
Vice President - Marketing
[T] (707) 763-5600
info@tegal.com

McGill and Tegal to collaborate on deep silicon and dielectric etch process development for

microfluidic systems, biochips, biosensor and microstructured materials applications

PETALUMA, Calif., March 16, 2010—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 McGill University, a leading research university involved in developing biosensors, biochips and biomaterials using nanostructure methodologies.  The Tegal 110 S/DE DRIE tool will ship in the current quarter, and will be installed in the McGill Nanotools – Microfab, located in Montreal, Canada.

The silicon DRIE tool order from this first-time Tegal DRIE customer was secured by Tegal following a thorough competitive evaluation process by McGill University.

“We are looking forward to engaging in a variety of productive collaborations with McGill University in their particular areas of expertise, which include the important field of BioMEMS devices and applications, and we believe this order is a testament to the strength of the 110 S/DE system,” said Paul Werbaneth, Vice President of Marketing and Applications at Tegal Corporation.  “McGill’s strengths in multidisciplinary projects involving McGill’s Engineering, Science, and Medicine faculties, combined with Tegal’s strengths in deep silicon etching, and deep etching of dielectric materials, creates important synergies that we think will lead to the kind of effective, focused research which results in real value for both teams.”

“The addition of DRIE capabilities to our toolset will make the McGill Nanotools Microfab a fully equipped 150mm compatible MEMS fab,” said Dr. Matthieu Nannini, Microfab Manager. “This tool fits our needs for performance, versatility and small foot print. We are confident it will give us the opportunity to develop new processes and devices for a wide range of applications such as microfluidics, RF-MEMS, MOEMS and MEMS in general.”

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.

Safe Harbor Statement

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.

About McGill University

McGill University is one of Canada's best-known institutions of higher learning and one of the country's leading research-intensive universities. With students coming to McGill from about 150 countries, our student body is the most internationally diverse of any medical-doctoral university in Canada. The oldest university in Montreal, McGill was founded in 1821 from a generous bequest by James McGill, a prominent Scottish merchant. Since that time, McGill has grown from a small college to a bustling university with two campuses, 11 faculties, some 300 programs of study, and more than 34,000 students. The University partners with four affiliated teaching hospitals to graduate over 1,000 health care professionals each year.  Nanotechnology research, the science of miniaturizing through ultra-sophisticated machinery, has obtained globally competitive headquarters at McGill University. With the addition of the Tools for Nanoscience Facility, based at the Rutherford Physics Building and Wong Engineering Building, McGill has become the most advanced public or private nanotechnology research centre in Canada. The Tools for Nanoscience Facility includes three closely linked components. The first is a clean room with a micromachining facility, which boasts the latest technology. The second component is an atomic manipulation facility, unique in the world. The third component, a Beowulf supercomputer dedicated to the modelling of nanomaterials, will usher in a new generation of supercomputers.

For more information about McGill University, visit: http://www.mcgill.ca

Tegal Contact                                                                      

Paul Werbaneth

Vice President – Marketing and Applications                                                             

Tel: +1 707 765-5608                                                 

Email: pwerbane@tegal.com                                                

or

The Blueshirt Group

Chris Danne

Tel: +1 415 217-7722

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