Voltaix Announces Methylsilanes Deposition Technology Licensing Agreement Dow Grants Worldwide License to Voltaix

Voltaix, Inc., announced today it signed a worldwide technology licensing agreement with Dow Corning Corporation, under which Voltaix methylsilane, dimethylsilane, trimethylsilane or tetramethylsilane are licensed for applications covered by Dow Corning deposition technology patents.

Voltaix, Inc., announced today it signed a worldwide technology licensing agreement with Dow Corning Corporation, under which Voltaix methylsilane, dimethylsilane, trimethylsilane or tetramethylsilane are licensed for applications covered by Dow Corning deposition technology patents. Voltaix secured for its distributors and end users the right to make, have made, use and offer to sell or import electronic devices in accordance with certain licensed patents assigned to Dow Corning. These patents cover many of the current applications of these molecules in microelectronics, including the deposition of low k "carbon-doped" silica dielectrics and "silicon carbide" etch stop and barrier layers. Generally the patents cover deposition by plasma processes.

John P. de Neufville, Voltaix President and founder, commented on the new arrangement, "This 'use' or 'label' licensing agreement will permit Voltaix distributors and customers to gain instant access to the broad spectrum of Dow Corning deposition technology patents for methylsilanes with minimum complexity - if they buy the licensed versions of these molecules from Voltaix they may use them for electronic devices without having to negotiate a license directly from Dow Corning. As chip-makers evaluate their low-k dielectric and etch stop precursor options, the widespread availability of these particular methylsilane molecules bearing the Dow Corning use license will reduce the intellectual property barrier for their implementation."

Voltaix is recognized worldwide for manufacturing high purity specialty gases and chemicals for emerging electronic applications. Voltaix chemicals, pure gases and gas mixtures are used in ion implantation, chemical vapor deposition and plasma etching of dielectric, semiconducting and conducting layers for manufacturing advanced semiconductor devices. Voltaix products are available worldwide both directly and through most of the major international electronic gas companies and include: germane and digermane; diborane, boron trifluoride and trimethylboron; silane, disilane and trisilane; silicon tetrafluoride and germanium tetrafluoride; and a wide variety of isotopically enriched electronic specialty gases.

Further information is available at www.voltaix.com.