Therma-Wave Wins Multi-Tool Order from Commodity Device Manufacturer in Japan for Advanced Opti-ProbeXP Metrology Systems; Opti-Probe 7341XP Tools to Be Used for 300mm Copper Based Production Processes

Business Wire, Oct 18, 2005

FREMONT, Calif. -- Therma-Wave, Inc. (NASDAQ:TWAV), a worldwide leader in the development, manufacture and sale of process control metrology systems used in the production of semiconductors, today announced the Company has received a multi-million dollar, multi-tool order from a Japanese commodity device manufacturer for its Opti-Probe(R) 7341XP thin-film and critical dimension (CD) metrology systems. Therma-Wave's Opti-Probe systems will be deployed to support front end as well as back end 300mm logic device manufacturing processes at the 90nm node as part of a transition to copper based production.

This Japan based device manufacturer selected the Opti-Probe platform including Therma-Wave's Real-Time Critical Dimension (RT/CD(R)) processing technology for the monitoring and control of advanced lithography and etch CD measurements. The order also includes Therma-Wave's Environmental Film Desorber (EFD(R)) technology to monitor gate dielectric measurements as well as the Wafer-Bow/Warp/Stress (WBWS(R)) technology for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) stress measurements.

"The Opti-ProbeXP system provides this customer with a thin-film and CD metrology solution designed specifically to address the need for increased precision in measuring ever-thinner films, and more complex materials, on smaller integrated circuit devices. Our Opti-ProbeXP addresses these challenges while facilitating high productivity throughput and a low total cost of ownership. This latest order from Japan reflects our ability to deliver advanced metrology applications to meet our customers' stringent requirements for precision and repeatability," commented Boris Lipkin, president and chief executive officer of Therma-Wave.

About Therma-Wave, Inc.

Since 1982, Therma-Wave, Inc, has been revolutionizing process control metrology systems through innovative proprietary products and technologies. The company is a worldwide leader in the development, manufacture, marketing and service of process control metrology systems used in the manufacture of semiconductors. Therma-Wave currently offers leading-edge products to the semiconductor manufacturing industry for the measurement of transparent and semi-transparent thin films; for the measurement of critical dimensions and profile of IC features; for the monitoring of ion implantation; and for the integration of metrology into semiconductor processing systems. For further information about Therma-Wave, Inc., access the web site at: www.thermawave.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they do not fully materialize or prove incorrect, could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include our positioning to address current and future market needs, our ability to improve long-term profitability, our ability to provide cost efficiencies, the ability of our products to gain momentum in the global market and our future financial guidance. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include the cyclicality of our business, the loss of one or more large customers, the cancellation or delayed acceptance of a large customer order, our ability to protect our intellectual property, our ability to successfully compete against larger companies, our ability to access additional capital in the future, our ability to develop new and advanced products in the future, our ability to attract and retain key personnel, our ability to receive supplies from single source suppliers, business decisions by third parties, that are out of our control, disruptions at our manufacturing facilities and general political, economic and stock market conditions and events, both domestically and internationally. These factors and others are described in more detail in our public reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as those discussed in the "Factors Affecting Future Results" section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 3, 2005, all subsequent current reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K as well as our prior press releases. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to us as of the date hereof, and we assume no duty to update these forward-looking statements.

Note: Opti-Probe, Real-Time Critical Dimension (RT/CD), Environmental Film Desorber (EFD) and Wafer-Bow/Warp/Stress (WBWS) are registered trademarks of Therma-Wave, Inc.