GLOUCESTER, MA -- (Marketwire) -- 08/20/08 -- Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSEA) announced today the successful launch of its newest product, the VIISta HE. Capitalizing on VSEA's patented True Zero(TM) beam angle control architecture, the VIISta HE has been designed to meet strong customer demand for a precise single wafer high energy tool. VSEA has shipped two VIISta HE systems into high volume DRAM and foundry manufacturing environments.

Mark Merrill, General Manager of the Low Dose Product Business Unit, commented: "We've designed the VIISta HE to meet the growing demands of cost-conscious DRAM manufacturers. We've combined VSEA's highly successful single wafer VIISta platform with simple DC acceleration technology to create the most precise and cost-effective high energy solution on the market today. The VIISta HE has been shipped to two customers and has broken VSEA installation records for first tool shipments by achieving production readiness nine days after the start of installation."

Gary Dickerson, Chief Executive Officer, added: "In 2004, there was a key technical inflection point that drove the transition to single wafer high current. VSEA is now the market share leader in high current. Today, we've reached a similar inflection point for high energy. The VIISta HE with True Zero(TM) beam angle control provides the most precise zero degree implants available. Zero degree implants provide chipmakers with higher packing densities, thereby extending Moore's law and potentially increasing revenue by many millions of dollars per year at a typical high-volume DRAM fab. Additionally, our customers have shown that the VIISta HE True Zero(TM) capability provides improved device performance and yield by reducing transistor leakage."

Utilizing the highly successful VIISta® common end station, the VIISta HE tools are running at greater than 95% uptime and have been qualified for production. Since 2000, VSEA has shipped over 950 VIISta-based implanters to chip manufacturers worldwide.

About Varian Semiconductor

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates is the leading supplier of ion implant equipment to semiconductor manufacturers, enabling them to pack more, higher performing transistors into computer chips that are revolutionizing the electronics industry. Varian Semiconductor's products are used by chip manufacturers worldwide to produce high-performance semiconductor devices. Customers have made Varian Semiconductor the market leader in ion implant because of its architecturally superior products that lower their costs and improve their productivity. The Company has ranked #1 in the VLSI Research Customer Satisfaction Survey 11 times over the last 12 years. Varian Semiconductor operates globally and is headquartered in Gloucester, Massachusetts. More information can be found on Varian Semiconductor's web site at www.vsea.com.

Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For this purpose, statements concerning the industry outlook, technical inflection points, benefits provided by Varian Semiconductor's products and any statements using the terms "believes," "anticipates," "will," "expects," "plans" or similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are: volatility in the semiconductor equipment industry; intense competition in the semiconductor equipment industry; Varian Semiconductor's transition to new products; uncertain protection of Varian Semiconductor's patent and other proprietary rights; Varian Semiconductor's reliance on a limited group of suppliers; Varian Semiconductor's reliance on one primary manufacturing facility; and Varian Semiconductor's dependence on certain key personnel. These and other important risk factors that may affect actual results are discussed in detail under the caption "Risk Factors" in Varian Semiconductor's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 27, 2008 and in other reports filed by Varian Semiconductor with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Varian Semiconductor cannot guarantee any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievement. Varian Semiconductor undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this release.