MATTSON TECHNOLOGY APPOINTS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

David Dutton to Lead Newly Restructured Company

FREMONT, Calif. - December 19, 2001 - Mattson Technology (NASDAQ: MTSN), a leading supplier of advanced process equipment used to manufacture semiconductors, today announced the appointment of seven-year Mattson veteran David Dutton, 41, as chief executive officer. Dutton has been serving as the company's acting CEO since the retirement of former chief executive Brad Mattson in October.

In his new capacity, Dutton, who will report to the Board of Directors, will provide strategic direction and leadership as Mattson works to achieve a successful restructuring and position itself for future growth. Reporting to Dutton under the new Mattson organization are Ludger Viefhues, chief financial officer; Bob MacKnight, president of the recently created Thermal, Films and Etch division; Dave Ferran, president of the Wet Division and Mike Morita, executive vice president of Global Business Operations.

Dutton joined Mattson in 1994. In 1995, he became vice president and general manager of the Plasma Strip Business Unit and led the company to attain the number two position in the strip market. Dutton also served as Mattson's chief operating officer from 1998 to 2000, during which time he developed the sales and service and operations infrastructure that was instrumental in helping Mattson grow from a $65 million to an over $200 million company. Most recently, Dutton served as president of the Plasma Products Business Division.

Dr. Jochen Melchior, Mattson's chairman of the board, commented that Dutton's experience in developing and growing global organizations will help Mattson remain operationally strong and ensure that the company continues to focus on programs that successfully meet varying industry conditions and customer-specific needs. "We believe that Dave's strong operations and corporate development experience will be instrumental in strengthening Mattson Technology's market leadership position in the next industry upturn. Dave has a demonstrated track record of achievement in his previous positions here at Mattson, and I am confident that he will be equally successful in his new role as chief executive officer of the company," concluded Dr. Melchior.

Prior to joining Mattson, Dutton, an 18-year industry veteran, held management posts in the etch and yield engineering groups at Intel [Nasdaq: INTC] and Maxim Integrated Products [Nasdaq: MXIM ]. Dutton received his bachelor's degree from San Jose State University.

This press release contains forward looking statements regarding, among other matters, the Company's future prospects. Forward looking statements address matters that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that can cause actual results to differ materially. In addition to the general risks associated with the slowdown in the semiconductor industry and with development of complex technology, future results of the Company will depend on a variety of factors, including the timing of significant orders, the ability of the Company to timely manufacture and deliver ordered products, the ability of the Company to bring new systems to market, the timing of new product releases by the Company's competitors, other competitive factors, and risks of integration following the STEAG-CFM acquisitions. Reference is made to the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for further discussion of risks and uncertainties regarding the Company's business.

About Mattson Technology, Inc.

Mattson Technology, Inc. is a leading supplier of semiconductor wafer processing equipment used in "front-end" fabrication of integrated circuits. The company is a market leader in dry strip and RTP equipment, and its products combine advanced process technology on high-productivity platforms backed by industry-leading support. Since beginning operations in 1989, the company’s core vision has been to help bring technology leadership and productivity gains to semiconductor manufacturers worldwide. Headquartered in Fremont, Calif., the company maintains sales and support centers throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. For more information, please contact Mattson Technology, Inc., 47131 Bayside Parkway, Fremont, Calif. 94538. Telephone: (800) MATTSON/(510) 657-5900. Fax: (510) 492-5911. Internet: www.mattson.com.