Rudolph Acquires Semiconductor Arm of Applied Precision

Flanders, NJ, (December 18, 2007) -- Rudolph Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: RTEC), a leading provider of process characterization equipment and software for thin film measurement and macro defect inspection, announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire the net assets of the semiconductor business of Applied Precision, LLC. Applied Precision, headquartered in Issaquah, WA, provides precision wafer probe card metrology systems and wafer probe process management systems to semiconductor final manufacturing facilities.

"We are very excited about bringing the Applied Precision semiconductor team into our organization," said Paul F. McLaughlin, chairman and chief executive officer of Rudolph. "This acquisition combines two successful companies with complementary products and technologies, and will accelerate our efforts to be a more complete supplier of back-end equipment and software. As the consolidation of our industry continues, we believe our combined strengths will enable us to continue providing our customers with process characterization excellence to meet tomorrow's process challenges. In addition, this acquisition gives us the benefit of leveraging multiple synergies between the two organizations, and we expect this transaction to be accretive to earnings within the first year."

"Applied Precision's position as an industry leader in probe card test and analysis is a strategic fit for our organization, and will give us the benefit of additional resources and global depth to address next-generation solutions for our customers," said Nathan Little, executive vice president and general manager of the Inspection Business Unit. "We are looking forward to combining operations with the newly-formed Probe Card Test and Analysis Division," he continued, "and we expect to build on the new division's number one market share position in the probe card analytics market."

Little added, "Rudolph and Applied Precision have an established presence in the final manufacturing arena and are well positioned to address new opportunities in wafer probe card test and analysis. We believe this acquisition will allow Rudolph to continue to build on our vision of being able to deliver innovative products, superior services and exceptional shareholder value in the years ahead."

Terms of the transaction include a combination of cash and Rudolph Technologies common stock. Rudolph has scheduled a conference call to discuss the acquisition for 0930 EST, Thursday, December 20, 2007.

About Rudolph Technologies
Rudolph Technologies is a worldwide leader in the design, development, manufacture and support of high-performance process control metrology, defect inspection and data analysis systems used by semiconductor device manufacturers. Rudolph provides a full-fab solution through its families of proprietary products that provide critical yield-enhancing information, enabling microelectronic device manufacturers to drive down costs and time to market. The company has enhanced the competitiveness of its products in the marketplace by anticipating and addressing many emerging trends driving the semiconductor industry's growth. Rudolph's strategy for continued technological and market leadership includes aggressive research and development of complementary metrology and inspection solutions. Headquartered in Flanders, New Jersey, Rudolph supports its customers with a worldwide sales and service organization.