FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Robert T. Hass, CFO
(480) 967-5146

AMTECH SYSTEMS INC. ANNOUNCES A SOLAR ORDER FROM A MAJOR U.S. PRODUCER OF SOLAR ENGERY PRODUCTS

Tempe, AZ—April 17, 2006 -- Amtech Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: ASYS), a global supplier of production and automation systems and related supplies to the semiconductor, solar cell and silicon wafer industries, today announced that a major U.S. manufacturer of solar energy products awarded the Company an order for its Bruce Technologies® horizontal BDF 200 diffusion furnace. This order is further evidence of Amtech’s commitment to serving the rapidly expanding solar market and this market’s acceptance of Amtech’s products. It is also another indicator that Amtech is making good progress in integrating Bruce Technologies Inc. and expanding the installed customer base of that business unit.

J.S. Whang, the Company’s President and CEO, stated, “I am pleased with receiving this order from the growing solar cell industry and being selected for this project by one of the most respected and largest conglomerates in the world. Amtech’s Diffusion Business continues to aggressively pursue opportunities in the solar cell industry with product lines from Bruce Technologies Inc. and Tempress Systems Inc. We believe that the order commitments we have secured from the solar cell industry over the past ten months demonstrate the success of our growth strategy and sales and marketing activities. The 2004 acquisition of the Bruce Technologies® product line significantly expanded our opportunities for selling horizontal furnaces around the world. The order announced today is from a customer located in the United States, confirming our ability to realize opportunities in this important domestic market.”

Amtech Systems, Inc. manufactures capital equipment, including silicon wafer handling automation, thermal semiconductor processing equipment and related consumables used in fabricating semiconductor devices. The Company’s semiconductor handling, thermal processing and consumable products currently address the polishing of newly sliced silicon wafers and reclaimed test wafers and the oxidation and deposition steps used in the fabrication of semiconductors, solar cells and MEMS.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements. Certain information included in this press release (as well as information included in oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by Amtech Systems, Inc.) contains statements that are forward-looking. Such forward looking information involves a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed or anticipated by
management. Potential risks and uncertainties include, among other factors, industry

specific and general business conditions, competitive market conditions, success of Amtech’s growth and sales strategies, the possibility of customer changes in delivery schedules, cancellation of orders or other commitments, potential delays in product shipments, delays in obtaining inventory parts from suppliers, failure to satisfy customer acceptance requirements and other risk factors described in Amtech’s SEC filings. All forward-looking statements are based on management’s estimates, projections and assumptions as of the date hereof and Amtech assumes no obligation to update this press release.

This press release should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10‑K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005.

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