EXHIBIT 99.1

            APPLIED MATERIALS COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF ETEC SYSTEMS

            Applied Materials Enters the Maskmaking Equipment Market

SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 29, 2000--Applied Materials, Inc. announced today
that it has completed the acquisition of Etec Systems, Inc., in a stock-for-
stock merger. The acquisition combines the strengths of Etec as the leading
manufacturer of mask pattern generation solutions for the semiconductor and
electronics industries, and Applied Materials, the world's largest semiconductor
equipment company.

Under the terms of the acquisition, originally announced on January 12, 2000,
each share of Etec Systems, Inc. was exchanged for 1.298 (or 0.649 pre-split)
shares of Applied Materials' common stock. Applied Materials issued
approximately 29 million shares of its common stock to complete the transaction.
This acquisition will be accounted for as a pooling of interests.

"We are pleased that we can now bring the combined capabilities of Applied
Materials and Etec Systems to our customers throughout the world," said James
C. Morgan, chairman and chief executive officer of Applied Materials.  "This
acquisition underscores Applied Materials' commitment to help customers address
the technical requirements presented by the move to increasingly smaller line-
widths. Our joint efforts should enable us to continue the critical advancement
of semiconductor mask pattern generation technology while realizing new market
opportunities from products developed by our etch and metrology and inspection
business units."

This acquisition brings a well-positioned and excellent product portfolio to
Applied Materials. As production of 180-nanometer devices and development of
130-nanometer devices increase, demand for maskmaking equipment and masks that
enable subwavelength lithography is expected to grow.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that are subject
to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements.  Such
risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks relating to the
performance and successful integration of the acquired businesses and to the
future size of the market for mask pattern generation equipment.  The Company
assumes no obligation to update the information in this press release.

Applied Materials is a Fortune 500 global growth company and the world's largest
supplier of wafer fabrication systems and services to the global semiconductor
industry. Applied Materials is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the
symbol, "AMAT". Applied Materials' website is http://www.appliedmaterials.com.

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Contact:
  Applied Materials
  Jeffrey Lettes, 408/563-5161 (editorial/media)
  Carolyn Schwartz, 408/748-5227 (investment community)