GT Advanced Technologies Receives Order for Large Optical Sapphire Blank for Gravitational Wave Telescope

GT Advanced Technologies Inc., (NASDAQ: GTAT), today announced that its subsidiary, GT Crystal Systems, has received an order for a large, low absorption, optical sapphire blank for the Large-Scale Cryogenic Gravitational Wave Telescope (LCGT) program located in Japan. The LCGT will use the sapphire optic to measure changes in gravitational waves resulting from cosmic events. The LCGT is an extremely sensitive instrument that requires sapphire that contains an almost perfect crystalline structure, without bubbles or inclusions, throughout the optic. The sapphire must also be very low in optical absorption to prevent any heat from occurring, which can cause thermal expansion and hence thermal lensing. GT Crystal Systems HEM sapphire has extremely low absorption properties at wavelengths of 1.064 um, which is significant because many future, high-power laser systems operate at this wavelength. GT HEM sapphire has been measured to have laser absorption values lower than 40ppm/cm at this wave length.

"The intrinsic sapphire quality required for the LCGT is very high and only the purest and most perfect sapphire can be used for this demanding application,” said Cheryl Diuguid, GT Advanced Technologies’ vice president and general manager of the Sapphire Equipment and Materials Group. "We are honored to have been selected for this exciting program. It is a true testament to the quality of the sapphire material we produce using our advanced sapphire furnace technology.”

The sapphire blank will be approximately ten inches in diameter and six inches thick. Delivery of the blank is scheduled for the early calendar 2012. GT’s HEM Sapphire was selected for the LCGT program as a result of past performance in other similar low absorption applications such as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) located in the United States.

Scientists are using gravitational wave telescopes to observe black holes and other objects in the distant Universe that cannot be observed with more traditional optical and radio telescopes. Gravitational waves are of interest to cosmologists as they may offer a possible way of observing the very early universe. Precise measurements of gravitational waves will also allow scientists to test Einstein’s general theory of relativity.

About GT Advanced Technologies Inc.

GT Advanced Technologies, Inc. is a global provider of polysilicon production technology, and sapphire and silicon crystalline growth systems and materials for the solar, LED and other specialty markets. The company's products and services allow its customers to optimize their manufacturing environments and lower their cost of ownership. For additional information about GT Advanced Technologies, please visit www.gtat.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements in this press release are forward-looking in nature, including statements regarding expected results from new technology offerings. These statements are based on management’s current expectations or beliefs. These forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the Company’s control, which could cause actual events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the statements. Factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements include the possibility that the Company is unable to recognize revenue on customer contracts, that technological changes could render existing products or technologies obsolete, the Company may be unable to protect its intellectual property rights, competition from other manufacturers may increase, exchange rate fluctuations and conditions in the credit markets and economy may reduce demand for the Company’s products and various other risks as outlined in GT Advanced Technologies Inc’s (formerly Solar International, Inc.) filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the statements under the heading "Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2011 filed on May 26, 2011 and quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the first quarter of fiscal 2012 filed on August 5, 2011. GT Advanced Technologies, Inc. is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any such obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.