Nova Sets an Industry Milestone for Optical CD Metrology

Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd. (NASDAQ: NVMI) provider of leading edge stand-alone metrology and the market leader of integrated metrology solutions to the semiconductor process control market, today announced achieving and demonstrating performance which satisfies an industry challenge previously considered by ISMI/Sematech to be the "Holy Grail" of Optical CD throughput.

During an evaluation by a global body of leading semiconductor manufacturers, Nova demonstrated a Move-Acquire-Measure (MAM) time of less than 1 second on CD applications while maintaining all metrology parameters: Total Measurement Uncertainty (TMU), precision, accuracy and fleet matching, well within the required specifications down to the 32nm technology node.

The comparative evaluation report acknowledges that Nova's metrology meets the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) requirements for TMU and fleet matching down to the 32nm technology node and states that the demonstrated MAM time sets a milestone for Optical CD. Referring to NovaMARS, the report adds that with its set of predefined plug & play ready and complex setup models, a process engineer is not required to be an expert in optical physics and can design a model within less than 3 hours.

"High throughput helps semiconductor manufacturers to cope with next-generation lithography challenges, such as Double Patterning that dictate high metrology sampling, in an area of the fab which typically runs 200 wafers per hour," said Avron Ger, Nova's Vice President of Market Development. "This momentous result means that our customers can now get a better and more accurate optical metrology, while at the same time significantly increasing their metrology sampling and lowering their cost of ownership. For our metrology roadmap, we remain committed to constantly increasing our platform throughput, while at the same time raising the bar of metrology performance particularly in terms of accuracy, precision and fleet matching."

About Nova: Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd. develops, produces and markets advanced integrated and stand alone metrology solutions for the semiconductor manufacturing industry. Nova is traded on the NASDAQ & TASE under the symbol NVMI. The Company's website is http://www.nova.co.il.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 relating to future events or our future performance, such as statements regarding trends, demand for our products, expected deliveries, transaction, expected revenues, operating results, earnings and profitability. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied in those forward-looking statements. These risks and other factors include but are not limited to: our dependency on a single integrated process control product line; the highly cyclical nature of the markets we target; our inability to reduce spending during a slowdown in the semiconductor industry; our ability to respond effectively on a timely basis to rapid technological changes; risks associated with our dependence on a single manufacturing facility; our ability to expand our manufacturing capacity or marketing efforts to support our future growth; our dependency on a small number of large customers and small number of suppliers; risks related to our intellectual property; changes in customer demands for our products; new product offerings from our competitors; changes in or an inability to execute our business strategy; unanticipated manufacturing or supply problems; changes in tax requirements; changes in customer demand for our products; risks related to currency fluctuations and risks related to our operations in Israel. We cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The matters discussed in this press release also involve risks and uncertainties summarized under the heading "Risk Factors" in Nova's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2007 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 28, 2008. These factors are updated from time to time through the filing of reports and registration statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd. does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release

Company Contact:

Dror David, Chief Financial Officer

Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd.

Tel: +972-8-938-7505