EXHIBIT 23(a)

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-4 of KLA-Tencor Corporation of our report dated September 1, 2005, relating to the financial statements, financial statement schedule, management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, which appears in KLA-Tencor Corporation’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2005. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP

San Jose, California
March 16, 2006