ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | NOVEMBER 2026 1 1 PROCESS TECHNOLOGY ADVANCING ATOMIC SCALE PROCESSING Collaborators from Penn State University, University Park, Pa., and Kurt J. Lesker Company (KJLC), Jefferson Hills, Pa., are advancing methods to create and modify ultrathin material layers essential to semiconductors, advanced packaging, quantum technologies, photonics, and other emerging applications. The partnership establishes the Kurt J. Lesker Company Atomic Scale Processing Center of Excellence at Penn State (ASPIRE), a research and workforce development hub combining KJLC’s vacuum technology and process expertise with Penn Laurel, Md., created a method that could cut manufacturing time for carbon-carbon composites from months to days, potentially easing supply constraints for these heat-resistant materials. The composites remain strong and structurally stable at temperatures exceeding 5000°F, making them valuable for rocket nozzles, hypersonic vehicles, and spacecraft heat shields. The new process, called fieldassisted sintering technique for carbon-carbon or FAST CAR , replaces conventional multicycle densification with a single-step process. It uses a carbon-bearing material and rapid, high-current pressing to consolidate carbon fibers into a dense composite. Using the technique, the team produced a 1-inch cylinder in just days, less than one-tenth the time required by conventional methods. Researchers later manufactured 6- and 8-inch samples, demonstrating potential for larger scale production. Microscopic analysis showed relatively uniform structures with smaller pores than those often found in commercially produced composites. Although the technology remains in early development, researchers are working with external partners to access larger presses and scale up production. If further validated, FAST CAR could accelerate the manufacture of advanced materials for aerospace, defense, and other high-temperature applications. jhuapl.edu. State’s nanofabrication, characterization, and materials research capabilities. ASPIRE’s ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Sept. 9 at the Millennium Science Complex. KJLC will loan three ultra-high purity atomic scale processing systems, valued at approximately $4.45 million, to Penn State’s Nanofabrication Laboratory. The equipment will support research into atomic layer deposition and atomic layer etching for applications ranging from quantum technologies and nanoscale sensors to biomedical coatings, advanced packaging, and flexible electronics. KJLC will retain ownership and maintenance responsibilities. Researchers from both organizations will develop and validate standardized processing protocols defining the materials, temperatures, timing, and other conditions needed to produce specific thin films and structures. The resulting library of processing methods could be shared with academic researchers and KJLC customers worldwide. Penn State researchers will also gain access to 38 existing KJLC processes and technical expertise. The partnership will provide hands-on training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students and early career professionals, who will use the loaned equipment to develop and test new materials and processing methods for applications including micro- and nano-scale sensors and mechanical devices, biomedical coatings, flexible electronics, and more. psu.edu. SPEEDING UP COMPOSITE PRODUCTION Engineers at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Bodycote, U.K., agreed to a cash acquisition by Vulcan Alpha Bidco Ltd., part of Veritas Capital Fund Management. The offer values Bodycote’s share capital at approximately $2.18 billion. Bodycote provides heat treatment and thermal processing with 4000 employees worldwide. bodycote.com. BRIEF Andrew Read, Penn State senior vice president for research, right, and Kurt Lesker IV, president and CEO of Kurt J. Lesker Company, le , at a ceremonial ribbon cutting to launch their next-gen materials partnership. Courtesy of Jennifer M. McCann/Penn State. The team used FAST CAR2 to manufacture 6-inch (le ) and 8-inch (right) carboncarbon samples. Courtesy of William Fahy and Wes Chapkin/Johns Hopkins APL.
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