AIXTRON R&D-system selected as centerpiece of Penn State’s new advanced semiconductor laboratory

AIXTRON R&D-system selected as centerpiece of Penn State’s new advanced semiconductor laboratory

Herzogenrath, June 2, 2026 – AIXTRON SE (FSE: AIXA), a leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry, today announced that its state‑of‑the‑art Close Coupled Showerhead™ (CCS) R&D-system will serve as the centerpiece of a new advanced semiconductor research facility at Penn State’s Materials Research Institute (MRI).

The new laboratory, located in the Millennium Science Complex at University Park, will significantly expand Penn State’s capabilities in next‑generation semiconductor thin films and device research. It is being established through $4.3 million in infrastructure funding and in‑kind support provided through the University’s membership in the Midwest Microelectronics Consortium (MMEC) – part of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Microelectronics Commons initiative under the federal CHIPS Act.

At the core of the facility is AIXTRON’s advanced Close Coupled Showerhead™ (CCS) deposition system. The CCS R&D system is a highly controlled epitaxial growth platform capable of depositing ultra‑high‑quality semiconductor layers on substrates with diameters of up to 100 mm. The installed system is uniquely configured to grow both wide-bandgap gallium nitride (GaN) materials, which are critical for high‑performance power electronics, and two‑dimensional (2D) materials, an emerging class of atomically thin semiconductors with transformative potential for logic, optoelectronic, and neuromorphic computing applications.

“We are proud to see our technology play a central role in advancing Penn State’s semiconductor R&D infrastructure. Combining wide-bandgap and 2D materials capabilities in a single deposition system creates a powerful platform for both academic research and the development of real‑world applications – from energy‑efficient power devices for electric vehicles to next‑generation AI hardware,” said Dr. Felix Grawert, CEO of AIXTRON SE.

“The facility will serve as a national user platform, offering hands‑on training for students and early‑career researchers while providing industry‑standard process know‑how,” said Professor Joan Redwing, Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and of Electrical Engineering and Director of the University's 2D Crystal Consortium research facility. Professor Redwing added, “We look forward to the collaboration between Penn State and AIXTRON in fostering a skilled workforce and supporting cutting‑edge semiconductor device research. This initiative is a model for how academia and industry can work together to strengthen the U.S. innovation ecosystem and supply chain.”

The scalability of the Close Coupled Showerhead™ (CCS) system will enable Penn State scientists to move from fundamental materials research to prototype device fabrication, accelerating innovation in areas such as electric mobility, renewable energy, and high-performance computing.

Contact

Christian Ludwig

Vice President Investor Relations & Corporate Communications

fon +49 (2407) 9030-444

e-mail c.ludwig@aixtron.com

About AIXTRON:

AIXTRON SE is a leading provider of deposition equipment to the semiconductor industry. The Company was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Herzogenrath (near Aachen), Germany, with subsidiaries and sales offices in Asia, United States, and in Europe. AIXTRON´s technology solutions are used by a diverse range of customers worldwide to build advanced components for electronic and optoelectronic applications based on compound or organic semiconductor materials. Such components are used in a broad range of innovative applications, technologies and industries. These include Laser and LED applications, display technologies, data transmission, SiC and GaN power management and conversion, communication, signaling and lighting as well as a range of other leading-edge applications.

Our registered trademarks: AIXACT®, AIX-Multi-Ject®, AIXTRON®, Close Coupled Showerhead®, EXP®, EPISON®, Gas Foil Rotation®, HXP®, HYPERION®, Multi-Ject®, Planetary Reactor®, PVPD®, STExS®, TriJet®

For further information on AIXTRON (FSE: AIXA, ISIN DE000A0WMPJ6) please visit our website at: www.aixtron.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This document may contain forward-looking statements regarding the business, results of operations, financial condition, and earnings outlook of AIXTRON. These statements may be identified by words such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “contemplate”, “intend”, “plan”, “believe”, “continue” and “estimate” and variations of such words or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on our current assessments, expectations and assumptions, of which many are beyond control of AIXTRON, and are subject to risks and uncertainties. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Should these risks or uncertainties materialize or should underlying expectations not occur or assumptions prove incorrect, actual results, performance, or achievements of AIXTRON may materially vary from those described explicitly or implicitly in the relevant forward-looking statement. This could result from a variety of factors, such as actual customer orders received by AIXTRON, the level of demand for deposition technology in the market, the timing of final acceptance of products by customers, the condition of financial markets and access to financing for AIXTRON, general conditions in the market for deposition plants and macroeconomic conditions, cancellations, rescheduling or delays in product shipments, production capacity constraints, extended sales and qualification cycles, difficulties in the production process, the general development in the semiconductor industry, increased competition, fluctuations in exchange rates, availability of public funding, fluctuations and/or changes in interest rates, delays in developing and marketing new products, a deterioration of the general economic situation and any other factors discussed in any reports or other announcements , in particular in the chapter Risks in the Annual Report, filed by AIXTRON. Any forward-looking statements contained in this document are based on current expectations and projections of the executive board based on information available the date hereof. AIXTRON undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless expressly required to do so by law. 

This document is also available in a German language translation version. In case of discrepancies, the English language document shall prevail and shall be the valid version.