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University Park, PA – As one of the founding members of Penn State’s Silicon Carbide Innovation Alliance (SCIA), Mesta Electronics works with SCIA to grow silicon carbide crystals for semiconductors, which requires a stable, precise power source to heat a specialized furnace to extreme temperatures. To meet this need, Mesta Electronics LLC has donated two Mesta 50kW Induction Heating Power Supplies to SCIA.  

Valued at $96,000, the power supplies will be housed in the Academic Activities Building on the University Park campus, home of the SCIA, and will greatly enhance the University's capabilities in silicon carbide research and education.  

"The Mesta power supplies will provide us with an extremely precise and highly stable power output used for the most critical and demanding part of growing silicon carbide, which requires temperatures of above 2,000 degrees Celsius (above 4,000 degree Fahrenheit),” said Dr. Joshua Robinson, director of the SCIA and professor of materials science and engineering. “In addition to being a founding member, Mesta’s role as a partner is important because it will allow us to maximize efficiency in energy delivery while growing SiC. Any fluctuations in the power can lead to catastrophic failure of the crystals we are growing, so working with Mesta gives us confidence that we will have on-demand precision power delivery.” 

Penn State launched SCIA to establish the nation’s central hub for research, development, and workforce training in silicon carbide crystal technology. This coalition of industry leaders, academic institutions, and government support aims to drive industrial-scale semiconductor advancements, particularly in silicon carbide, a "wide bandgap" semiconductor essential for high-power and high-voltage applications such as electric vehicles and carbon-friendly energy infrastructure.  

Mesta has been among the industry leaders contributing to SCIA’s efforts, leveraging their expertise as a company specializing in advanced power quality and power conversion equipment since 1977. From precise induction heating power supplies to sophisticated harmonic filters, Mesta provides innovative and reliable power solutions across industries like manufacturing, wastewater, and power facilities. Acquired by Hammond Power Solutions in July 2021, Mesta continues to expand its capabilities and market presence, aligning with SCIA’s mission to drive next-generation semiconductor technologies. 

James Machin, induction heating sales manager with Mesta, said the company is committed to supporting educational institutions and fostering innovation through strategic partnerships, such as the one with SCIA. This partnership will help to support future strategic initiatives as SCIA, founded in 2024, continues to grow. 

“Mesta’s air-cooled induction heating RF power supplies employ a parallel resonant topology for unmatched stability and precision,” Machin said. “Unlike many power supplies that vary frequency to increase power, Mesta’s induction heating RF power supplies operate at a constant frequency that is resonant with the load while fine-tuning the output voltage via precisely controlled pulse-width modulation. This enables growers and the SCIA at Penn State to control power output within ±3鈥疻, allowing them to maintain temperatures above 2000°C with near鈥恉egree accuracy. Output power control with this high precision is critical to support industry advancement in growing SiC more efficiently enabling the materials to be more cost effectively used across all industries.” 

SCIA research is driven by the research and technological needs of our industrial partners. If you are interested in becoming involved with SCIA as an industry member that helps guide the research, please contact Dave Fecko at [email protected]. For more information about this gift and/or corporate partnerships with Penn State, please contact Ashley Chan, Director of Corporate Engagement at [email protected].鈥�