AIDA-2020 · Project

Advanced Radiation Detectors and Microelectronics for Medical Imaging and Industrial Sensing

manufacturingTestedTRL 4Thin data (2/5)

Imagine you need super-precise cameras that can see individual particles — not light, but the tiny bits of matter flying through space at incredible speeds. That's what this project built: next-generation detector hardware, from ultra-thin chips etched at 65 nanometers to cooling systems thinner than a hair, all tested under extreme radiation. While the main goal was upgrading Europe's particle physics toolbox, the same detector tech has direct spin-offs for medical scanners, radiation safety monitors, and industrial quality inspection.

By the numbers

10,000+

scientists in the European particle physics community

consortium partners

countries involved

EUR 10,000,000

EU contribution

65 nm

CMOS chip technology node achieved

radiation lengths depth in compact calorimeter

> 100,000

gain achieved in large-size MPGD prototype

total project deliverables completed

12 cm

diameter capacity of reactor transport system

The business problem

What needed solving

Companies building radiation detectors, medical imaging equipment, or high-density semiconductor packages face a common bottleneck: current sensor technologies hit limits in resolution, radiation hardness, and heat management. Developing next-generation components in-house requires years of R&D and access to specialized test facilities that most companies cannot afford. This project pooled EUR 10,000,000 and 38 research institutions to solve exactly these problems.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered 75 tangible outputs including: 65 nm CMOS pixel readout chips with Through Silicon Via interconnection, a compact calorimeter validated to 30 radiation lengths, a large-size Micro-Pattern Gas Detector with gain over 100,000, micro-channel cooling prototypes in Si-Si and Si-Glass, upgraded beam test facilities at CERN and DESY, and a complete data acquisition hardware and software stack.

Audience

Who needs this

Medical imaging device manufacturers (PET, CT, SPECT scanners)Radiation monitoring and nuclear safety companiesSemiconductor packaging and MEMS fabrication housesScientific instrument manufacturersSpace and aerospace companies needing radiation-hard electronics

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Medical Imaging Equipment

enterprise

Target: Medical device manufacturers developing PET or CT scanners

If you are a medical device company struggling with image resolution or radiation dose limits in your scanners — this project developed ultra-compact calorimeters validated to 30 radiation lengths and 65 nm CMOS pixel readout chips. These detector technologies, originally built for particle physics, can directly improve the sensitivity and resolution of medical imaging systems while reducing patient exposure.

Radiation Safety and Nuclear Services

mid-size

Target: Companies providing radiation monitoring for nuclear plants or decommissioning sites

If you are a radiation monitoring firm needing reliable, high-gain detectors for harsh environments — this project built and validated a large-size Micro-Pattern Gas Detector prototype with gain exceeding 100,000. They also upgraded irradiation facilities with contactless fluence monitors and online databases, proving these systems work under real reactor conditions at facilities like the JSI TRIGA Reactor.

Semiconductor and Microelectronics

mid-size

Target: Chip packaging companies or MEMS fabrication houses

If you are a semiconductor packaging company looking to offer Through Silicon Via (TSV) interconnection services — this project demonstrated TSV post-processing on 65 nm CMOS wafers interconnected with silicon pixel sensors. They also developed micro-channel cooling devices in Si-Si and Si-Glass configurations, both critical capabilities for next-generation high-density chip packaging.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to access or license these detector technologies?

The project was coordinated by CERN, a public research organization, and the entire consortium is academic and research institutions with zero industrial partners. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated directly with CERN's Knowledge Transfer group. As a publicly funded RIA project with EUR 10,000,000 EU contribution, results are generally available under open or FRAND licensing conditions.

Can these technologies work at industrial production scale?

Several deliverables demonstrate engineering-level maturity: the 65 nm CMOS engineering run produced full wafers with pixel chips, and Through Silicon Via interconnection was completed on these wafers. However, these were research-scale production runs, not high-volume manufacturing. Scaling to commercial volumes would require partnership with a semiconductor foundry.

Who owns the intellectual property from this project?

IP typically stays with the partner that generated it under Horizon 2020 rules. With 38 partners across 19 countries — all universities and research institutes — IP is distributed. CERN as coordinator can guide you to the right partner for specific technologies like the MPGD prototypes or micro-channel cooling devices.

Are these detector components actually tested, or still theoretical?

Extensively tested. The project commissioned beam telescopes at CERN and DESY, upgraded irradiation facilities including the GIF++ and CERN proton facility, and validated prototypes in beam tests. The compact calorimeter was validated in beam tests, and the micro-channel cooling prototypes went through a full agreed test programme.

How would we integrate these components into existing systems?

The project built shared data acquisition hardware including Trigger Logic Units, computing infrastructure, and common software tools specifically designed for integration. The modular approach — separate readout chips, sensor layers, and cooling — means components can be adapted individually rather than requiring a complete system replacement.

What kind of ongoing support or collaboration is available?

AIDA-2020 ended in April 2020, but the community of more than 10,000 scientists remains active through CERN and successor projects. The test beam facilities at CERN, DESY, and Frascati continue to operate and offer transnational access. CERN's Knowledge Transfer office handles industry inquiries.

Consortium

Who built it

The AIDA-2020 consortium is a pure research alliance: 38 partners from 19 countries, split between 20 universities and 18 research organizations, with zero industry participation and zero SMEs. This is significant for any business considering these technologies — there was no commercial validation or market testing built into the project. The coordinator is CERN (Switzerland), the world's leading particle physics lab, which gives strong credibility to the technical results. For a company, the lack of industrial partners means you would be among the first to commercialize these technologies, which is both an opportunity (less competition) and a risk (unproven market fit). The broad geographic spread across Europe means multiple potential technology sources and licensing partners.

ORGANISATION EUROPEENNE POUR LA RECHERCHE NUCLEAIRECoordinator · CH
AKADEMIA GORNICZO-HUTNICZA IM. STANISLAWA STASZICA W KRAKOWIEparticipant · PL
THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGEparticipant · UK
JOHANNES GUTENBERG-UNIVERSITAT MAINZparticipant · DE
THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTERparticipant · UK
LUNDS UNIVERSITETparticipant · SE
UNIVERSITE DE GENEVEparticipant · CH
INSTITUT JOZEF STEFANparticipant · SI
COMMISSARIAT A L ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESparticipant · FR
THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAMparticipant · UK
UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAINparticipant · BE
INSTITUTE OF NUCLEAR RESEARCH AND NUCLEAR ENERGY - BULGARIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCESparticipant · BG
LABORATORIO DE INSTRUMENTACAO E FISICA EXPERIMENTAL DE PARTICULAS LIPparticipant · PT
CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIONES ENERGETICAS MEDIOAMBIENTALES Y TECNOLOGICASparticipant · ES
FYZIKALNI USTAV AV CR V.V.Iparticipant · CZ
AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICASparticipant · ES
INSTITUTO TECNOLOGICO DE ARAGONparticipant · ES
VILNIAUS UNIVERSITETASparticipant · LT
RHEINISCHE FRIEDRICH-WILHELMS-UNIVERSITAT BONNparticipant · DE
UNITED KINGDOM RESEARCH AND INNOVATIONparticipant · UK
INSTITUTO DE FISICA DE ALTAS ENERGIASparticipant · ES
KARLSRUHER INSTITUT FUER TECHNOLOGIEparticipant · DE
EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICHparticipant · CH
TEL AVIV UNIVERSITYparticipant · IL
FONDAZIONE BRUNO KESSLERparticipant · IT
HUN-REN WIGNER FIZIKAI KUTATOKOZPONTparticipant · HU
THE UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOLparticipant · UK
UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOLparticipant · UK
THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORDparticipant · UK
UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOWparticipant · UK
MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN EVparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDONparticipant · UK
OESTERREICHISCHE AKADEMIE DER WISSENSCHAFTENparticipant · AT
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRSparticipant · FR
DEUTSCHES ELEKTRONEN-SYNCHROTRON DESYparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITETET I BERGENparticipant · NO
RUDER BOSKOVIC INSTITUTEparticipant · HR
ISTITUTO NAZIONALE DI FISICA NUCLEAREparticipant · IT

How to reach the team

CERN Knowledge Transfer group handles industry inquiries for technologies developed under AIDA-2020. SciTransfer can facilitate the introduction.

Order a report on this consortium See ORGANISATION EUROPEENNE POUR LA RECHERCHE NUCLEAIRE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing AIDA-2020 detector or microelectronics technology for your product line? SciTransfer can connect you with the right research partner at CERN or any of the 38 consortium members.

Order a report on this topic More in Manufacturing & Industry 4.0