NEMF21 · Project

Wireless Connections Between Chips Could Replace Wires in Future Electronics

digitalPrototypeTRL 3Thin data (2/5)

Imagine the wires inside your phone or computer as tiny highways — right now they're jammed with traffic and can't move data fast enough. This team figured out how to let chips talk to each other wirelessly, like Bluetooth but on a microscopic scale inside a circuit board. They built simulation tools and tiny antenna prototypes to prove it works, tackling the messy physics of electromagnetic signals bouncing around in tight spaces. It's the groundwork for a future where electronics get faster, smaller, and more energy-efficient by ditching internal wiring altogether.

By the numbers

consortium partners across 3 countries

industry partners including 1 SME in the consortium

total project deliverables produced

29%

industry participation ratio in consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Current chip designs rely on physical wires to move data between components, creating a bottleneck that limits speed, increases power consumption, and constrains miniaturization. Standard engineering design tools cannot model wireless alternatives inside complex chip environments because the electromagnetic fields are too noisy and unpredictable. Without proper simulation capabilities, the semiconductor industry cannot design the next generation of wireless on-chip architectures.

The solution

What was built

The project built an electromagnetic field simulation toolbox for modelling wireless chip-to-chip communication in noisy environments, along with antenna prototypes at both mm and cm scale. They also developed efficient measurement set-ups and protocols for measuring near-field correlation functions to validate the simulations.

Audience

Who needs this

Semiconductor companies designing high-density multi-chip packagesEDA tool vendors looking to add wireless interconnect simulation capabilitiesConsumer electronics manufacturers pushing miniaturization limitsTelecom equipment makers developing next-generation baseband processorsResearch labs working on More-Than-Moore chip architectures

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Semiconductor Design

enterprise

Target: Chip design firms and EDA tool vendors

If you are a semiconductor company struggling with signal bottleneck in high-density chip architectures — this project developed electromagnetic field simulation tools and antenna prototypes at mm and sub-mm scale that model wireless chip-to-chip links. The consortium of 7 partners across 3 countries, including 2 industry players, validated measurement protocols for near-field correlation that could feed directly into your design flow.

Consumer Electronics

enterprise

Target: Manufacturers of smartphones, wearables, and IoT devices

If you are an electronics manufacturer looking to miniaturize products while increasing data throughput — this project demonstrated antenna prototypes in both cm and mm range for Multiple Input Multiple Output wireless interconnects. The simulation toolbox they built addresses the physics of noisy electromagnetic fields in complex chip environments, potentially letting you design smaller, faster devices.

Telecommunications Equipment

enterprise

Target: Companies developing 5G/6G baseband processors and networking hardware

If you are a telecom equipment maker dealing with wired interconnect limits in next-generation base station processors — this project created modelling strategies for wireless chip-to-chip communication using random matrix theory and dynamical systems theory. With 18 deliverables including measurement set-ups and antenna prototypes, the tools could help you explore wireless on-board links for high-throughput processing.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or adopt this simulation toolbox?

The project does not publish pricing or licensing terms for its electromagnetic field simulation tools. As a publicly funded FET Open research project, the IP is likely held by the consortium partners. Interested companies would need to negotiate directly with the consortium, particularly The University of Nottingham as coordinator.

Can this work at industrial scale in real chip manufacturing?

Not yet. The project produced antenna prototypes at mm and cm scale and measurement protocols, but this was fundamental research under the FET Open programme. Scaling to commercial chip fabrication would require significant further development and validation with semiconductor foundries.

Who owns the intellectual property and how can we access it?

IP from this EU-funded project (RIA scheme) is typically retained by the consortium partners who generated it. The consortium includes 2 industry partners and 1 SME alongside 4 universities and 1 research organization. Access would need to be negotiated with the relevant partner holding the specific IP of interest.

How mature is the wireless chip-to-chip technology?

The project was funded under FET Open, which targets early-stage breakthrough research. Deliverables include antenna prototypes and measurement set-ups, indicating proof-of-concept stage. Commercial wireless chip-to-chip communication remains years away from production readiness.

Can these simulation tools integrate with existing EDA software?

Based on available project data, the simulation toolbox was designed as a standalone research platform for modelling noisy electromagnetic fields. No information is provided about integration with commercial EDA tools like Cadence or Synopsys. Custom integration work would likely be needed.

What standards or regulations apply to wireless on-chip communication?

Based on available project data, the project focused on the underlying physics and simulation rather than regulatory compliance. Wireless chip-to-chip communication at these frequencies would need to meet EMC and spectrum regulations, but this was not within the project scope as a fundamental research effort.

Consortium

Who built it

The NEMF21 consortium brings together 7 partners from 3 countries (Germany, France, UK), with a mix of 4 universities, 1 research organization, and 2 industry partners including 1 SME — giving a 29% industry ratio. The University of Nottingham coordinated the project. The presence of NXP (referenced in the deliverable descriptions as driving antenna design know-how) signals real semiconductor industry involvement, though the consortium is predominantly academic. For a business looking to engage, the university-heavy makeup means the technology is research-grade and would need industrial development partners to move toward commercialization.

THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAMCoordinator · UK
UNIVERSITE COTE D'AZURthirdparty · FR
INSTITUT SUPERIEUR DE L'AERONAUTIQUE ET DE L'ESPACEparticipant · FR
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET MUENCHENparticipant · DE
NXP SEMICONDUCTORS FRANCEparticipant · FR
IMST GMBHparticipant · DE
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRSparticipant · FR

How to reach the team

The coordinator is The University of Nottingham (UK). SciTransfer can facilitate a direct introduction to the research team.

Order a report on this consortium See THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how wireless chip-to-chip simulation tools could benefit your product roadmap? SciTransfer can connect you with the NEMF21 research team and provide a detailed technology brief.

Order a report on this topic More in Digital & ICT