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RadioNet · Project

Advanced Radio Receiver Hardware Ready for Commercial Production in Sensing and Telecom

digitalPrototypeTRL 5Thin data (2/5)
radionet-org.eu

Imagine Europe's biggest radio telescopes are like giant ears listening to the universe — but each ear needs incredibly sensitive microphones to pick up faint signals. RadioNet brought together 27 institutions across 13 countries to upgrade those microphones, building compact multi-pixel receivers that work at extremely high frequencies. Think of it like going from a single-pixel camera to a multi-pixel one, but for radio waves. The hardware prototypes they built could be manufactured by specialized electronics companies for uses well beyond astronomy.

By the numbers
27
partner institutions across the consortium
13
countries represented in the partnership
EUR 10,000,000
EU contribution to the project
58
total deliverables produced
4
working multipixel receiver demonstrators built
1
industrial partner in the consortium
The business problem

What needed solving

Companies developing high-frequency sensing, imaging, or communication systems face a common bottleneck: building receivers that work reliably above 100 GHz is extremely difficult and expensive, and most designs are single-pixel, limiting throughput and imaging speed. Off-the-shelf solutions barely exist at terahertz frequencies. This means R&D teams spend years and millions reinventing receiver technology instead of focusing on their end product.

The solution

What was built

The project built 4 multipixel focal plane array demonstrators: an HEB mixer receiver array, a miniaturized 2SB receiver array near 1 mm, a W-band cryogenic array with down-conversion module, and a 2SB SIS mixer array operating around 1 THz. These are compact, multi-channel receiver systems designed to be reproducible by specialized manufacturers.

Audience

Who needs this

Millimeter-wave and THz component manufacturers looking for proven receiver designsSecurity screening companies developing next-generation airport or facility scannersSatellite instrument builders needing atmospheric sounding receivers5G/6G infrastructure companies working on high-frequency backhaul equipmentScientific instrument companies selling to radio observatories and research labs
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Telecommunications Equipment
SME
Target: RF and microwave component manufacturers

If you are an RF component manufacturer looking to expand into millimeter-wave and sub-THz frequency bands — this project developed multipixel focal plane array demonstrators operating at W-band and near 1 THz that are described as ready for production in SME industries. With 4 working hardware demonstrators delivered across different frequency ranges, you gain proven receiver designs to commercialize for 5G/6G backhaul or satellite communication ground stations.

Security and Screening Technology
mid-size
Target: Airport and facility security scanning companies

If you are a security technology company developing next-generation screening systems — this project built multipixel receiver arrays that detect signals at terahertz frequencies, the same band used for non-invasive body and package scanning. The demonstrators include cryogenic modules and down-conversion modules packaged as compact units. These designs, developed across 27 partner institutions, could be adapted into commercial imaging arrays for checkpoint screening.

Earth Observation and Remote Sensing
enterprise
Target: Atmospheric monitoring instrument manufacturers

If you are a remote sensing company building instruments for weather satellites or atmospheric research — this project delivered multipixel receiver arrays operating near 1 mm wavelength, exactly the frequency range used for detecting water vapor and ozone. The 2SB (sideband-separating) mixer technology from 58 deliverables worth of R&D gives you higher sensitivity and cleaner signals than conventional single-pixel designs for atmospheric sounding instruments.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or acquire this receiver technology?

The project was coordinated by Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, a public research organization, with EUR 10,000,000 in EU funding. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated directly with the consortium. As a publicly funded RIA project, results are typically available under fair and reasonable terms.

Can these receivers be manufactured at industrial scale?

The project objective explicitly states that prototypes were developed for 'production in SME industries.' Four distinct multipixel demonstrators were delivered covering W-band to 1 THz frequencies. However, scaling from demonstrator to volume production would require additional engineering and manufacturing process development.

What is the IP situation — who owns the designs?

IP from Horizon 2020 RIA projects typically remains with the partner that generated it, with access rights for other consortium members. With 27 partners across 13 countries, the IP landscape may be distributed. Contact the coordinator at Max-Planck-Gesellschaft to clarify which partner owns specific demonstrator designs.

What frequency ranges do these receivers actually cover?

Based on the deliverable descriptions, the project built demonstrators at three frequency ranges: W-band (roughly 75-110 GHz), near 1 mm wavelength (around 300 GHz), and around 1 THz. Each uses different mixer technology — HEB mixers, 2SB receivers, and SIS mixer receivers — optimized for its frequency band.

How mature is this technology — is it lab-stage or field-tested?

The deliverables are labeled as 'demonstrators,' which in EU project terminology typically corresponds to TRL 4-5 (validated in lab to relevant environment). These are working multi-pixel arrays, not just single-component proofs of concept, but they have not been deployed in commercial products yet.

Are there any industrial partners already involved?

The consortium includes 1 industrial partner out of 27 total, giving a 4% industry ratio. There are 0 SMEs in the consortium. The remaining partners are 16 universities and 9 research organizations. This means commercialization would likely require bringing in new manufacturing partners.

Consortium

Who built it

RadioNet is an overwhelmingly academic consortium — 16 universities and 9 research organizations with just 1 industrial partner and zero SMEs, giving a 4% industry ratio. Coordinated by Max-Planck-Gesellschaft in Germany, the 27-partner group spans 13 countries including non-EU members South Korea and South Africa. For a business looking to commercialize this technology, the weak industry presence means you would not be competing with existing commercial partners but would also need to invest in bridging the gap between lab demonstrators and production-ready products. The EUR 10,000,000 EU investment has funded substantial R&D infrastructure, but turning that into commercial products will require a manufacturing partner willing to take the technology through the last mile.

How to reach the team

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften, Germany — search for RadioNet project coordinator at MPIfR Bonn

Order a report on this consortiumSee MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN EV profile →
Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

SciTransfer can identify the right contact at Max-Planck and arrange an introduction to discuss licensing the receiver technology for your specific application.

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