Sweden: A cryogenic amplifier to detect weak signals

Swedish company, Low Noise Factory, is a global leader in cryogenic low-noise amplifiers. Founded with the goal of pushing the limits of transistor performance, the company’s innovations are optimised for operation in freezing temperatures. These ultra-low noise amplifiers are crucial for researchers to detect weak signals from deep space or maintain coherence in quantum systems.

Low Noise Factory’s amplifiers are integrated in the ground station receiving signals from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Voyager 1 space probe, quantum computers and radio telescopes.

Through the Eureka project, Low Noise Factory collaborated with Swedish and Korean partners to strengthen the foundation for expanding our integrated circuits production. This collaboration created essential knowledge exchange and industrial links, paving the way for growth in the emerging quantum computing market.

Niklas Wadefalk – Chief Executive Officer at Low Noise Factory

Seeking to redefine the global standard for noise performance in semiconductor electronics and scale up its bespoke amplifier production, Low Noise Factory ventured into a Eureka project named CRYONOISE with Korean and Swedish partners.

Together, the partners developed a transistor, which was used in cryogenic amplifiers that operate at 0.2-115 gigahertz in temperatures of 3-20 Kelvins. The performance was on par with existing state-of-the-art amplifiers. The amplifier functions in cryogenic temperatures so cold that it would work on Pluto.

In addition to this achievement, the project partners created a total of 17 amplifier modules, obtained 50 times the production capacity of existing market solutions and established the first scalable industrial value chain for cryogenic low noise amplifiers. The consortium expects to produce up to 100 times more chips per year than currently, responding to rapidly growing demands in target sectors.

In the CRYONOISE project, the partners built on complementary expertise. Eureka helped to de-risk the research, offering an opportunity for combining European and Asian semiconductor know-how. This accelerated both technical breakthroughs and market entry. Support from Swedish innovation agency, Vinnova, facilitated the partnership, helped Low Noise Factory secure funding and provided both credibility and visibility.

The project results have so far been disseminated in several scientific publications, advancing global understanding of cryogenic amplifiers. The partners were able to offer new employment opportunities, and Low Noise Factory has subsequently expanded its production capacity, explored new markets and opened the door to significant revenue growth. The Swedish company is positioned to consolidate its dominance and global competitiveness in the quantum and astronomy markets.

CRYONOISE has laid the groundwork for Europe and South Korea to lead the global race in cryogenic semiconductor technologies, delivering not just new products, but entirely new possibilities for science, industry and society. For markets such as radio astronomy and quantum computing, this breakthrough paves the way for a new era of scalable and reliable supply.