The Technology Group
Development and production of receiver sub-systems at MPIfR.
The Technology Group is responsible for the development and production of receiver sub-systems. Development of cryogenic low noise amplifiers (LNAs) is one of the group’s primary tasks.
Our LNAs are operated in receivers at our Effelsberg observatory and worldwide as part of international research collaborations, such as the S-Band receivers of the MeerKAT/+ observatory.
A suite of state-of-the-art cryogenic low noise amplifiers (LNAs) is available with continuous frequency coverage from 1.75 GHz (S-Band, MeerKAT & MeerKAT+) through all astronomically relevant ranges up to currently 116 GHz (ALMA Band 2, ext. W-band).
All LNAs developed by the group are based on InGaAs mHEMT MMICs (Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits), highly integrated semiconductor amplifier chips, that are specifically developed and fabricated at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics (IAF) for our radio astronomy application. This successful collaboration has been ongoing for nearly 20 years.
Driven by the goal of improved receiver performance (with respect to noise and bandwidth), the LNAs typically undergo a development cycle every few years. This allows us to incorporate the steady improvements in MMIC semiconductor technology at the heart of our LNAs.
Amongst other projects, the group is currently heavily involved in the development of the CryoPAF (Cryogenically cooled phased array feed) cryogenic frontend package, the very wideband 18 - 50 GHz LNA for the 3-Band-Receivers for Effelsberg and MRO (Metsähovi Radio Observatory, Finland), and EU RADIOBLOCKS.
At the end of 2025, the group completed the production and qualification of the 67–116 GHz ALMA Band 2 first-stage cryogenic LNA under contract from ESO (European Southern Observatory) as a major production milestone. These state-of-the-art LNAs demonstrate unmatched noise performance in this frequency range. The Technology group will contribute the LNAs to the B channel (8.6 GHz–15.4 GHz) of the SKA5 receivers, and, after completion of development, is currently ramping up into the pre-production phase.
