everything RF recently interviewed Pablo Santón, the Chief Commercial Officer at pinkRF. Pablo leads the company’s commercial strategy, ensuring a deep understanding of customer needs and the delivery of cutting-edge microwave solutions for industrial applications. Pablo holds a PhD in Telecommunications Engineering from Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain, focused on high-power solid-state RF design. His background includes R&D at Microbiotech, collaborative projects with RISE in Sweden, and academic contributions in telecommunications and aerospace engineering.
Q. Could you give us a brief background on pinkRF - when was the company founded, and what objectives drove its creation?
Pablo Santón: pinkRF was founded in 2015 in the Netherlands, driven by the ambition to push beyond the limitations of magnetron-based RF systems and close the gap between the solid-state transistor technology and microwave users. Our goal from the start has been to make solid-state RF and microwave energy accessible, programmable, and reliable — enabling smarter, cleaner, more efficient and more precise heating solutions for industrial, medical, and scientific applications.
Q. The RF energy sector covers a broad range of applications. A few years ago, there was significant hype, which later slowed, yet now companies like pinkRF are driving renewed momentum. What’s your view on how the sector has evolved and where it’s headed?
Pablo Santón: We believe the early hype around RF energy highlighted the technology’s promise, but the cost and integration support simply weren’t ready. What we’re seeing now is a more grounded wave of adoption - one built on proven solid-state systems, growing demand for clean energy technologies, and industries seeking process finesse for novel products, improved yields and quality. The shift is no longer theoretical; RF energy is entering the mainstream across food, plasma, pharma, and research sectors.
Q. Which RF energy application segments are currently driving the most innovation at pinkRF— semiconductors, medical technologies, industrial heating, or others?
Pablo Santón: We’re seeing strong momentum in industrial heating, plasma processing, and scientific research applications. This includes food defrosting and drying, CO₂ upconversion, microchemistry reactors, and dielectric material analysis. Innovation is happening where precise, programmable energy delivery creates real value — whether it's improving sustainability, accelerating R&D, or enabling new types of processes.
10kW amplifier module from pinkRF
Q. Could you walk us through your current product portfolio? What types of RF generators and subsystems have you developed for RF energy applications?
Pablo Santón: Our portfolio includes small signal generators and controllers (SG27, SG915, SG2450) and high-power generators across multiple configurations and frequencies (MPG2x250S, MPG4x250S, MPG6kS, MPG10kS, MPG1k5HF). We also offer integrated application systems like the MCR02, a compact, scriptable microchemical reactor platform. Everything is designed around a modular architecture that includes an advanced software platform to ensure adaptability, scalability, and usability across sectors. Click here to see more microwave generators from pinkRF.
RF signal generators from pinkRF
MPG2x250S RF power generator from pinkRF
Q. Are your generators designed primarily for standalone use, or are they built to integrate seamlessly into larger systems?
Pablo Santón: Both. Our generators can function as standalone platforms — especially in research and lab-scale environments — but they’re fundamentally designed for seamless integration into larger systems. We work closely with machine builders, OEMs, and end-users to adapt our technology to their process needs, from signal control to applicator design.
Q. What are the core requirements of signal generators for RF energy applications? Can regular/off-the-shelf RF signal generators be used, or do these applications demand purpose-built designs?
Pablo Santón: RF energy applications demand purpose-built signal generators. Unlike typical lab-grade signal sources, our generators are optimized for continuous operation, high reliability, and precise control of frequency, phase, and amplitude. They also include embedded intelligence for real-time feedback, power tracking, and protection — all essential in real-world heating and plasma applications.
Q. Can you tell us more about pinkRF’s signal generation solutions? What key performance metrics do you prioritize—frequency agility, phase noise, spectral purity, or others?
Pablo Santón: We prioritize frequency agility, phase stability, and precision power control. Our signal generators support high-fidelity operation across ISM bands with high resolution and accuracy for frequency and power control, as well as fast response in dynamic conditions. They also support both coherent and incoherent multi-channel setups, which is critical for advanced system architectures. One of the most important features of the technology is the outstanding reproducibility of all parameters: once the parameters for a particular process are known, they can be repeated exactly, time and again, delivering excellent results.
Q. Can you share some interesting or unique applications where pinkRF generators have been deployed?
Pablo Santón: Absolutely. Our systems have been used in CO₂ plasma conversion for renewable fuel research, in microreactors for chemical reaction control, and in food processing environments for rapid, controlled drying. One recent example involved replacing a resistive heating setup in a medical lab with a precision-controlled RF system that improved speed and repeatability significantly. A most welcome example is a 12-channel generator system for medical hyperthermia treatment, where reproducibility and stability are key to treating tumors inside patients as part of cancer therapy.
On the other hand, a very tasteful example is a coffee roasting system where precise power control during the roasting process is essential to developing the rich flavors that end up in your cup.
pinkRF products are used in plasma, medical, commercial cooking, lighting, etc. applications
Q. In your view, how much of the RF energy market has shifted towards solid-state sources compared to traditional microwave tube solutions like magnetrons? Will magnetrons still have a place in the future?
Pablo Santón: Solid-state is gaining significant ground, especially in applications where control, scalability, and sustainability are key. That said, magnetrons still offer a cost advantage in very high-power, low-precision setups. We see them coexisting for a while, but the trajectory is clear: as solid-state becomes more affordable and integrated, it will dominate in most industrial and scientific settings.
Q. How does pinkRF differentiate itself from other RF energy technology providers in terms of innovation, performance, or customer support?
Pablo Santón: Our key differentiators are modularity, real-time control, and application-level integration. We’re not just selling hardware - we help clients design systems that fit their processes. Our team supports everything from early-stage prototyping to full industrial deployment, including custom applicator development, process control software, and training. That level of partnership is rare in this space.
Q. What is the product roadmap for pinkRF? Any interesting products on the horizon?
Pablo Santón: We’re actively expanding our generator portfolio to reach higher power levels at more competitive pricing. We’re also enhancing our control software with AI/ML-based features for adaptive tuning, process optimization, and predictive maintenance scheduling - all aimed at maximizing uptime. Additionally, we’re developing more compact, plug-and-play application subsystems to accelerate adoption in labs and pilot lines.
About pinkRF
pinkRF is a technology company specializing in solid-state RF energy solutions. By replacing traditional magnetron-based systems, pinkRF enables higher efficiency, precision, and reliability across various applications—from industrial processing and plasma lighting to automotive ignition and medical treatments. They design, develop and manufacture RF Energy Systems for Industrial, Medical, Pharmaceutical and Scientific applications. The company bridges the knowledge gap between RF energy users and modern solid-state technology, offering deep application expertise, strategic partnerships, manufacturing know-how, and industrialization capabilities to accelerate market adoption of solid-state RF energy.
