Last week at IMS and RFIC 2026 in Boston, we showcased our latest RF portfolio developments, demonstrating how differentiated process technologies are advancing next-generation applications across wireless connectivity, aerospace and defense, SATCOM and industrial systems.
At the GF booth, attendees engaged with our technology experts and explored live wafer displays, including GF RFGaN1 (130RFGaN) and our next-generation silicon germanium (SiGe) complementary BiCMOS (CBIC) technologies – both qualified for high-volume production – and a preview of SLATE™ wafer-to-wafer bonding technology, elevating GF’s 3D heterogenous integration (3DHI) capabilities that are positioned to expand what is possible across RF and mixed-signal design.
Fueling the next wave through collaboration
Throughout the event, we highlighted collaborations with a range of attending partners – including Cadence, Falcomm, Fermionic, Finwave, Otava RF and ZeroASIC. This included a panel session at the Falcomm booth, where GF’s Dan Denninghoff, senior director, RF GaN product line, discussed how our RFGaN1 technology, combined with Falcomm’s GaNdalph.ai solution, can accelerate power amplifier (PA) design and deployment.
These engagements reflect a broader industry shift: the convergence of advanced RF process technologies – spanning silicon and beyond – enabling customers to streamline development and scale faster.
Our commitment to RF advancements extends to our University Partnership Program (UPP), reflected in this year’s IEEE RFIC Symposium paper recognitions. Of the 129 accepted papers judged using a rigorous double-blind process, 41 were authored by GF’s UPP members – representing a record high for the program. Additionally, two of GF’s UPP partners received Best Student Paper awards at IEEE RFIC and IEEE RFTT, elevating the real-world potential of GF technology and reinforcing the impact of partnering with top-tier academic teams to accelerate innovation.
Inspiring the next generation of RF designers
As a 2026 Diamond sponsor of the IEEE RFIC Symposium, GF was invited to participate in the Student-Industry-Academia RFIChat, including the panel discussion, titled: “Catching the Next Wave – How to Spot the Next Big Thing and Make the Jump.” Representing GF amongst a panel of distinguished leaders across industry and academia, Arvind Narayanan, director of the SiGe product line, shared his insights on how early signals from emerging applications can help drive platform innovation – highlighting the importance of deep technical expertise coupled with adaptability to new technologies and market trends.
Industry-first: GF collaborates with RFIC on design contest
As the first company to collaborate on a design contest with RFIC, our inaugural student design contest reflects our commitment to advancing RF capabilities in partnership with academia – providing students access to cutting-edge technologies to accelerate the learning cycle, connecting academic research with real-world applications and industry practitioners, as well as encouraging exploration of GF platforms for emerging RF use cases.
Focused on high-frequency RF and mixed-signal IC design using our SiGe CBIC technology, this year’s contest challenged university teams to translate advanced process capabilities into next-generation communications applications. Designs were fabricated through our GlobalShuttle™ MPW program, with seven papers submitted for independent evaluation by the RFIC Technical Program Committee (TPC). Awards were presented to the three finalists during the student event by Alex Margomenos – senior director, RF-SOI product line – and Prof. Jane Gu, the IEEE RFIC 2026 Student Chair.
Congratulations to this year’s winners:
- Seungkyun Lee, Yoongoo Kang, Inchan Ju – Ajou University
- Wei Ma, Weiqing Wang, Fangkai Wang, Hanzhong Xu, Xudong Wang – Nankai University
- Maaz Khurram, Truman Jian, Peter Schvan, Sorin P. Voinigescu – University of Toronto
“We are pleased to have partnered with GlobalFoundries on their first-ever student design contest. This collaboration highlights the RFIC symposium’s commitment to advancing RF innovation, linking academic research with real-world design challenges and production-ready RF platforms.”
Building on our commitment to industry-academia collaboration, we are pleased to continue the program in 2027. All academic partners are invited to participate by submitting their paper utilizing any GF technology to the RFIC Symposium in January 2027.
Scan the QR code below or contact your GF UPP representative to learn more about eligibility and submission criteria.
Tuning to what’s next
This year’s IMS brought together customers, partners, universities and the broader RF community to celebrate the present and future of what’s ahead in the RF landscape.
We thank everyone who visited the GF booth, engaged with our teams and contributed to meaningful discussions throughout the event. We’re proud to play a role in scaling next-generation RF solutions alongside our partners and look forward to building on this momentum next year at IMS 2027 in San Antonio, TX.
