Yuichi Motohashi. Dep. Director / Global Segment Lead, Automotive Display, Camera, LiDAR & SerDes, GlobalFoundries 

As the automotive industry accelerates toward a future defined by digital experiences and intelligent mobility, the role of semiconductor innovation has never been more critical. At the recent SID Business Conference, Yuichi Motohashi, Global Segment Lead for Automotive Display, Camera, LiDAR & SerDes at GlobalFoundries (GF), shared a compelling vision for how purpose-built semiconductor technologies are enabling the evolution of in-vehicle displays.    

The display-driven transformation of the cabin 

Modern vehicles are rapidly transforming into digital cockpits. From driver instrument clusters and center information displays (CID) to co-driver screens, e-mirrors and rear-seat entertainment systems, the number and area of automotive displays is growing exponentially. This shift is not just about aesthetics—it’s about delivering immersive, intuitive and safe user experiences. 

But automotive displays aren’t like any other consumer displays. They demand: 

• High brightness (800–1000 nits) for visibility in sunlight 

• Extended reliability under extreme conditions (up to 105°C) 

• Longer lifespans (5–10 years) 

• Automotive specific quality requirements such as IATF 16949 and ISO 26262 (functional safety) 

• Custom form factors tailored to OEM needs 

From fragmented screens to seamless experiences 

Featured below, the evolution of display architecture in vehicles reflects a broader trend toward integration and immersion: 

• Traditional architecture: Vehicles have historically used multiple small displays, each powered by its own electronic control unit (ECU). This setup offers flexibility but lacks cohesion. 

• Integrated displays under one large lens: Today’s mainstream design integrates multiple displays under a single lens, offering a more immersive experience while allowing OEMs to mix and match panel specifications like resolution and contrast. 

• Single large panels: Luxury vehicles are beginning to adopt large, curved single-panel displays. These offer a seamless, futuristic look and simplify the supply chain, but they also introduce challenges like higher costs, lower panel yields and potential single points of failure.  

• Future vision – free-form panels: The next frontier is free-form, ultra-wide panels that span the entire dashboard. While not yet widely available, these displays promise unmatched design freedom and user experience—requiring deep collaboration between OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers and panel manufacturers.  

These architectural shifts are driving a parallel transformation in electronics from distributed ECUs to centralized infotainment domain controllers, demanding higher bandwidth, lower latency and more efficient power management to handle multiple applications — such as the instrument cluster, climate control and audio control — onto one centralized ECU. 

GF’s semiconductor solutions: purpose-built for automotive 

GlobalFoundries is uniquely positioned to meet these demands with its market-driven, application-specific platforms that deliver value in four key areas: 

• High-voltage and low-power platforms (e.g., 55HV, 40HV, 28HV, 22FDX+HV) 

• Advanced memory integration for local dimming and non-uniformity compensation (De-mura) 

• Superior transistor matching for precision analog performance 

• Automotive-qualified nodes from 180nm to 12nm 

As the automotive industry accelerates toward immersive, integrated in-cabin experiences, display technologies like TDDI (Touch and Display Driver Integration) and LTDI (Large Touch Driver Integration) are becoming pivotal. GlobalFoundries is at the forefront of this transformation, offering purpose-built semiconductor solutions that address the unique challenges of these advanced display systems.  

TDDI, often used in small to medium displays, integrates the timing controller (TCON) and touch interface, enabling full array local dimming (FALD) architecture and streamlined signal processing. High-speed interfaces like eDP are now built into TDDI, requiring efficient transistors that offer both speed and low power consumption. 

For ultra-wide, high-resolution displays—such as those exceeding 15 inches—LTDI steps in, requiring multiple cascaded drivers and separate timing controllers. GF’s differentiated process technologies, including 40HV and 28HV platforms, deliver the high-density logic, low-leakage SRAM and precise analog performance needed to support these complex architectures.  

With innovations like 34V high-voltage support in 40HV generation 2 and superior transistor matching in 28HV, GF ensures that its TDDI and LTDI solutions meet the stringent demands of automotive environments—ranging from extreme temperatures to long product lifecycles—while enabling sleek, seamless and safe user experiences. 

With that, GF’s AutoPro™ platform ensures quality and reliability across the entire lifecycle—from design enablement and IP to manufacturing control and certification (IATF 16949, ISO 26262, AEC-Q100). 

Looking ahead 

As display technologies continue to evolve, the semiconductor industry must keep pace. GlobalFoundries is not just keeping up—it’s leading the charge through it’s commitment to innovation, reliability and customer collaboration.,  With a global manufacturing footprint spanning the U.S., Europe and Asia, GF is a trusted and reliable source for customers around the world. 

Partnering with GF means more than access to cutting-edge technology—it means a shared vision for the future of mobility.  

For more information on how GF can help build advanced display devices, you can contact us anytime through gf.com or reach Yuichi Motohashi at [email protected]. 

Yuichi Motohashi is the Deputy Director of End Markets at GlobalFoundries, responsible for leading the global segment in automotive cameras, LiDAR, SerDes and displays, which facilitate next-generation ADAS, autonomous driving and enhanced in-cabin experiences. 

Bridging the gap between academia and industry in semiconductor innovation 

Behind every technological breakthrough is cutting-edge research and development happening on the grounds of universities and research institutions. Semiconductors are no exception as the relentless demand to optimize performance, maximize power efficiency and reduce costs requires constant innovation at the intersection of science and engineering.  

In fact, these academic-industry collaborations have deep roots, dating back to the 1940s. At Purdue University, physicist Karl Lark-Horovitz led pioneering work on germanium crystals, advancing rectifier technology for radar technology and laying critical groundwork for the invention of the transistor. 

Through its University Partnership Program, GlobalFoundries is bridging this gap between academia and innovation to power the next wave of chip innovation. GF’s university network is comprised of collaborations with over 80+ universities, 110+ professors and 600+ students at leading institutions across the globe, driving innovation to push the boundaries of what is possible in semiconductor R&D. 

Visionary research born in Princeton’s lab 

A shining example of this comes from Kaushik Sengupta, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Princeton University. Within the four walls of the laboratory, Professor Sengupta and his intellectually diverse team of PhD and post-doctoral students are all in on next-generation, state-of-the-art wireless sensing communication. Their groundbreaking efforts in enabling the first AI-enabled radio and millimeter-wave frequency chips earned them the prestigious IEEE IMS Advanced Practice Paper Award back in 2022 [1] and the Best Paper Award in 2023 in IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits [2]. 

With this technology at the heart of critical applications including automotive radars, autonomous systems and robotics, Sengupta and his team are dedicated to researching the future of intelligent environments and the wireless interfaces behind the scenes that enable these advancements. Before the rise of artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT to the mainstream, this team was working on AI-enabled radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) poised to revolutionize the industry. 

The leap of AI in redefining RF circuit design 

Traditionally, designing these circuits has been an art, requiring extensive experience and iterative design processes that can take several months. “RFIC design sits at the intersection of circuits and electromagnetics. As you have to jump between these multiple dimensions, it becomes a really complex design process,” explains Sengupta. On top of that, these circuits operate at very high frequencies, making even the smallest parasitic elements extremely significant. 

Inspired by the advances in AI as seen in other scientific fields like protein folding, Professor Sengupta and his team set out to accomplish how they could change this paradigm by leveraging AI to algorithmize the design process. By training custom AI algorithms on curated data sets, they hoped to identify new, undiscovered RF circuits and electromagnetic passives and allow rapid end-to-end design of RFICs, reducing time of design from months to days. 

The GF chips turning research into reality 

This is when Professor Sengupta’s research team approached GF with their visionary idea. GF recognized the novelty of this approach and supported the research by supplying its best-performing silicon germanium technologies, especially as Professor Sengupta’s AI-driven methodology for RFIC design complemented the efforts of GF’s Reference Design team, which is deeply focused on applying AI and ML to accelerate design productivity and enhance the quality of next-generation RF solutions. 

Across the world through the GlobalShuttle Multi-Project Wafer Program, GF is empowering startups, researchers and system innovators to bring differentiated chip designs to life more efficiently and affordably. By aggregating multiple projects onto a single wafer, GlobalShuttle lowers the barriers to custom silicon with scalability and flexibility, allowing partners to bring their design visions to life while avoiding the cost-limitations of test silicon.  This program enabled the researchers at Princeton to demonstrate the feasibility of their design concepts and secure grant funding for their continued efforts.  

The AI-created circuit designs break new ground 

The results were nothing short of revolutionary, as the team successfully fabricated the first deep learning-enabled high-frequency transmitter system using GF’s silicon germanium 9HP platform. The AI-designed circuits feature extremely complex structures that defy conventional understanding of the field. “The electromagnetic structures that came from these AI algorithms looked like very complicated QR codes,” said Professor Sengupta. By looking at it, nobody can tell what it does. However, once you add those circuit elements, the entire circuit works exceptionally well. “What this does is universalize RF circuits and RF passives. All we now have to figure out is how these active devices are connected with passives.” Since then, the group has demonstrated several advancements demonstrating AI-enabled synthesis of multi-port structures, passives, antennas [3] and even end-to-end power amplifiers with both circuit and passive co-design [4]. 

As a result of these efforts, the viability of these AI-designed circuits has drawn significant attention from academic, industrial and government counterparts. The project has led to numerous publications, and more notably, was selected as one of three “AIDRIFC” awardees to receive $30 million in funding from the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC). What started as an intellectual curiosity has now become a research field of its own, with several leading research groups demonstrating state of the art AI-enabled RFICs. 

Recognizing the people powering the future of the industry 

The success of Professor Sengupta and his team is just one example of how meaningful collaboration between academia and industry is accelerating innovation in semiconductors. This isn’t just a story about providing researchers with the tools and support they need to innovate. It’s a spotlight on the people co-innovating to push the boundaries of what is possible. 

Today, circuit design isn’t an isolated discipline. It intersects with packaging, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, algorithm signal processing and more. As with many other fields in the semiconductor industry, circuit design has grown to be a diverse and multi-disciplinary field. Continued advancement requires the cultivation of a strong pipeline of talented individuals who will drive the industry forward. 

As GF’s University Partnership Program continues to grow, it’s not only powering groundbreaking innovations – it’s shaping the next generation of engineers to tackle the challenges of tomorrow. 

References: 

[1] Z. Liu, E. A. Karahan and K. Sengupta, “Deep Learning-Enabled Inverse Design of 30–94 GHz Psat,3dB SiGe PA Supporting Concurrent Multiband Operation at Multi-Gb/s,” in IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, vol. 32, no. 6, pp. 724-727, June 2022, doi: 10.1109/LMWC.2022.3161979 

[2]  E. A. Karahan, Z. Liu and K. Sengupta, “Deep-Learning-Based Inverse-Designed Millimeter-Wave Passives and Power Amplifiers,” in IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 58, no. 11, pp. 3074-3088, Nov. 2023,  doi: 10.1109/JSSC.2023.3276315. 

[3] Karahan, E.A., Liu, Z., Gupta, A. et al. Deep-learning enabled generalized inverse design of multi-port radio-frequency and sub-terahertz passives and integrated circuits. Nat Commun 15, 10734 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-54178-1. 

[4] J. Zhou, E. A. Karahan, S. Ghozzy, Z. Liu, H. Jalili and K. Sengupta, “25.3 AI-Enabled Design Space Discovery and End-to-End Synthesis for RFICs with Reinforcement Learning and Inverse Methods Demonstrating mm-Wave/sub-THz PAs Between 30 and 120GHz,” 2025 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), San Francisco, CA, USA, 2025, pp. 1-3, doi: 10.1109/ISSCC49661.2025.10904600. 

Sudipto Bose, Vice President of Automotive at GlobalFoundries 

We often hear modern vehicles described as “smartphones on wheels.” But perhaps a better analogy is a human. Just as we use our senses to understand and react to the world – to see, to hear, to touch, to feel – today’s vehicles depend on an array of sensors to navigate the world around them. Cameras, radars, lidar and ultrasonic sensors work together to power advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), enabling a safer driving experience and laying down the foundation for the future of autonomous vehicles. 

We spoke to Sudipto Bose, GF’s Vice President of Automotive, to dig into how ADAS has transformed since its inception, the forces propelling innovation forward and how GlobalFoundries is innovating in partnership with customers and automotive leaders to support the future of safe driving. 

Tell us about how ADAS has evolved over the years. What did it look like when it first began, and what does it look like now? 

These systems’ smart safety features in your vehicle – known as ADAS – have come a long way over the past two decades. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class was one of the early pioneers of ADAS, debuting the Distronic adaptive cruise control feature back in 1999. This version of cruise control relied strictly on radar to maintain a certain distance from the car in front of it. Fast forward to today, modern ADAS features are tapping into cameras, lidar and ultrasonic sensors to create a more comprehensive view of the driving environment. 

What began as a system to help with braking or maintaining distance is now evolving into something much more advanced. Now, ADAS features are taking the steering wheel both literally and figuratively, progressing to systems capable of controlling the vehicle with little human intervention. Increasingly, ADAS is not just supporting drivers, but beginning to replace them – signaling a clear shift toward fully autonomous driving. 

You mentioned cruise control moving beyond radar — what kinds of sensors are key to ADAS today, and what role does each one play? 

“Your ADAS is only as good as your sensors.” A phrase you hear often in my industry, but there is plenty of truth behind it. At GF, we play an essential role in enabling the sensing technologies that power ADAS. These sensors are the driving force behind real-time decisions made by cars, informed by the collection and analysis of data that helps the vehicle interpret its surroundings. 

ADAS relies on a combination of sensors, each with a distinct role. The four major types include: 

• Camera: Cameras capture images around the car to determine speed limits, lane markings, turn signals and more. Unlike smartphone cameras designed for human viewing, automotive cameras are optimized for machine vision. So, while cars do not need a 20 megapixel camera to identify whether an object crossing the street is a human, they do need high dynamic range to perform accurately in challenging lighting conditions, whether that is directly facing a setting sun or navigating pitch-black roads. 

• Radar: Drivers do not stop for bad weather — and radar does not either. It accurately detects objects over long distances, even in rain, snow or fog. 

• Lidar: Think of lidar as a laser beam scanning the scene to map out the car’s surroundings. Unlike cameras and radars, lidars excel at object classification, with an ability to differentiate between a pedestrian, bicyclist, animal, car or trash can with high precision. 

• Ultrasonic: Finally, ultrasonic sensors are used in cars to monitor the immediate surroundings of the vehicle, emitting high-frequency sound waves to measure distance to nearby obstacles – like when you hear beeping while reversing into a tight space. 

What forces are driving this continuous innovation in ADAS technology? 

One of the biggest drivers of ADAS innovation is the push for better sensing performance to ensure high-fidelity perception. Every OEM is focused on achieving the best output power of sensors to extend detection range and ensure a clear image of the vehicle’s landscape. 

But it is not just about fidelity — power efficiency plays a crucial role, too. Even small differences in power consumption can have major implications. For example, a sensor operating at too high of a temperature can overheat quickly. When this happens, the sensor shuts down to cool off, then restarts once it is within a more ideal temperature range, repeating over and over. This process— known as duty cycling — reduces the sensor’s uptime and reliability. 

Think about it this way: if you blink every half a second, you miss a lot more of what happens around you than if you blink every 3 seconds. A sensor turning on and off frequently is missing critical information. That is why low-power sensor design is a major area of focus to help sensors stay online longer and deliver more consistent data to the vehicle’s automation engine. 

What are the challenges OEMs are running into when it comes to enabling ADAS features, and how semiconductor technologies are shaping the future of safer vehicles? 

Believe it or not, aesthetics are actually one of the most critical design challenges. The reason for this is that as cars gain more ADAS features to improve vehicle safety, they take up space in the vehicle. If you have ever ridden in a self-driving car like a Waymo, you have likely had an inside look at interior displays. While as a passenger you are likely impressed by the real-time sensor data and the vehicle’s surroundings, these are not necessarily features you would want in your own personal vehicle.  

Let’s face it — no matter how much ADAS improves safety, most people still choose cars based on design and how they look. That puts pressure on automakers to integrate sensors discreetly, driving demand for smaller, seamlessly designed components. 

Technologies like silicon photonics are enabling lidar and radar systems to be integrated onto a single chip, resulting in smaller, less power-hungry sensors. This means manufacturers can add more safety features without compromising design. As the future of vehicles relies not just on adding more sensors, but on doing so elegantly, this is only possible with advanced semiconductor technologies that support high performance in miniaturized form factors. 

Where does GF fit into the picture, and how is it innovating for the future?   

At GF, we are driving the next generation of ADAS by delivering innovation that enables key automotive sensors. For cameras, our 40nm and 22nm platforms provide low-noise performance and high dynamic range to capture accurate visual data in varying light. In radar, our Silicon Germanium 8XP, RF technology and 22FDX® platform support long-range object detection with high fidelity. We are also leveraging silicon photonics on our 45SPCLO platform to combine emission, reflection, and processing on a single chip for lidar, reducing the size of sensors for seamless vehicle integration. 

From global leaders like Bosch, indie semiconductor and Arbe, we are proud to help our customers make next-generation ADAS features a reality. As the industry accelerates towards autonomous vehicles, we are confident our technology will play a critical role in supporting a future of safer, smarter driving. 

Sudipto Bose is the Vice President of Automotive End Market at GF. He leads the Automotive team focused on the key semiconductor trends in the electrified and automated software defined vehicle and formulating GF’s product and commercial strategy in that space. 

By Suzanna Chang, Sr. Director, IoT End Market at GlobalFoundries 

Today, seamless connectivity is a necessity. We are moving to smarter homes and more connected devices, causing the demand for reliable and efficient Wi-Fi solutions to grow exponentially. In fact, according to Parks Associates’ Smart Home Dashboard, since last year, 18% of U.S. homes alone have six or more smart devices in them. At GlobalFoundries, we are supporting this exciting revolution by offering cutting-edge platforms perfectly suited for Wi-Fi applications. So, let’s dive into why GF’s FDX™ and FinFET are the ideal choice for your Wi-Fi needs.  

Where we started versus where we are going with Wi-Fi 7 and beyond 

Wi-Fi technology today is unrecognizable compared to how it used to be in the early days. From Wi-Fi 4 to the innovative advancements of Wi-Fi 6, each iteration has brought critical improvements in speed, efficiency, connectivity and more. And now, we are on the brink of another revolution with Wi-Fi 7, certified in 2024. The latest protocol delivers ultra-fast data rates of up to 46 Gbps, leveraging a 320 MHz channel bandwidth and advanced 4K QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) to maximize spectral efficiency. This enables seamless connectivity for multiple devices on a single network — without compromising performance. 

At GF, we’ve been advancing Wi-Fi chip technology since Wi-Fi 5, starting with 28LPS in 2018. Since then, we’ve delivered Wi-Fi 6/6E on 22FDX® and Wi-Fi 7 on both 22FDX® and 12LP+ FinFET. Now, we’re enabling next-gen connectivity with Wi-Fi 7 products and preparing the roadmap to Wi-Fi 8—bringing faster, smarter and more energy-efficient wireless performance to tomorrow’s connected devices. 

Where GF’s process technologies stand out 

The 22FDX® and 12LP+ FinFET platforms, cornerstones of our Ultra Low Power offerings, offer LV SRAM as low as 0.4V Vdd, suite of LDMOS devices, enabling highly integrated, power-efficient wireless connectivity. These platforms are built for connected intelligence at the edge, combining high performance with ultra-low power consumption. 

GF technologies for Wi-Fi iPA performance 6Ghz band 

Wi-Fi iPA at 6Ghz	22FDX®+	12LP+ FinFET
Iddq (mA)	125	56
Gain (dB)	26.5	25
Psat (dBM)	29	26.8
Peak PAE (%)	40	32.5

GF technologies for Wi-Fi iLNA performance 6Ghz band 

Frequency	22FDX+ (5.6Ghz)	12LP+ FinFET (5.8Ghz)
Noise Figure (dB)	2.1*	1.5**
Gain (dB)	18	20
Power mW ( @Vdd)	2(@1V)	1.6 (@0.8V)

* Limitation due on chip Lg size and Q, ** Not final Rg needs to be validated and limited due to Lg size and Q 

Here are the key features and benefits of our 22FDX® and 12LP+ FinFET platforms: 

1. Full SoC integration: Our platforms offer full System-on-Chip (SoC) integration, including digital, analog and high-performance RF for signal range. This integration maximizes system power and minimizes the bill of materials, making it a cost-effective solution for your Wi-Fi applications. 

2. High performance and low power: Our 22FDX® platform offers FinFET-class performance in planar technology with ultra-low leakage standard cells and LDMOS amplifiers for power-efficient connectivity. With that, our 12 LP+ FinFET platform also offers lower digital power with 1 to 3-Fin standard cells for power, performance and area efficiency boost. This means you can achieve superior performance without compromising on battery life or system power consumption – a big win-win for everyone. 

3. Robust RF capabilities: Our 22FDX® transistors boast >350GHz Ft and >400GHz Fmax with a sample Noise Figure (NFmin) down to 0.2dB. GF Ultra Low Power platforms RF devices deliver exceptional performance in “noisy” environments like a smart home hub connected to many devices inside a home.  

4. Adaptive body biasing: Unique to our 22FDX® technology is the industry’s only FD-SOI Adaptive Body Bias ecosystem with Foundation IP & design methodology support. Designers can use ABB for process variability improvement, device performance or leakage reduction.   

Innovating for the future of Wi-Fi and beyond  

As we look to the future, the rapid transition from Wi-Fi 4 to Wi-Fi 6/6E and beyond is transforming the Smart Home and IoT landscape. Our RF technology is designed to enhance the smart home experience and assist innovation as Wi-Fi evolves. We help enable seamless connectivity for a wide range of devices, from Broadband Network Gateway (BNG) to desktop and laptop computers to smart home appliances (i.e., Smart TV, Washer/Dryer) / gadgets (i.e. Soundbar, Smart Speakers, Smart Home Hub). And with Wi-Fi 7 and the upcoming Wi-Fi 8 protocol, we are committed to delivering even more power-efficient and high-performance solutions that keep your devices connected and users satisfied.  

GlobalFoundries’ FDX™ and FinFET offerings are a strong fit for current and future Wi-Fi applications, providing the perfect blend of performance, power efficiency and reliability. We are excited to continue pushing the boundaries of wireless connectivity. 

To learn more about our offerings for smart home connectivity, you can contact us anytime through gf.com.  

Suzanna Chang is a Senior Director of Home & IOT Connectivity Segment at GlobalFoundries. She focuses on the wireless connectivity and tracking segments enabling the next generation home and consumer wireless platforms and asset tracking/management.  

GlobalFoundries (GF) has a long history of corporate responsibility and operational excellence. These high standards help us stay true to our company values and deliver for our customers. Our commitment is exemplified through GF’s membership in the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) and our participation in the RBA’s Validated Assessment Program (VAP) audits. These comprehensive audits are critical for demonstrating that GF adheres to the highest standards of social, environmental and ethical practices. 

Every corner of the company 

RBA VAP audits look at nearly 100 unique requirements, from safety and human resource policies to governance and sustainability. To remain conformant, companies must undergo an audit every two to three years. The RBA began in 2004 as the “Electronics Industry Code of Conduct,” a collaborative effort among leading electronic companies to promote social, environmental and ethical responsibility. Today, it has evolved into the world’s largest industry coalition dedicated to responsible business practices across the globe.  

“The idea is to have a single standard that everyone can operate to, which simplifies compliance and ensures consistency across the industry,” said Brian Raley, Director of corporate sustainability at GF. “There’s a lot of value in having a standardized set of code requirements that everybody can agree to and align to. There’s power in this standardization, both to require it in your supply chain, and to be a strong partner to your customers and be able to say, ‘yes, we are aligned to the standardized code.’” 

Participating in the standardized RBA VAP audits streamlines our compliance efforts, enabling GF to meet the highest standards efficiently and consistently. It minimizes the need for overlapping audits from various agencies and customers, saving valuable time and resources while reinforcing our commitment to excellence, Raley said. 

The RBA VAP audits are conducted by independent, third-party firms approved by the RBA. These audits involve a thorough review of documents, interviews with management and employees, and a visual site survey. The goal is not just to identify issues but to correct them, ensuring continuous improvement and adherence to the RBA standards  

A day in the life of an RBA VAP audit 

While RBA standards conforming business practices are ongoing, preparation for an on-site audit begins months in advance and requires input and information across a wide matrix of teams and roles. The days of the audit are long and intensive. 

“Human resources, ethics and compliance, and Environment, health and safety are key stakeholders in the audit process,” said Ruma Kohli, principal member of technical staff on GF’s sustainability team. “We start preparing months in advance, holding weekly meetings to strategize and identify any gaps. It’s a lot of work, but collaboration and communication are key to our success.” 

Silke Hermanns, principal member of technical staff on GF’s sustainability team based in Germany, said GF’s supply chain is a major component of the RBA VAP audits. “We check suppliers that contribute around 80% of our primary commodity supplier spend for RBA code conformity. This involves a detailed review of their practices and ensuring they align with our standards,” she said.  

“The auditing of smaller on-site service providers, which can be more challenging due to their size and the nature of their work, is another important aspect,” Hermanns said. 

Global footprint 

Performing well in RBA audits is no small feat, particularly for a company like GF with a global footprint and manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Germany and Singapore. Each location presents unique audit complexities, which factor in everything from language translation to varying local regulations. Despite these challenges, GF continues to deliver world-class results. In three out of four of our most recent RBA Validated Assessment Program (VAP) audits, GF achieved Platinum level perfect scores—200 out of 200. Over the last three years, we exceeded our goal to achieve a combined annual score average of at least 180/200. Across all four most recent RBA VAP audits, we achieved full conformance across the sections: Health and Safety, and Environment, Ethics, and Supply Chain Management, and just one excursion for Labor, that is currently being remediated. These scores reflect our unwavering dedication to operating responsibly, ethically and sustainably at every site across the globe.  

Team effort and preparation 

“RBA VAP audits are a full team effort,” said Sam Sherman, Director of EHS for GF in Singapore. The GF team prepares internal audits, he said, in preparation for external third-party audits. 

“We have an audit-ready culture,” Sherman said. “We organize all the necessary documents and evidence related to the code, making it easy for auditors to review. It’s a collective effort across a huge number of various departments.” 

Another benefit from both internal and external audits are the opportunities for continuous improvement, as feedback from auditors helps GF enhance its practices and programs. 

“Passing the RBA audit with no findings validates our systems and ensures we are implementing programs correctly. It’s not just a box-checking exercise; these audits provide meaningful KPIs that we strive to meet,” Sherman said. 

Celebrating success 

At GF, RBA VAP audits are more than just a compliance requirement, they are a testament to our commitment to corporate responsibility, Raley said.   

“By adhering to the RBA standards, we ensure that our practices are ethical, sustainable, and socially responsible,” he said. “The RBA audits help us maintain high standards and provide third-party validation of our systems. It’s a crucial part of our commitment to excellence.” 

Read more about corporate responsibility at GF at: https://gf.com/about-us/corporate-responsibility/ 

Dr. Anirban Bandyopadhyay, Senior Director & Head of the Medical IoT End Market at GlobalFoundries 

Healthcare is no longer confined to doctor’s offices or hospitals – its boundaries are being pushed to what can be done in the comfort of your own home through technology. In fact, as healthcare and technology become increasingly inseparable, it’s advancing patient care and transforming how we think of it. From continuous glucose monitors (CGM) to AI-enabled ultrasounds, innovations in healthcare are unlocking possibilities once thought impossible. The rise of ultra-portable, data-rich medical devices is changing how we detect, diagnose and manage health conditions. And it’s doing it before a patient ever steps into a clinic. 

What is powering this shift? Semiconductors — more specifically, our essential chips.  

To understand the role GlobalFoundries plays in enabling these medical and health IoT breakthroughs, we spoke with Dr. Anirban Bandyopadhyay, PhD, IEEE Fellow and Senior Director & Head of the Medical IoT End Market. In our conversation, Anirban shares what’s driving the shift, where the biggest opportunities lie and why this space is both a technical frontier and a deeply personal mission. 

Tell us about the intersection of semiconductors and healthcare. Where do you see it evolving in the next few years? 

We’re at an inflection point in the medtech industry. The medical segment is broadly divided into pharmacology (drugs) and medtech (devices). Here, I’m talking about the latter where we’ve seen a dramatic shift in the last two to three years toward ultra-portable devices. 

There are a few reasons for this: Healthcare is expensive, it’s time-consuming to access, and the medical stakes only rise as conditions progress. But if we can catch issues earlier (through monitoring, tracking and diagnostics), we can not only improve outcomes but also reduce long-term costs. That’s where point-of-care devices come in. 

Point-of-care means treatment or diagnostics happen at the site of the patient, whether that’s in a clinic or at home. These devices handle everything from monitoring and diagnosis to therapeutics. For example, think about wearable devices like continuous glucose monitors. As a benchmark, last year, 300 million were sold. That’s unheard of in the medical space. 

Semiconductors make this possible. To create a device that’s small, low-power and high-performing, you need advanced semiconductor technology. Miniaturization, power efficiency and onboard processing are only possible with custom chips; that’s where GlobalFoundries comes in. This is now more important than ever as the MedTech industry, who once depended on off-the-shelf chips that could be reused for various applications and fields beyond medical, has switched to using custom chips, known as application specific integrated circuits (ASICS), to meet the performance/power needs of their end products, allowing our customers to create truly differentiated solutions suited to their unique applications. 

Bring us back to the very beginning. How did you get involved in this space, and what drew GF towards it? 

There are two answers. From GF’s side, we started to see that customers were already using our chips in medical applications — sometimes without us even knowing. That was when we realized we had a unique value proposition: Our technologies could enable power-efficient, high-performance and highly reliable devices.  

So, we made a conscious decision to lean in as we saw advancing digital healthcare not just as an opportunity, but as a social responsibility aligned with our mission. 

As for me, I’ve spent most of my career in connectivity, and the industry knows me for that work. But at home, my wife is a microbiologist, and my daughter is entering medicine. Talking to them, I realized I didn’t always understand their world, but I wanted to. It made me think deeply about how semiconductors could power the breakthroughs they’re working toward. That personal connection inspired my pivot into medical IoT. 

What market or patient trends are driving demand for miniaturized, AI-capable medical devices? 

One of the biggest drivers is early detection. Right now, if you go to your doctor and reference data from your smartwatch or health ring, they won’t use it to inform the diagnosis they’ll make. But that’s changing. Even if a device isn’t 100% accurate, it can flag early indicators to prompt faster diagnostics and that can save lives. 

Consumers want to understand how their bodies respond to food, stress or sleep. Devices like CGMs, smartwatches and wearables are increasingly capable of giving those insights. Some are FDA-approved; others aren’t, but they still serve as early warning systems. 

So, that’s where we’re headed: an era where your body is continuously monitored, and you’re empowered with real-time information on your own health. 

So, what benefits are GF’s platforms bringing to medical and health IoT devices? 

Medical device manufacturers are looking for four things: miniaturization, power efficiency, excellent signal-to-noise ratio and extreme reliability. 

Take our 22FDX® platform for example. It offers industry-leading ultra-low power performance, exceptional receiver sensitivity and a low-noise amplifier. Most medical devices today still use essential nodes (130nm, 90nm, 65nm), but we’re also seeing a shift. As requirements evolve, more customers are moving to 22FDX® to meet next-gen performance and form factor needs. 

On top of that, GF has a proven track record of supporting long-lifecycle products — critical to the medical field. Our experience in aerospace and automotive, where support over decades is non-negotiable, makes us an ideal foundry for this market. 

Are there any specific medical applications you’re particularly excited about? 

Two areas stand out: imaging and diagnostic sequencing. 

Traditionally, when we think of imaging, we picture big machines like CT scanners. But we’re evolving. Handheld ultrasound devices that connect to smartphones are already here, and they’re a real game changer — especially in areas with limited access to care. With minimal training, someone can capture an image and get AI-assisted diagnostics. 

The second is diagnostic sequencing – DNA and protein sequencing to be precise. Why send raw data to a massive server farm for processing when you could do it locally with a system-on-chip? Putting a semiconductor chip directly under the sequencer allows real-time analysis and immediate action. Now, that’s revolutionary. 

GF recently announced its advanced packaging center. How does that fit into the picture? 

Miniaturization doesn’t stop at node scaling. Chiplet architectures and advanced packaging, like vertically stacked chips, allow us to reduce form factors even further. We’re already working with customers on stacked chip designs at both the wafer and die level. 

What sets us apart is how we handle power dissipation in these stacked designs. That’s one of the biggest challenges, and we believe we have a more efficient approach than most competitors. That’s a big differentiator in the medical space, where power and heat management are crucial. 

Final thoughts — what’s really important but often forgotten when it comes to the industry?  

One thing people often overlook is the lifecycle support required for medical devices. These aren’t short-term products. You need a foundry that can support a device for a decade or longer. GF has that scale and that mindset. We’ve done it for aerospace; we’ve done it for automotive, and we’re ready to do it for medical. 

That long-term commitment matters. Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about performance or cost; it’s about trust.  

Dr. Anirban Bandyopadhyay, PhD, is the Senior Director and Head of the Medical/Healthcare segment within GlobalFoundries. Dr. Bandyopadhyay is also an IEEE Fellow and a Distinguished Lecturer of IEEE Electron Devices Society and represents GF in different industry consortia and alliances. Prior to his current role, he held leadership responsibilities within GF, IBM Microelectronics and Intel in areas such as RF Design Enablement, Silicon Photonics, signal integrity in RF and Mixed signal SOC’s and RF technology evaluations for wireless connectivity within different end devices.

The world is becoming increasingly connected, driven by the exponential growth of data and the rise of transformative technologies like AI. This connectivity revolution is placing unprecedented demands on RF technologies, from the need for seamless cloud-edge data links to the continued evolution of 5G, 6G and beyond.  

GF’s comprehensive RF portfolio, including our industry-leading RFSOI, SiGe, 22FDX+ and RF GaN platforms, is purpose-built to push the boundaries of what’s possible in connectivity, but we’re not doing it alone. Together with innovative partners like Falcomm, we’re moving the industry forward, providing our customers with cutting-edge solutions to enhance performance, power and integration and create connected technologies with higher signal quality, better efficiency and longer battery life.  

As the RF world prepares to gather in San Francisco for IMS 2025, GF and Falcomm are excited to share the latest milestones from our partnership that is shaping the future of RF technology. 

About Falcomm  

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Falcomm, a member of the GlobalFoundries (GF) GlobalSolutions™ Ecosystem, is an emerging leader in the design and development of high-efficiency RF and millimeter-wave integrated circuits. Founded by Dr. Edgar Garay out of pioneering research at Georgia Tech, the company is scaling rapidly, driven by demand across defense, aerospace, and commercial wireless markets. Falcomm’s team includes some of the industry’s best RFIC designers, with core expertise in RF power amplifier (PA) and front-end module design. 

At the heart of Falcomm’s innovation is its patented Dual-Drive™ power amplifier technology. This process- and frequency-agnostic circuit architecture delivers breakthrough performance in power-added efficiency (PAE), output power, linearity, and bandwidth. The technology has now been successfully implemented across multiple GF platforms including 22FDX®, 130NSX, 45RFSOI, demonstrating impressive results in diverse applications. Most recently, Falcomm is implementing Dual-Drive™ architecture on GF’s 130RF GaN process, with the goal of delivering the world’s most efficient and linear GaN power amplifiers to date.  

Falcomm is proudly U.S.-based, and all products are fully designed and manufactured domestically, including products manufactured by GF through their trusted facilities in New York and Vermont. This ensures not only performance excellence but also supply chain resilience for critical infrastructure and defense applications. 

Now, let’s take a look at some of the exciting technologies that we will be showcasing at IMS this year. 

FCM1401 on GF 130NSX Ku-band PA  

Available for evaluation and licensing to qualified partners 

Falcomm has completed timely validation of its FCM1401 product, a high-efficiency Ku-band power amplifier fabricated using GF’s 130NSX bulk CMOS process. This PA delivers a compelling combination of performance, integration, and cost scalability. Performance highlights include: 

• Frequency: 12.5GHz – 16GHz 

• PAE: 50 % 

• Output Power: 20 dBm 

• Gain: 23 dB 

This product is being used in tactical and commercial Ku-band applications where efficiency, cost and performance are critical. The FCM1401 and FCM1401 evaluation boards are currently available for purchase at Falcomm.com and IP licensing agreements through GF IP Portal.  

FCM2801 & FCM3901 – 28 GHz / 39 GHz Power Amplifiers on GlobalFoundries 45RFSOI for 5G mmWave 

Available for evaluation and licensing to qualified partners 

Falcomm has launched two high-efficiency mmWave power amplifiers: FCM2801 (28 GHz) and FCM3901 (39 GHz), built on GlobalFoundries’ 45RFSOI platform and optimized for 5G New Radio (NR) FR2 applications. These solutions are designed to maximize silicon-area/power efficiency, linearity, thermal performance, and output power, making them ideal for ground-based radios, mobile devices, infrastructure, phased arrays, and broadband front ends. 

The GF 45RFSOI process enables high power density and efficient heat dissipation without large die size or complex thermal strategies, supporting cost-effective and compact system designs. Both products leverage Falcomm’s patented Dual-Drive™ PA architecture to support advanced SWaP-constrained platforms. 

39GHz 5G PA in GF 22FDX+ and enhanced 28GHz high-power PA in GF 45RFSOI for 5G mmWave 

Available for evaluation and licensing in Q4 2025 

Falcomm is expanding its mmWave product line with two advanced 5G power amplifiers: a new 39 GHz PA built on GF 22FDX+ platform and an enhanced high-power 28 GHz PA on GF 45RFSOI. These solutions are engineered for exceptional power efficiency, linearity, and thermal performance—ideal for 5G NR FR2 applications across infrastructure, phased arrays, and compact, power-constrained platforms. 

The 22FDX+ version of the 39 GHz PA delivers outstanding integration potential with digital and mixed-signal blocks, making it an ideal candidate for advanced beamforming ICs and phased array modules. The updated 28 GHz PA on 45RFSOI achieves higher output power and improved thermal handling, while maintaining Falcomm’s signature Dual-Drive™ efficiency and compact footprint. 

Join Us at IMS 2025  

Falcomm will be showcasing its latest technologies alongside GlobalFoundries at IMS 2025. We invite attendees, partners, and customers to visit Falcomm at Booth 4103 and GF at Booth 149 to explore how your products can benefit from Falcomm’s patented Dual-Drive™ power amplifier architecture and GF’s storied RF-leadership and manufacturing excellence. Join us to discover how we’re pushing the boundaries of RF performance with unmatched efficiency, linearity, and integration! 

For more information or to schedule a meeting at IMS, contact us at [email protected]