GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Arm Demonstrate High-Density 3D Stack Test Chip for High Performance Compute Applications August 7, 2019Arm’s interconnect technology on GF’s 12LP process enables high performance and low latency, while increasing bandwidth for high core designs in AI, Cloud Computing and Mobile SoCs Santa Clara, Calif. and Cambridge, UK, August 7, 2019 – GLOBALFOUNDRIES, the world’s leading specialty foundry, today announced that it has taped-out an Arm®-based 3D high-density test chip that will enable a new level of system performance and power efficiency for computing applications such as AI/ML and high-end consumer mobile and wireless solutions. The new chip was fabricated using GF’s 12nm Leading-Performance (12LP) FinFET process and features Arm’s mesh interconnect technology in 3D that allows data to take a more direct path to other cores, minimizing latency while increasing data transfer rates as demanded by data centers, edge computing and high-end consumer applications. The delivery of this chip demonstrates the fast progress that Arm and GF are making in researching and developing differentiated solutions that enable improvements in device density and performance for scalable high-performance computing. Moreover, the companies validated a 3D Design-for-Test (DFT) methodology, using GF’s hybrid wafer-to-wafer bonding that can enable up to 1 million 3D connections per mm2, extending the ability to scale 12nm designs long into the future. “Arm’s interconnect technology in 3D enables the semiconductor industry to augment Moore’s Law to address a greater diversity of computing applications,” said Eric Hennenhoefer, vice president, Arm Research. “GF’s expertise in fabrication and advanced packaging capabilities, combined with Arm technology, gives our mutual partners additional differentiation to venture into new paradigms for next generation, high-performance computing.” “In the era of big data and cognitive computing, advanced packaging is playing a much larger role than it has in the past. The use of AI and the need for power-efficient, high-throughput interconnect is driving the growth of accelerators through advanced packaging,” said John Pellerin, chief technologist, platforms at GF. “We are delighted to be working with innovative partners such as Arm to deliver advanced packaging solutions which further enable integrating various node technologies optimized for logic scaling, memory bandwidth and RF performance in a small form factor. This work will allow us to uncover new insights in advanced packaging that will enable our mutual clients to create complete, differentiated solutions more efficiently.” GF’s business model has transformed to enable its clients to develop new market and application-focused solutions specifically designed to meet the requirements of today’s demanding markets. GF’s 3D face-to-face (F2F) packaging solution not only provides designers a path to heterogeneous logic and logic/memory integration, but can be manufactured using an optimum production node that enables lower latency, higher bandwidth and smaller feature sizes. This approach, along with engaging early with partners such as Arm, gives clients maximum choice and flexibility, while delivering cost savings and faster time-to-volume for their next-generation products. For more information, go to globalfoundries.com. About GLOBALFOUNDRIES GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GF) is the world’s leading specialty foundry. We deliver differentiated feature-rich solutions that enable our clients to develop innovative products for high-growth market segments. GF provides a broad range of platforms and features with a unique mix of design, development and fabrication services. With an at-scale manufacturing footprint spanning the U.S., Europe and Asia, GF has the flexibility and agility to meet the dynamic needs of clients across the globe. GF is owned by Mubadala Investment Company. For more information, visit globalfoundries.com. About Arm Arm technology is at the heart of a computing and connectivity revolution that is transforming the way people live and businesses operate. Our advanced, energy-efficient processor designs have enabled intelligent computing in more than 145 billion chips and our technologies now securely power products from the sensor to the smartphone and the supercomputer. In combination with our IoT device, connectivity and data management platform, we are also enabling customers with powerful and actionable business insights that are generating new value from their connected devices and data. Together with 1,000+ technology partners we are at the forefront of designing, securing and managing all areas of compute from the chip to the cloud. All information is provided “as is” and without warranty or representation. This document may be shared freely, attributed and unmodified. Arm is a registered trademark of Arm Limited (or its subsidiaries). All brands or product names are the property of their respective holders. © 1995-2019 Arm Group. Contact: Erica McGillGLOBALFOUNDRIES(518) 795-5240[email protected] Kristen LisaArm (512) 939-9877[email protected]
Pivot Strengthens IP Partnerships July 17, 2019By: Dave Lammers When journalists think about how semiconductor companies compare, we often drill down into gate lengths, mask layers, SRAM cell sizes, and other hardware-oriented metrics. It was only midway through my own career that I started to realize that intellectual property (IP) and other forms of design support were just as important to the success of both foundries and integrated device manufacturers (IDMs). When GF announced its “pivot” in late August 2018, much of the public attention again went to the role of the transistors, and how resources could be redeployed into other than 7nm logic. And yes, spreading those efforts out over the 18 different technologies (and sub-variants) offered by GF has received a fair amount of understanding in the era of a slowing Moore’s Law. What needs a bit more emphasis is the renewed push on intellectual property (IP), in part made possible by the pivot. Mark Ireland, vice president of ecosystem partnerships GLOBALFOUNDRIES, said the 12LP (FinFET) process is a good example of redeploying IP resources. In its initial phase, GF’s 12LP process was used primarily for CPUs, GPUs, and similar high-performance products. Now, 12LP is going into a broader set of markets, including consumer, networking, 5G wireless, and artificial intelligence-machine learning (AI-ML). These often require different IP, notably multi-protocol SERDES, low-power memories, and high-speed memory interfaces. “In consumer, digital video and set top boxes are moving into FinFETs. Consumer did not lead that (12LP) node, but now it is moving into FinFETs. We are seeing a much broader set of markets and a broader set of customers, and that has to be reflected in the focus of our IP partnerships,” Ireland said. Artificial intelligence SoCs also need additional IP, including high-speed SERDES and low-power memories, he said. High-Speed SERDES for 5G Base Stations Similarly, the 5G wireless standard “has broadened the need to bring in some high-speed SERDES IP that will be used in 5G base stations and elsewhere. That is the kind of IP that our customers need to be successful in these markets,” he said, noting that wireless customers can opt for the 22FDX fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator, 12LP FinFET, or other processes, depending on their application needs. GF and Rambus announced 28-Gbps and 32-Gbps SERDES for the 22FDX process, and just prior to the Design Automation Conference, GF and Synopsys said they were readying a 25-Gbps SERDES on the 12LP process. “While it has broader market applications, this is the kind of IP that is very critical for 5G base stations,” Ireland said. Also, GF and Analog Bits recently struck a deal to bring Analog Bits’ analog and mixed-signal IP design kits to the 12LP technology, including low-power phase-lock loop (PLLs) with spread spectrum clock generation (SSCG), process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) sensor IP, and others. “We are developing deeper partnerships across a broader set of markets to meet the need for more IP. We are driving the process, and there is no lack of opportunity. The challenge in front of GF is to get the highest quality IP in place on time and on schedule,” Ireland said. A Radio On Every Chip Subi Kengeri, vice president of client solutions at GLOBALFOUNDRIES, said rather than rely on brute scaling, more IC design teams are pursuing complex designs with RF and mixed-signal either using FD-SOI or a traditional heterogenous integration approach. For complex RF and Analog SoCs, Kengeri said “the IP is the carrier of technology differentiation to the SoC. It is how designers extract the differentiated value of the technology. So it becomes important that the IP is fully optimized and has the highest quality.” GF has a strong track record in RF technology, and keeping investments strong in RF IP is part of the post-pivot strategy. “Communication is becoming more important than ever, and every chip will have a radio in it. RF is very complex and the skill set is limited throughout the industry. We are no. 1 in the RF world, and by having invested in that IP, design services and RF reference blocks, we are well positioned to give our customers faster time-to-market and lower costs, with least risk. Think RF. Think GF.” Tracking IP Readiness John Kent, vice president of foundry IP and customer engineering, said a chip design may require 20 or more different IP titles. “We track IP readiness, and by that I mean when a customer wants to do a design, do we have all the IP necessary?” Kent said. That readiness metric is a “critical indicator that we are able to service a customer.” Another important metric, Kent said, is first-time-right, making sure all of the IP’s DC parametrics are accurate. “Our on-the-ground experience with new customers tells us where we are world class, and where we have work to do. The biggest challenge we have as a team is balancing our resources as we redeploy off of seven nanometers, using some of the experience the team developed at 7nm on other platforms,” he said. Kent said other GF technology platforms have received more attention, including an ongoing focus on improving the PDKs (product development kits). “Our PDK learning has been a work in progress over the last ten years as we have learned to execute in a timely fashion. With that process, and then the pivot, we were able to shift the primary PDK development focus from just FDX and FinFET to some of the other 18 families that GF provides its customers, redeploying much of our PDK resources across those technologies,” Kent said. For the 22FDX foundational IP, GF has relied primarily – but not exclusively – on Invecas, which includes former members of the IBM memory IP team. Kent said of Invecas, “It’s a great team and produces great products.” “Our base 22FDX foundation IP is from Invecas, and recently we have expanded our ecosystem to include automotive IP from Synopsys. It is our intention to work with multiple suppliers,” Ireland said. The deal with Synopsys includes foundation IP as well as analog and interface IP targeted to automotive applications such as ADAS, powertrain, 5G, and radar. Foundation IP Can Be Complicated Foundational IP, or FIP, can range from simple to moderate complexity. General purpose IO with multiple voltages can involve several different metal stacks and can be quite a complex design. “Typically when we release a library there are several thousand individual library cells composed within the FIP,” Kent said. Memories, including Static RAMs, ROM, flash, and more recently MRAM, are included as FIP because, like I/O, they are foundational to a design. But memory IP is complicated, with sophisticated signaling problems and error correction. So-called complex IP often has a significant amount of analog and mixed-signal content. A 32-Gbps SERDES can have many digital-mode functions, as well as complex mixed-signal to support signal and power parameters. GF has been working with Everspin to develop new IP supporting the embedded MRAM for both the 22FDX and FinFET-based processes. Kent said MRAM has advantages over flash, including sub-nanosecond write times, (compared to milliseconds for flash), and very strong failure resistance. “We are developing new IP (to support MRAM), including classes of performance which mimic SRAM,” Kent said. Automotive applications are a prime target for MRAM. “The automobile of the future will be covered with sensors, and everything has to run safely. MRAM is being contemplated because the ICs have to run longer in a car than, say, a computer is expected to last,” Kent said. About Author Dave Lammers Dave Lammers is a contributing writer for Solid State Technology and a contributing blogger for GF’s Foundry Files. Dave started writing about the semiconductor industry while working at the Associated Press Tokyo bureau in the early 1980s, a time of rapid growth for the industry. He joined E.E. Times in 1985, covering Japan, Korea, and Taiwan for the next 14 years while based in Tokyo. In 1998 Dave, his wife Mieko, and their four children moved to Austin to set up a Texas bureau for E.E. Times. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Dave received a master’s in journalism at the University of Missouri School of Journalism.
GLOBALFOUNDRIES Adds Industry Veteran Glenda Dorchak to its Board of Directors to Support Next Phase of Transformative Growth June 18, 2019Move marks company’s first independent female board member, bringing decades of leadership in rapid-growth companies Santa Clara, Calif., June 18, 2019 – GLOBALFOUNDRIES today announced the appointment of Glenda Dorchak as an independent director to the company’s board of directors, bringing the total of independent members to five directors. “It is with great pleasure that I welcome Glenda to our board, as we strengthen GF’s position as the leading, global specialty foundry,” said Ahmed Yahia Al Idrissi, chairman of GF’s board of directors. “Glenda brings tremendous end user market experience, and we look forward to her contributions as we pivot to a more customer-centric and differentiated technology partner to the semi industry.” “To build the future we envision for GF, we need experienced industry leaders with the foresight and vision to guide our long-term growth strategy,” said Tom Caulfield, CEO at GF. “Glenda is a strong addition to GF’s board, with her proven record of executive and board leadership in semiconductor hardware and software businesses. Her extensive technical know-how in connected products and technologies will help us further position the company as a clear industry leader in differentiated foundry solutions.” Ms. Dorchak brings to the board more than 30 years of technology industry leadership experience from a broad set of management and executive roles starting at IBM Corporation, and including Intel Corporation, Intrinsyc Software and Spansion. She serves as an independent director for public technology companies ANSYS, Mellanox Technologies and Quantenna Communications and is an advisor to OMERS Private Equity. For more information, go to globalfoundries.com. About GLOBALFOUNDRIES GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GF) is a leading full-service foundry delivering truly differentiated semiconductor technologies for a range of high-growth markets. GF provides a unique combination of design, development, and fabrication services, with a range of innovative IP and feature-rich offerings including FinFET, FDX™, RF, and analog/mixed signal. With a manufacturing footprint spanning three continents, GF has the flexibility and agility to meet the dynamic needs of clients across the globe. GF is owned by Mubadala Investment Company. For more information, visit globalfoundries.com. Contact: Erica McGillGLOBALFOUNDRIES(518) 795-5240[email protected]
GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Soitec Announce Multiple Long-term SOI Wafer Supply Agreements to Meet Accelerating Demand in 5G, IoT and Data Center June 6, 2019Agreements secure high-volume 300mm wafer supply to support a broad range of customer applications across fast growing market segments Santa Clara, Calif. and Bernin (Grenoble), France, June 6, 2019 – GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GF) and Soitec today announced that they have signed multiple long-term supply agreements for 300mm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers to secure the high-volume supply to meet the growing demand from GF customers for its differentiated radio-frequency-silicon-on-insulator (RF-SOI), fully-depleted-silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) and silicon photonics technology platforms. The agreements, which take effect immediately, build on the existing close relationship between the companies to ensure state-of-the-art high-volume manufacturing for years to come. Through industry leadership from both companies, RF-SOI solutions are used in 100 percent of smartphones manufactured today and FD-SOI has become the standard technology for cost-effective, low-power devices in high-volume consumer and IoT applications as well as for mission critical safety solutions in automotive proximity sensing. Silicon photonics technologies enable solutions to support the massive growth in communication infrastructure for data centers and next-generation 5G communication optical networks. “GF is delivering and investing in highly differentiated industry-leading technologies required for 5G, IoT, Data Center and Automotive applications,” said Bami Bastani, senior vice president of business units at GF. “These long-term agreements with Soitec, a valued partner, represent our commitment to ensure a secure supply of ultra-lower power, high-performance SOI solutions and supply that meet customers fast growing needs and unprecedented demand in these attractive markets.” “GF is leading the industry in providing differentiated SOI solutions, creating more demand for Soitec’s engineered substrates,” said Paul Boudre, CEO of Soitec.”These agreements reflect the strength of our long-term partnership as we build the required capacity to meet this growing SOI demand.” About Soitec Soitec (Euronext, Tech 40 Paris) is a world leader in designing and manufacturing innovative semiconductor materials. The company uses its unique technologies and semiconductor expertise to serve the electronics markets. With more than 3,500 patents worldwide, Soitec’s strategy is based on disruptive innovation to answer its customers’ needs for high performance, energy efficiency and cost competitiveness. Soitec has manufacturing facilities, R&D centers and offices in Europe, the U.S. and Asia. Soitec and Smart Cut are registered trademarks of Soitec. For more information, please visit www.soitec.com and follow us on Twitter: @Soitec_EN Soitec and Smart Cut are registered trademarks of Soitec. About GLOBALFOUNDRIES GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GF) is a leading full-service foundry delivering truly differentiated semiconductor technologies for a range of high-growth markets. GF provides a unique combination of design, development, and fabrication services, with a range of innovative IP and feature-rich offerings including FinFET, FDX™, RF and analog mixed signal. With a manufacturing footprint spanning three continents, GF has the flexibility and agility to meet the dynamic needs of clients across the globe. GF is owned by Mubadala Investment Company. For more information, visit www.globalfoundries.com. Press Contacts: Soitec: Erin Berard | +33 6 80 36 53 40 | [email protected] GLOBALFOUNDRIES: Erica McGill | +1 (518) 795-5240 | [email protected] # # # Soitec is a French joint-stock corporation with a Board of Directors (Société Anonyme à Conseil d’administration) with a share capital of €62,762,070.50, having its registered office located at Parc Technologique des Fontaines – Chemin des Franques – 38190 Bernin (France), and registered with the Grenoble Trade and Companies Register under number 384 711 909.
Synopsys and GLOBALFOUNDRIES Collaborate to Develop Broad Portfolio of DesignWare IP for 12LP FinFET Process June 4, 2019High-quality DesignWare Interface and Analog IP Optimized for High Performance and Low Power in AI, Cloud Computing, and Mobile SoCs
Efabless Collaborates with GLOBALFOUNDRIES to Enable New IP Development Models for Emerging Applications June 4, 2019Efabless, a crowdsourcing design platform for custom silicon, today announced a joint relationship with GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GF) that will extend Efabless’ design platform, Chiplicity, to include select technology nodes from GF. As part of the collaboration, GF’s 130G, the company’s 130nm process technology platform, will be offered on Efabless’ Chiplicity, which includes an IP Development Program that provides IP designers access to EDA tools, infrastructure and prototyping services to accelerate the development of a wide range of IP. Efabless will provide access to GF’s proven 130G technology offering to Efabless’ design partners and community by August 2019.
Analog Bits and GLOBALFOUNDRIES Deliver Differentiated Analog and Mixed Signal IP for High-Performance Mobile and Compute Applications June 3, 2019 Analog Bits’ Analog and Mixed Signal IPs Including Various PLLs, PCIe Reference Clock, Sensors and Power Circuits with GLOBALFOUNDRIES 12nm FinFET (12LP) Enable Customers Lowest System Level Cost & Power Las Vegas, Nevada June 3, 2019 – Highlights Analog Bits analog and mixed signal IP design kit is available for GLOBALFOUNDRIES 12nm FinFET to meet customer’s processing needs for compute-intensive applications Join Analog Bits and GLOBALFOUNDRIES at Design Automation Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 3rd to learn more about the 12LP process technology solution Analog Bits and GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GF) today announced the availability of Analog Bits analog and mixed signal IP design kits for GF’s 12nm Leading-Performance (12LP) process technology. Through collaboration with GF, the IP portfolio includes wide range fractional Phase-Lock Loop (PLL) with Spread Spectrum Clock Generation (SSCG), PCIe reference clock PLL subsystem, Process, Voltage, and Temperature (PVT) Sensor and Power-On-Reset (POR) circuitry. Silicon Reports based on these IPs will be available 2Q 2020, and first customer tape-out is expected in 2H 2020. GF’s 12LP technology is specifically designed to deliver the ultra-high performance and data-processing capacity customers need to support their Compute, Connect and Storage (CCS), AI/ML, high-end consumer and automotive solutions in the era of big data and cognitive computing. The technology, which delivers a 10 percent improvement in logic density and more than a 15 percent improvement in performance compared to the previous FinFET generation, includes new market-focused features specifically designed for automotive electronics and RF/analog applications. “GF continues to see growing demand for feature rich offerings driven by AI and 5G. Analog and mixed signal IP combined with our 12LP technology offers our customers the differentiated process design creation to address these demands,” said Mark Ireland, vice president of ecosystem partnerships at GF. “By collaborating closely with Analog Bits we are enabling our mutual customers to integrate all IP blocks to reach the target Performance, Power, and Area (PPA) for system level integration and deliver differentiated end products for a broad set of market segments.” “The analog and mixed signal IP is the knowledge and insight from 20 years working with tier-one semiconductor design teams to understand their needs at the system level,” said Mahesh Tirupattur, executive vice president at Analog Bits. “Our close collaboration with GF gives us the opportunity to help our mutual customers deliver the best possible PPA. We truly appreciate our years of strategic partnership with GF.” Resources To learn more about Analog Bits’ broad range of wide range Fractional N SSCG PLL, PCIe reference clock PLL, PVT Sensor, Power-on-Reset (POR) and other products, visit www.analogbits.com or email us at: [email protected]. About GLOBALFOUNDRIES GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GF) is a leading full-service foundry delivering truly differentiated semiconductor technologies for a range of high-growth markets. GF provides a unique combination of design, development, and fabrication services, with a range of innovative IP and feature-rich offerings including FinFET, FDX™, RF and analog/mixed signal. With a manufacturing footprint spanning three continents, GF has the flexibility and agility to meet the dynamic needs of clients across the globe. GF is owned by Mubadala Investment Company. For more information, visit www.globalfoundries.com. About Analog Bits About Analog Bits: Founded in 1995, Analog Bits, Inc. is the leading supplier of mixed-signal IP with a reputation for easy and reliable integration into advanced SOCs. Our products include precision clocking macros such as PLLs & DLLs, programmable interconnect solutions such as multi-protocol SERDES and programmable I/O’s as well as specialized memories such as high-speed SRAMs and TCAMs. With billions of IP cores fabricated in customer silicon, from 0.35- micron to 14-nm processes, Analog Bits has an outstanding heritage of “first-time-working” with foundries and IDMs. Editorial Contacts: Will WongAnalog Bits650-314-0200[email protected] Erica McGillGLOBALFOUNDRIES518-795-5240[email protected]
MWC Barcelona: Full Speed Ahead for 5G May 26, 2019By: Gary Dagastine Anyone looking for concrete evidence that the 5G-driven revolution in network connectivity is upon us, should have attended the recent GLOBALFOUNDRIES-sponsored panel at the MWC Barcelona exhibition (formerly the Mobile World Congress). There, one of GF’s invited panelists displayed a 64-element 28 GHz silicon-based antenna that is available right now for use in millimeter-wave (mmWave) 5G antenna arrays. Another spoke of China’s plans to install 200,000 5G basestations just this year alone, while a third highlighted the various semiconductor IP cores (‘IP’) that are now being used to design and produce 5G chips with GF’s differentiated manufacturing and packaging technologies. Source: GF Intelligent Connectivity for a Data-Driven Future was the theme of the GF event. Intelligent Connectivity refers to the increasingly complex, tightly tied inter-relationships among data centers, networks, and client (or “edge”) devices such as smartphones and Internet of Things (IoT) systems. These inter-relationships are data-driven and, increasingly, will be enabled by AI. They will reshape every industry they touch and transform our lives in many ways. The event’s purpose was to share with MWC attendees the perspectives and opinions of experts whose participation in the 5G space ranges from market analysis, to the supply of key products, to the development of software design tools and services that enable the creation and testing of innovative application-specific 5G chips. Explosive Growth in Connectivity The GF event was moderated by Mike Cadigan, GF’s Senior VP for Global Sales, Business Development, Customer and Design Engineering, and it started off with an introductory presentation by Subi Kengeri, GF’s CTO and VP of Worldwide Client Solutions. Subi outlined the explosive worldwide growth of wireless connectivity and the opportunities and challenges it brings. He stressed that, given the complexity of both sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G applications, close collaboration is essential among network operators and providers of equipment, services and IP. He then outlined how the role of semiconductor manufacturers such as GF is evolving to make all this possible, and then touched on some of the specific benefits which GF’s differentiated technologies are bringing to 5G applications. 5G-ready innovation from GF, a new breed of foundrySource: GF “It’s no news to anyone that we now live in a world of universal and growing connectivity, but the speed and scope with which this is happening is mind-boggling,” he said. “In 2017 there were 18 billion networked devices, or 2.4 connected devices for every person on the planet, but by 2022 – just three short years from now – that total will nearly double, to about 29 billion devices.” In addition, while mobile data traffic right now is about 27 exabytes each month, by the end of 2024 it will reach roughly 136 exabytes. “That’s 136 quintillion bytes of data each and every month, and 5G is forecast to make up 25% of it,” he said. “Another way to put it is that more than 40% of the world’s population will be using 5G by then, which would make it the fastest wireless generation ever to be rolled out on a global scale.” This fast growth and worldwide reach has huge implications for semiconductor design and manufacturing, starting with the very definition of the word “innovation,” he said. “In the past we might have described innovation as the advances taking place at the leading-edge of chip technology, but today, it is naïve to suggest that innovation of that sort is what will support the massive deployment of 5G. Especially considering that it can cost over a half-billion dollars to design, verify, prototype and produce just one 5nm integrated circuit.” Real innovation in the 5G space, he said, comes from the creation of devices that offer optimized 5G performance along with a balance of power, performance, RF capability and application-specific features. “Power consumption and cost per function are now the key metrics, not feature sizes,” he said, noting that a renaissance in established nodes is under way as existing processes are used to combine technology, features, capabilities and enablement in new ways. GF is at the forefront of that trend, with a myriad of proven processes that are 5G-ready. Among them are 22FDX,which brings best-in-class power, performance and RF capabilities to many applications including mobility, and 8SW RF SOI technology which brings the industry’s leading power-optimized performance to mobile applications. GF also offers a range of packaging technologies, which are critical given the need to dissipate heat as more power is brought to 5G-capable endpoints. Experts Describe the mmWave Landscape Subi’s presentation was followed by a Q&A session with these panelists: Mike Cadigan kicked off the discussion asking Joe why network operators such as phone companies would decide to move to 5G, and where things stand with regard to the rate and pace of 5G deployments. “The big picture is that for operators, 5G will dramatically lower their cost to transmit each GB of data,” he said. “2G networks enabled us to go from thousands of dollars to tens of dollars to transmit each GB. Today with LTE and small cells it’s about $1 per GB, and with mmWave it will be less than 10c per GB. So, mobile plans will start to look like fixed plans, with unlimited data offered.” He said deployment won’t be uniform and will take some time to evolve fully. “Some international network operators, notably in Switzerland and China, have really latched onto it. For example, China is making a huge push with a rollout of 200,000 5G basestations planned for this year,” he said. “But deployment across the rest of the world will be more spotty, with Japan and South Korea among the early adopters.” In the U.S. there won’t be a nationwide deployment; instead, “islands” of 5G will pop up within 4G networks. “In fact, 5G handsets are being introduced even though most networks haven’t even been deployed yet,” he said. (Not long after MWC Barcelona, Verizon announced 5G service will soon begin in parts of Chicago and Minneapolis, with unlimited data offered.) Mike then turned it over to Alastair for his perspective on the technical requirements for 5G adoption. Alastair, who held up the 28 GHz silicon-based array he had brought with him for the audience to see, said that mmWave technology is a lot trickier than the sub-6GHz flavor of 5G, and that at the device level there’s a great need for more linear power. “Anything we can do to increase linear power in the silicon, we need to do,” he said. “Also, thermal management has always been critical in radio transmission and it remains so. I kid you not, decades ago when phased-array radars first came out, some of the first ones got so hot they actually caught fire. So we’ve urgently got to increase power efficiency while taming the heat, and in the process also lower the cost per transmitter. You can do some of this with circuit tricks but fundamentally it starts with the silicon,” he said. “What GLOBALFOUNDRIES has done for us is to develop some very good device options that let us choose different parameters to tailor a device to a particular application, so that, for example, we can increase the operating voltage and model the resulting reliability as we go along. It’s quite valuable and is an outgrowth of the deep collaboration between our two companies,” he said. Joachim pointed out that it’s not easy to design complex systems-on-chips (SoCs), nor to ensure that they come out as designed. That is why Synopsys has partnered closely with GF to develop IP cores like Low Power DDR memory interfaces (LPDDR), high-bandwidth memory interfaces (HBM), PCI Express, and many more to improve the productivity of SOC designers and lower the project risk. “In addition to having access to many IP cores from Synopsys and other IP providers, designers today have access to high-level architectural explorations tools that allow then to optimize their SoC at the architectural level in the context of the actual software that will execute on the SoC.” Cadigan closed by asking each of the panelists what more GF should be doing. Joachim said GF should do more of what it is already doing: “Complexity is going up, and that requires much closer collaborations.” Joe, meanwhile reiterated the importance of increased power. “Nobody is using filters now, but as we move forward there will be competing carriers in nearby frequency bands, so even more power will be needed.” Alastair said that packaging options will only become more important, not just for heat dissipation but to accommodate increased levels of integration. Also, echoing Joachim, he said that modeling capabilities will grow more important, especially for reliability. About Author Gary Dagastine Gary Dagastine is a writer who has covered the semiconductor industry for EE Times, Electronics Weekly and many specialized media outlets. He is a contributing editor at Nanochip Fab Solutions magazine and also is the Director of Media Relations for the IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM), the world’s most influential technology conference for semiconductors. He started in the industry at General Electric Co. where he provided communications support to GE’s power, analog and custom IC businesses. Gary is a graduate of Union College in Schenectady, New York.
Marvell 收购 Avera Semi，抢占不断增长的基础设施机遇 May 21, 2019 为无线和有线应用注入世界级 ASIC 能力 秉承 深厚的IBM 传统，利用大量系统级专业知识和设计能力 扩展 Marvell 的 5G 基站覆盖范围 涵盖可观的收入来源 加利福尼亚州圣克拉拉（2019 年 5 月 20 日）—Marvell（纳斯达克股票代码：MRVL）今日宣布，已就收购格芯旗下 ASIC 业务 Avera Semiconductor 达成最终协议。此次收购将Avera Semi领先的客户设计能力和Marvell先进技术平台和规模相结合，为有线和无线基础设施OEM打造一个领先的ASIC提供商。该协议包括转移 Avera 收入基础、领先基础设施 OEM 的战略设计中标，以及格芯和 Marvell 间的长期晶圆供应协议。 Marvell 致力于成为全球领先的基础设施半导体解决方案供应商。 Avera 的 ASIC 设计能力将加速这一转型。具体而言，Avera 先进的 ASIC 设计能力补充了 Marvell 的标准和半定制产品组合。此前，作为 IBM 微电子业务的一部分，25 年来 Avera 成功完成 2,000 多个复杂设计，组建了约 800 名杰出技术人员的重要业务团队。 Avera 在模拟、混合信号和系统级芯片拥有高度创新的设计能力、并在包括高速SerDes高性能嵌入式存储和先进封装技术方面拥有丰富的 IP 组合。他们与蓝筹有线和无线网络 OEM 厂商建立了强大的关系，为多代转换器、路由器和基站提供定制解决方案。近期，Avera开始涉足新兴机遇，正在为下一代云数据中心开发多个项目。 作为在这些相同领域的标准和半定制化领先供应商，Marvell也正利用其领先的IP和技术平台不断拓展客户定制的机会管道。Marvell提供完整的硅平台，支持数字处理的很多方面，包括基带 、处理器以太网交换机和 PHY。随着这些产品越来越受市场青睐，Marvell机遇近期不断扩展包括一系列的客户定制SoC满足更广泛的基站市场。其中的这些新产品设计用特制的优化芯片来代替FPGA。同时，同时，Avera已经为一家领先的无线基础设施OEM提供了多代定制的射频前端。这些解决方案扩大了 Marvell 的潜在市场，也表明了有线和无线基础设施领域定制化ASIC的更广泛的机遇。 Avera 卓越的团队和丰富的定制设计专业知识将加速提升 Marvell 能力响应这些机遇并抓住基础设施领域的更多机遇。 Marvell 总裁兼首席执行官 Matt Murphy 表示：“收购Avera将使我们能提供完整系列产品架构，涵盖标准、半定制到完全 ASIC 解决方案。他们的资深设计团队与Marvell领先的技术平台相结合，我们将处于更佳位置能更好地利用我们在有线和无线基础设施中的扩展机会，立即开始高速发展的5G基站市场。此外，我们期待未来几年甚至更长时间内，与格芯进一步加深合作。” 格芯首席执行官 Tom Caulfield 表示：“这项协议再次印证了我们专注核心业务的决心。作为一家制造服务提供商，我们致力于提供差异化的晶圆产品，同时与各行业的领先客户建立更深层次的合作。通过这个交易以及和Marvell 建立的战略合作伙伴关系，两家公司的团队将迎来新的机遇，利用格芯的广泛产品，抓住 5G 基础设施市场和其他机遇。我们期待未来几十年成为 Marvell 的战略供应商。” 根据协议条款，Marvell 将在交易完成时向格芯支付 6.5 亿美元现金，如果在交易完成前满足特定商业条件，公司还将另外支付 9,000 万美元现金。该交易预计将在 Marvell 的 2020 财年内完成，正在等待监管部门批准并满足其他惯例成交条件。 预计此次收购将使 Marvell 非公认会计准则每股收益在交易结束后的第一年有所增长。 讨论交易的电话/网络广播 如有兴趣，各方可于 2019 年 5 月 20 日（星期一）东部时间下午 5:00 参加电话会议讨论交易，拨打 1 (844) 647-5488（美国）或+1 (615) 247-0258（国际），会议 ID：8955899。 可以访问 Marvell 投资者关系网站，观看此次电话会议的网络直播。 重播时间截止到 2019 年 5 月 27 日（星期一），请拨打 1 (855) 859-2056，重播 ID：8955899。 前瞻性声明 除了本新闻包含的历史信息，本新闻发布的声明，包括有关收购、收购的预期利益和收购完成时间均为“前瞻性声明”，符合《1995 年美国私人证券诉讼改革法案》的“安全港”规定。此类前瞻性声明仅陈述截至本新闻稿发布日前的情形。由于特定风险，实际结果或事件可能与前瞻性声明的预期结果有重大差异，风险包括：未完成拟议收购的风险，Marvell 未实现预期收购收益的风险，包括 5G 基础设施市场机会相关的收益，或此类收益实现的时间长于预期时间，以及其他与收购相关的风险，如是否具备成功整合技术和运营能力、潜在意外负债、Marvell 保留客户关系和关键员工的能力，以及 Marvell 对未来业务进行投资的能力。 Marvell 不负责更新本新闻稿中的前瞻性信息。其他重要因素可能导致实际结果不同，请参见公司提交给美国证券交易委员会的 10-Q 表和 10-K 表。 关于 Marvell Marvell 实现了行业领先的高速信息传输，彻底改变了数字存储行业。今天，突破性创新仍是公司存储、处理、网络、安全和连接解决方案的核心。凭借领先的知识产权和深厚的系统级知识，Marvell 的半导体解决方案将继续推动企业、云服务、汽车、工业和消费品市场的变革。如需了解更多信息，请访问：www.marvell.com。 关于格芯 格芯（GF）是全球领先的全方位服务半导体代工厂，为世界上最富有灵感的科技公司提供独一无二的设计、开发和制造服务, 其创新的知识产权和功能多样的系列产品包括FinFET、FDX™、RF以及模拟混合信号。伴随着全球生产基地横跨三大洲的发展步伐，格芯促进了改变行业的技术和系统的出现，并赋予了客户塑造市场的力量。格芯由阿布扎比穆巴达拉投资公司（Mubadala Investment Company）所有。 Marvell and the Marvell logo are registered trademarks of Marvell and/or its affiliates. For further information, contact: Ashish Saran408-222-0777[email protected] Erica McGill GLOBALFOUNDRIES(518) 795-5240 [email protected]
Marvell to Acquire Avera Semi, Creating an Infrastructure ASIC Powerhouse May 20, 2019 Brings World-class ASIC IP and Development Capabilities for Wired and Wireless ApplicationsLeverages Significant System-level Expertise and Design Capacity with Deep IBM HeritageExtends Marvell’s Reach in 5G Base StationsIncludes Substantial Revenue Stream Santa Clara, Calif. (May 20, 2019) – Marvell (NASDAQ: MRVL) today announced it has entered into definitive agreements to purchase Avera Semiconductor, the Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) business of GLOBALFOUNDRIES. This acquisition brings together Avera Semi’s leading custom design capabilities with Marvell’s advanced technology platform and scale, creating a leading ASIC supplier for wired and wireless infrastructure. The agreements include transfer of Avera’s revenue base, strategic design wins with leading infrastructure OEMs, and a new long-term wafer supply agreement between GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Marvell. Marvell is focused on becoming the world’s leading supplier of infrastructure semiconductor solutions. Avera’s ASIC capabilities will accelerate this transformation. Specifically, Avera’s advanced full custom development capabilities complements Marvell’s standard and semi-custom product portfolio. Previously part of IBM’s Microelectronics business, Avera has successfully executed more than 2,000 complex designs in its 25-year history and built a significant business, supported by approximately 800 talented technologists. Avera brings highly innovative design competencies in analog, mixed-signal and SoCs as well as a rich IP portfolio including high-speed SerDes, high-performance embedded memory and advanced packaging technology. They have built strong relationships with blue-chip wired and wireless networking OEMs, having delivered custom solutions for multiple generations of switches, routers and base stations. More recently, Avera has started to address emerging opportunities in next generation cloud data centers with multiple programs in development today. As a leading supplier of standard and semi-custom products into these same markets, Marvell has also seen an expanding opportunity pipeline for custom solutions utilizing its leading IP and technology platform. For example, within 5G infrastructure, Marvell offers complete silicon platforms that enable a wide range of digital processing including baseband, processors, Ethernet switches and PHYs. As these products have gained traction in the marketplace, Marvell’s opportunity set has recently expanded to encompass a number of custom SoCs addressing a broader portion of the base station. Several of these new products are designed to replace FPGAs with purpose-built optimized silicon. At the same time, Avera has provided custom products to be deployed in the radio head of a leading wireless infrastructure OEM for multiple generations. These solutions expand Marvell’s addressable market and are indicative of the broader opportunity for custom ASICs within both wired and wireless infrastructure. The addition of Avera’s talented team and extensive ASIC design expertise will accelerate Marvell’s ability to address these opportunities and capture significantly more content in the broader infrastructure market. “Our acquisition of Avera enables us to offer the complete spectrum of product architectures spanning standard, semi-custom to full ASIC solutions,” said Matt Murphy, president and CEO of Marvell. “With their highly experienced design team and Marvell’s leading technology platform, we will be better positioned to capitalize on our expanding opportunity in wired and wireless infrastructure, starting immediately in the fast growing 5G base station market. In addition, we are looking forward to furthering our successful partnership with GLOBALFOUNDRIES in the coming years and beyond.” “This transaction is another example of our commitment to focus on our core business of providing differentiated foundry offerings as a manufacturing service provider, while establishing deeper relationships with customers who are leaders in their respective sectors,” said Tom Caulfield, CEO at GLOBALFOUNDRIES. “With this deal and our growing strategic partnership with Marvell, we will forge new opportunities for the teams of both companies to leverage GF’s broad set of offerings to capitalize on the 5G infrastructure market as well as other opportunities. We look forward to becoming a strategic provider for Marvell for decades to come.” Under the terms of the agreement, Marvell will pay GLOBALFOUNDRIES $650 million in cash at closing plus an additional $90 million in cash if certain business conditions are satisfied within the next 15 months. The transaction is expected to close by the end of Marvell’s fiscal year 2020 pending receipt of regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to Marvell’s non-GAAP earnings per share in the first full year following the close. Call/Webcast to Discuss Transaction Interested parties may join a conference call Monday, May 20, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss the transaction by dialing 1 (844) 647-5488 in the U.S. or +1 (615) 247-0258 internationally, with the conference ID 8955899. A webcast of the call can be accessed by visiting Marvell’s investor relations website. A replay will be available until Monday, May 27, 2019 by dialing 1 (855) 859-2056, replay ID 8955899. Forward-Looking Statements Except for the historical information contained herein, the statements in this press release, including those concerning the acquisition, the expected benefits of the acquisition and the timing of the closing of the acquisition, are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Actual results or events could differ materially from those anticipated in those forward-looking statements as a result of certain risks including: the risk that the proposed acquisition will not be completed, the risk that Marvell may not realize the anticipated benefits of the acquisition including the benefits related to opportunities in the 5G infrastructure market, or that such benefits may take longer to realize than anticipated, and other risks associated with the acquisition, such as the ability to successfully integrate the acquired technologies and operations, the potential for unexpected liabilities, Marvell’s ability to retain customer relationships and key employees, and Marvell’s ability to invest in the business on a going forward basis. Marvell undertakes no obligation to update the forward-looking information in this press release. Other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are contained in the Company’s 10-Qs and 10-Ks that are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. About Marvell Marvell first revolutionized the digital storage industry by moving information at speeds never thought possible. Today, that same breakthrough innovation remains at the heart of the company’s storage, processing, networking, security and connectivity solutions. With leading intellectual property and deep system-level knowledge, Marvell’s semiconductor solutions continue to transform the enterprise, cloud, automotive, industrial, and consumer markets. To learn more, visit: www.marvell.com. About GF GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GF) is a leading full-service foundry delivering truly differentiated semiconductor technologies for a range of high-growth markets. GF provides a unique combination of design, development, and fabrication services, with a range of innovative IP and feature-rich offerings including FinFET, FDX™, RF, and power/analog mixed signal. With a manufacturing footprint spanning three continents, GF has the flexibility and agility to meet the dynamic needs of clients across the globe. GF is owned by Mubadala Investment Company. For more information, visit globalfoundries.com. Marvell and the Marvell logo are registered trademarks of Marvell and/or its affiliates. For further information, contact: Ashish SaranMarvell408-222-0777[email protected] Erica McGill GLOBALFOUNDRIES(518) 795-5240[email protected]
