GLOBALFOUNDRIES Drives Automotive Electronics Forward April 19, 2018By: Mark Granger Gone are the days when automotive electronics was a slow-moving, trailing-edge business. Today, powerful semiconductor technologies are driving the development of automotive features that once might have been seen as science fiction, such as advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) which are paving the way to self-driving cars. Overall, the market for semiconductors in automotive applications is projected to see a 7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from now to 2023, from $35 billion to $54 billion. The ADAS applications where GF offers unique solutions, however, are projected to grow at a whopping 19% CAGR in that period. The breadth of our technologies, systems design expertise, engineering resources and quality systems all put us in a great position to serve this growing market and provide the automotive industry with innovative solutions that meet its stringent demands for performance, quality, reliability and safety. Customers across the entire automotive supply chain are taking advantage GF’s technology offerings right now, from fabless semiconductor companies to Tier One suppliers to the automakers themselves. Here are a few recent developments I’d like to report. On the Radar Automotive radar technology is one of GF’s core competencies, and it’s becoming increasingly important as ADAS systems become more complex and widely used. Radar is one of several sensor types used to detect objects near a vehicle, to enable features like adaptive cruise control. Lidar is another. It uses pulsed lasers to determine distance from an object by measuring the time it takes for the light to reflect back. However, lidar is currently expensive and is affected by weather conditions. Radar is less expensive, and higher-resolution radars promise to compete well with lidar in automotive applications, thereby enabling lower-priced vehicles to enjoy greater ADAS capabilities. GF’s 22FDX technology offers great millimeter-wave (mmWave) performance and digital density for the next generation of 77-86 GHz medium-/long-range automotive radars. 22FDX-based radar sensors can provide higher resolutions and less latency than current radar sensors at a very low total system cost. In the very near future, one of our customers will reveal how the company is using 22FDX as the basis of a radar imaging chipset that can detect obstacles at a range of 300 meters with a wide field of view at ultra-high resolution. Stay tuned. Another example of how automotive radar is evolving comes from our work with a leading automotive electronics customer that is using GF’s mature CMOS process technology to develop a 77 GHz short-/medium-range radar module. The module integrates a microcontroller, digital signal processors, SRAM and flash memory, and support components on a circuit board replacing a much larger radar array. Electric Cars with Better Range Source: Silicon Mobility’s demo at Embedded World 2018 Radar is just one automotive semiconductor application, of course. Powertrain control is another. At the recent Embedded World show, our customer Silicon Mobility demonstrated what the company calls a field programmable control unit (FPCU) for electric and hybrid vehicle powertrain control. Built with GF’s 55LPx CMOS technology, it offers real-time processing and control of sensors and actuators, coupled with a standard CPU, in a single semiconductor that conforms to the safety standard ISO 26262 ASIL-D. Watch a live demo of Silicon Mobility’s electric automotive motor control, enabled by GF’s 55nm eFlash technology, here. The result is a more powerful, flexible and safe architecture for the control and performance of electric and hybrid powertrains. By executing complex powertrain control algorithms quickly in hardware instead of in software, substantial energy savings and increased battery life can be achieved. The company says the FPCU can extend the range of electric and hybrid vehicles by some 32%. Proven Quality in Dresden Automotive customers demand much higher levels of quality and reliability than customers in other markets, which is understandable because we all know that cars and trucks must operate properly in all weather, road and traffic conditions over their entire service lives. Consequently, semiconductor suppliers to the automotive industry must meet numerous quality standards and certifications that don’t apply to other types of customers. These are governed by a veritable alphabet soup of standards-setting groups and agencies, such as AEC, IATF, ISO, VDA and others. We have already proven our automotive capability with our Singapore facilities and now I’m proud to report that GF’s Fab 1 in Dresden had its first full IATF16949/ISO9001 audit last month. Meeting this standard certifies that a facility’s quality management systems meet the requirements for automotive production. Conformance to it is essential. Four auditors spent the better part of a week looking at all aspects and areas of the Dresden site. The result was successful and upon closing 4 actions within the next 60 days, the auditors will recommend Fab 1 for full certification. These are just a few of the results of our push toward becoming a favored supplier to the automotive industry. It’s an exciting time to be in this business, as the electronics content of cars increases. There are abundant semiconductor opportunities all along the value chain, and we’re going after them full speed. Last year GF unveiled its automotive platform, AutoPro™, which provides a full range of technologies and manufacturing services to help carmakers harness the power of silicon for a new era of ‘connected intelligence’. For more information on the company’s auto solutions and service package please visit: globalfoundries.com/market-solutions/automotive. Source: GF ADAS & Autonomous – a full range of technologies About Author Mark Granger GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ Vice President of Automotive, Mark Granger, has been in charge of high performance SoC product design and product management for about 20 years, most recently at NVIDIA where he led the company’s efforts to provide leading-edge application processors for autonomous vehicles.
GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Toppan Photomasks Extend Advanced Photomask Joint Venture in Germany April 9, 2018Round Rock, Texas, Santa Clara, Calif., and Dresden, Germany, April 9, 2018 — GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc. (GF) and Toppan Photomasks, Inc. (TPI) today announced a multi-year extension to their Advanced Mask Technology Center (AMTC) joint venture in Dresden, Germany. Opened in 2002, the AMTC provides GF’s fabs in Dresden, Malta and Singapore with high-end production and development masks at world-class cycle times in support of the foundry’s ambitious technology roadmap. The AMTC also supports TPI customers worldwide from Dresden. Owned equally by TPI and GF, the AMTC joint venture was previously extended in 2012 to further increase tool capability and capacity. This new extension to the agreement aims to continue the current charter for manufacturing production masks as well as developing mask technology for ever smaller geometries. GF is both TPI’s partner in the joint venture and a strategic and critical customer, while TPI is GF’s preferred mask supplier, leveraging AMTC and TPI’s global manufacturing network to support GF’s worldwide operations. The AMTC provides one of the most essential and complex elements in the semiconductor manufacturing process, which puts the latest technology innovations at consumers’ fingertips. Since its inception, the output of AMTC has grown continuously with growth rates exceeding 10 percent in recent years. Sizeable investments have enabled the AMTC to keep up with the rapid technological developments and challenges of this dynamic market sector; in 2017 alone more than 100 million euros (US$124 million) were invested. “From computing to communication, and from automotive to medtech – our dual roadmap allows us to provide innovative technologies for the benefit of our customers around the world,” said Geoff Akiki, World Wide Mask Operations Executive at GF. “Regardless if they choose FD-SOI with its focus on energy efficiency or FinFET with its focus on high performance, both require leading-edge lithographic masks. AMTC is a great partner and provider of those masks. We are especially pleased that the experience of AMTC will be fully utilized to support us at the leading edge of chip technology.” “Having been in place for more than 15 years, this joint venture is one of the lengthiest in the mask industry,” said Mike Hadsell, TPI CEO. “This is a testament to the synergy and commitment of the partners, as well as the strength of the AMTC and Toppan Dresden team members. AMTC is truly a best-of-breed effort that has provided high-quality masks to TPI’s customer base, both in Europe and globally.” “AMTC was founded with a mission to be its customers’ first choice for photomasks. To achieve this goal, our experienced and dedicated team pursues cost-effective and timely manufacturing of high-quality masks for multiple nodes. In the process, the partners have continued to strengthen their relationship while allowing AMTC to serve as a valuable resource for our demanding global customer base,” noted Thomas Schmidt, AMTC’s general manager. “AMTC was established to support AMD’s microprocessor production in Dresden at the 65nm/90nm node. We have moved way beyond that and are looking beyond the current 14nm node.” AMTC was founded in 2002 by AMD, Infineon Technologies and DuPont Photomasks, which became TPI in 2005. Subsequently, GF and TPI became the ownership partners in 2009. AMTC has seen a cumulative investment of more than US$600 million since 2002. The mask facility employs more than 250 engineers and other specialists. The company is currently expanding its team – please check the AMTC Career Page for open opportunities. About Toppan Photomasks Toppan Photomasks, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Toppan Printing Co., Ltd., a diversified global company with revenue in excess of US$14 billion in 2016. Toppan Photomasks is part of the Toppan Group of photomask companies. As the world’s premier photomask provider, the Toppan Group operates the industry’s most advanced and largest network of manufacturing facilities and offers a comprehensive range of photomask technologies and research and development capabilities to meet the increasingly sophisticated and divergent product-and service requirements of the global semiconductor industry. Toppan Photomasks is headquartered in Round Rock, Texas. For more information, visit www.photomask.com. About Toppan Printing’s Photomask Business Toppan Printing is the world’s premier photomask manufacturer. The company supports the global semiconductor industry, from the initial launch of the semiconductor manufacturing process through commercial production, by providing state-of-the-art photomask technology. Toppan is the only global photomask manufacturer providing the highest quality products in a timely manner to customers across Japan, the United States, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.toppan.co.jp. About GLOBALFOUNDRIES GLOBALFOUNDRIES is a leading full-service semiconductor foundry providing a unique combination of design, development, and fabrication services to some of the world’s most inspired technology companies. With a global manufacturing footprint spanning three continents, GF makes possible the technologies and systems that transform industries and give customers the power to shape their markets. GF is owned by Mubadala Investment Company. For more information, visit https://www.globalfoundries.com. * The names of companies, products and services featured in this press release are the trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies.* The information in this press release is current as the date of publication and is subject to change without notice. Contacts: Bud Caverly Angie KellenToppan Photomasks, Inc. Open Sky Communications (for TPI)Phone: 503-913-0694 Phone: 408-829-0106 Email: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Erica McGillGLOBALFOUNDRIESPhone: 518-795-5240Email: [email protected]
GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Toppan Photomasks Extend Advanced Photomask Joint Venture in Germany April 9, 2018Round Rock, Texas, Santa Clara, Calif., and Dresden, Germany, April 9, 2018 — GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc. (GF) and Toppan Photomasks, Inc. (TPI) today announced a multi-year extension to their Advanced Mask Technology Center (AMTC) joint venture in Dresden, Germany. Opened in 2002, the AMTC provides GF’s fabs in Dresden, Malta and Singapore with high-end production and development masks at world-class cycle times in support of the foundry’s ambitious technology roadmap. The AMTC also supports TPI customers worldwide from Dresden. Owned equally by TPI and GF, the AMTC joint venture was previously extended in 2012 to further increase tool capability and capacity. This new extension to the agreement aims to continue the current charter for manufacturing production masks as well as developing mask technology for ever smaller geometries. GF is both TPI’s partner in the joint venture and a strategic and critical customer, while TPI is GF’s preferred mask supplier, leveraging AMTC and TPI’s global manufacturing network to support GF’s worldwide operations. The AMTC provides one of the most essential and complex elements in the semiconductor manufacturing process, which puts the latest technology innovations at consumers’ fingertips. Since its inception, the output of AMTC has grown continuously with growth rates exceeding 10 percent in recent years. Sizeable investments have enabled the AMTC to keep up with the rapid technological developments and challenges of this dynamic market sector; in 2017 alone more than 100 million euros (US$124 million) were invested. “From computing to communication, and from automotive to medtech – our dual roadmap allows us to provide innovative technologies for the benefit of our customers around the world,” said Geoff Akiki, World Wide Mask Operations Executive at GF. “Regardless if they choose FD-SOI with its focus on energy efficiency or FinFET with its focus on high performance, both require leading-edge lithographic masks. AMTC is a great partner and provider of those masks. We are especially pleased that the experience of AMTC will be fully utilized to support us at the leading edge of chip technology.” “Having been in place for more than 15 years, this joint venture is one of the lengthiest in the mask industry,” said Mike Hadsell, TPI CEO. “This is a testament to the synergy and commitment of the partners, as well as the strength of the AMTC and Toppan Dresden team members. AMTC is truly a best-of-breed effort that has provided high-quality masks to TPI’s customer base, both in Europe and globally.” “AMTC was founded with a mission to be its customers’ first choice for photomasks. To achieve this goal, our experienced and dedicated team pursues cost-effective and timely manufacturing of high-quality masks for multiple nodes. In the process, the partners have continued to strengthen their relationship while allowing AMTC to serve as a valuable resource for our demanding global customer base,” noted Thomas Schmidt, AMTC’s general manager. “AMTC was established to support AMD’s microprocessor production in Dresden at the 65nm/90nm node. We have moved way beyond that and are looking beyond the current 14nm node.” AMTC was founded in 2002 by AMD, Infineon Technologies and DuPont Photomasks, which became TPI in 2005. Subsequently, GF and TPI became the ownership partners in 2009. AMTC has seen a cumulative investment of more than US$600 million since 2002. The mask facility employs more than 250 engineers and other specialists. The company is currently expanding its team – please check the AMTC Career Page for open opportunities. About Toppan Photomasks Toppan Photomasks, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Toppan Printing Co., Ltd., a diversified global company with revenue in excess of US$14 billion in 2016. Toppan Photomasks is part of the Toppan Group of photomask companies. As the world’s premier photomask provider, the Toppan Group operates the industry’s most advanced and largest network of manufacturing facilities and offers a comprehensive range of photomask technologies and research and development capabilities to meet the increasingly sophisticated and divergent product-and service requirements of the global semiconductor industry. Toppan Photomasks is headquartered in Round Rock, Texas. For more information, visit www.photomask.com. About Toppan Printing’s Photomask Business Toppan Printing is the world’s premier photomask manufacturer. The company supports the global semiconductor industry, from the initial launch of the semiconductor manufacturing process through commercial production, by providing state-of-the-art photomask technology. Toppan is the only global photomask manufacturer providing the highest quality products in a timely manner to customers across Japan, the United States, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.toppan.co.jp. About GLOBALFOUNDRIES GLOBALFOUNDRIES is a leading full-service semiconductor foundry providing a unique combination of design, development, and fabrication services to some of the world’s most inspired technology companies. With a global manufacturing footprint spanning three continents, GF makes possible the technologies and systems that transform industries and give customers the power to shape their markets. GF is owned by Mubadala Investment Company. For more information, visit https://www.globalfoundries.com. * The names of companies, products and services featured in this press release are the trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies.* The information in this press release is current as the date of publication and is subject to change without notice. Contacts: Bud Caverly Angie KellenToppan Photomasks, Inc. Open Sky Communications (for TPI)Phone: 503-913-0694 Phone: 408-829-0106 Email: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Erica McGillGLOBALFOUNDRIESPhone: 518-795-5240Email: [email protected]
New Semiconductor Architecture to Skyrocket EV and HEV Vehicle Performance and Range March 29, 2018By: Khaled Douzane An Introduction to the revolutionary and industry first FPCU (Field Programmable Control Unit) As you probably know, the automotive industry is amidst a digital and electric revolution. Much similar to the evolution from flip phones to smartphones, vehicles are becoming electrified, autonomous, and connected, transforming mobility as we know it forever. What you may not know is semiconductors inside these cars are becoming more and more valuable, as they are the key to enabling electric and hybrid vehicles to conserve power, charge faster and reach new ranges. The world’s top auto manufacturers are judged on these key factors and are in a race to find the best technologies to reach the farthest vehicle range with the least power consumption with the fastest battery charging time. Seeking of new technologies The answer to this challenge is extremely complex as it involves several elements within an electrified powertrain system. From the battery technology and electric motor design to the motor positioning, there are limitless combinations of technologies to use in electric powertrains, and we are not diving into that conversation as it would be a very long article. The key to this discussion is the ability to control these new systems efficiently together in harmony for maximum performance with new a semiconductor designed specifically for electric and hybrid powertrain systems. Amazingly, no adequate solution to date has been offered by traditional semiconductor manufacturers to control these new systems efficiently. Therefore, Tier 1 manufacturers and OEMs are essentially forced to use limiting technologies like multicores and microcontrollers that were designed for gas powered engines. Because of this, Silicon Mobility has engineered a new semiconductor called the Field Programmable Control Unit (FPCU) that enables existing electric and hybrid vehicle technologies to achieve their true potential. A Semiconductor that surpasses the limits This new disruptive FPCU semiconductor technology combines a flexible and parallel hardware architecture that offers real-time processing and control of sensors and actuators, coupled with a standard CPU. This is surrounded and complemented with an integrated highest standard safety architecture (ASIL-D) to form a single semiconductor. The result is a far more powerful, flexible and safe architecture for the control and performance of electric and hybrid powertrains. Source: Silicon Mobility’s demo at Embedded World 2018 The FPCU removes software bottlenecks and increases data processing over 40x faster than traditional semiconductors. The FPCU also enables up to 20x faster hard real-time control loop ensuring engine endurance and eliminating signal delays that can cause engine failure or damage. In addition, by executing complex algorithms in the FPCU hardware instead of software reduces power consumption significantly, reaching reductions of over 180 or 200 percent. This result of less power being consumed is an increased range of electric and hybrid vehicles. The FPCU has been measured to extend electric and hybrid vehicle range by over 32%! Enabling the electric and hybrid revolution By introducing the FPCU semiconductor, Silicon Mobility is helping automotive manufacturers and OEMs bring more efficient and custom designed electric and hybrid vehicles to market. Especially with the increased demand for extended vehicle range and increased data processing for autonomous driving, semiconductors like the FPCU are the key to achieving this without the need for rethinking or redesigning vehicle powertrain systems such as the battery or engine. Every top car manufacturer in the world is introducing at least one new electric or hybrid model in the next two years, and semiconductor solutions will be in extremely high demand. With the ability to increase vehicle range and data processing exponentially while reducing power consumption, semiconductor architecture is going to pave the way for electric and hybrid vehicle performance and range. Reason being, it is much less expensive to integrate new semiconductor architecture into existing powertrains than significantly alter powertrain system design and supply chains. To learn more about Silicon Mobility’s FPCU called OLEA, please visit our website and learn about how this industry first semiconductor architecture can enable your electric and hybrid revolution. Last year, GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Silicon Mobility successfully produced the industry’s first automotive FPCU solution. Most recently, Silicon Mobility successfully demonstrated its T222 chip at Embedded World 2018. This FPCU solution uses GF’s 55nm Low Power Extended (55LPx) automotive qualified technology platform to integrate multiple functions onto a single chip, boosting performance for hybrid and electric vehicles. Watch a live demoof Silicon Mobility’s electric automotive motor control, enabled by GF’s 55nm eFlash technology. About Author Khaled Douzane Khaled Douzane has 18 years of experience in the semiconductor industry with and automotive focus. As Silicon Mobility’s Vice President of Products, he is defining and driving all product lines for electric (EV) and hybrid (HEV) powertrain and autonomous vehicle applications. Khaled is a stakeholder in the patented technology design at the core of Silicon Mobilty’s innovative and revolutionary products. Prior to co-founding Silicon Mobility, Khaled contributed to the development of Scaleo, a semiconductor fabless company, where he held several roles, including SoC Desing Manager for eight years and Product Manager for an additional eight years. Khaled Douzane is a graduate of Nice Sophia-Antipolis POLYTECH engineering school with a major in Electronics.
Experts Emphasize the Need for Complete 5G Solutions March 23, 2018By: Gary Dagastine GF spoke 5G and the world listened at Mobile World Congress 2018 The Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain is the wireless industry’s leading annual event, and this year’s edition in late February was buzzing with talk of 5G wireless technology. GLOBALFOUNDRIES seized the moment on the show’s very first morning with a special program on 5G’s evolving uses and technology requirements. First, Gregg Bartlett and Dr. Bami Bastani, Sr. Vice Presidents of GF’s CMOS and RF business units, respectively, outlined 5G-related semiconductor challenges and opportunities for an audience of device developers, networking specialists and high-performance computing architects. 5G will impact all these areas because it enables smarter devices to feed through higher-bandwidth connections to ever-more-powerful data centers. Then, a panel discussion moderated by Mike Cadigan, GF’s Sr. Vice President of Global Sales and Business Development, and head of GF’s ASIC business unit, took place. The panel was made up of invited experts from Nokia Mobile Networks, Mobile Experts LLC and TU-Dresden. They gave insights into why 5G networks aren’t likely to roll out on a nationwide scale, why a one-millisecond network latency is “magical,” how working directly with a foundry can support more holistic solutions, and many other important considerations. Delivering the promise of 5G demands optimized solutions. Source: GF 5G Computing Demands Optimized Silicon Bartlett said 5G will drive profound changes in the computing requirements for devices and data centers, because the complexity and volume of network traffic are growing exponentially as the result of more users, more transactions per user and richer content per transaction. “Data center applications will require very fast processors and near-100% uptime, while edge-connected devices will require chips with extremely low-power/low-leakage performance, and with embedded memory for storage and RF for wireless connectivity,” he said. Both applications also will make use of artificial intelligence (AI) functionality but they will do so differently, he said. Data centers will use AI to learn, anticipate and direct the behavior of devices and networks, while edge-connected devices such as automotive cameras will use it locally for real-time processing and inference. 5G bandwidth is essential to support all these uses. Design costs are increasing exponentially at each node. Source: IBS 2017 Bartlett said many companies will find it difficult to take advantage of 5G opportunities because of the significant investments required in design tools, EDA, intellectual property (IP) development and verification. “Many new, innovative companies can’t absorb these development costs, and they need technology solutions offering both competitive advantage and cost reductions going forward,” he said. He explained how GF’s dual-technology roadmap offers this flexibility, with advanced FinFET CMOS technology for high-performance computing, and FD-SOI technology for wireless and battery-powered applications, both of which can be integrated with best-in-class RF functionality. Application-specific ICs, or ASICs, are another path forward to 5G, and GF offers the leading ASIC IP portfolio and more than 1,000 experienced engineers. While many customers are clamoring for such wide-ranging, flexible foundry solutions, not all foundries are able to respond. “We have a growing portfolio of what I call ‘revolutionary’ customers, who are using new silicon as a wedge to break or change their industry’s traditional competitive framework,” he said. “They are demanding easier access to silicon and we have aligned ourselves accordingly to provide the optimized solutions they need.” 5G Connectivity Brings More Complexity On the connectivity side, Bami Bastani said 5G will be rolled out in stages, leveraging the existing 4G/LTE backbone. First there will be enhancements to the existing system, then an initial rollout of sub-6GHz bands with massive MIMO architectures for high-rate transmission, and then a second rollout to expand network capacity and drive even higher data transmission rates by leveraging mmWave bands. “This all means a more complex radio is required, one that works not only with new network protocols but also with legacy protocols and bands,” he said. “Thus, front-end modules (FEMs) must evolve in many ways as the transition from 4G to 5G takes place.” Bastani said GF’s rich RF portfolio of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) and silicon germanium (SiGe) technology platforms creates differentiation for customers, as these optimized solutions can address specific customer performance, complexity and cost demands. He gave two examples. For 5G basestations, control of the antenna arrays will require much more complex signal processing circuitry. “This process is called beamforming, and it can be done with analog, digital or hybrid circuitry depending on the size of the array. How the system is partitioned drives the choice of technology, and GF has a rich set of offerings to address all requirements,” he said. The requirements are different for small mobile devices. “You’re now dealing with smaller arrays which require higher power per element to achieve the same radiated power. The good news is we can now do much of the beamforming digitally, thereby leveraging the scaling of advanced nodes like 22FDX to achieve low power and cost for these applications,” he said. Industry Experts Outline the 5G Future The discussion then shifted to a panel of experts including Joe Madden, principal analyst at Mobile Experts, Professor Frank Fitzek, head of the Deutsche Telekom Chair of Communication Networks at TU Dresden, and Michael Reiha, head of RF IC R&D at Nokia Mobile Networks. Joe Madden started the panel dialogue, commenting that 5G networks will roll out differently than previous networking technologies. These were characterized by rapid surges of deployment because they enabled existing, widely used applications such as email to go wireless. By contrast, he said, 5G primarily benefits network operators and as-yet non-existent markets. “From a network operator’s viewpoint the real advantage of 5G is cost. Today, it costs about $1.50 to deliver 1 GB of data over an LTE network, but with mmWave 5G it might be 5 cents or less,” he said, which implies there will be islands of deployment initially, such as in urban centers with dense network traffic or where it’s specifically needed for certain IoT applications. Moving on to the topic of 5G standards, Cadigan asked Prof. Fitzek to describe the ways in which they are evolving, and how it relates to foundry technology. “Transporting more data isn’t really the issue, it’s all about latency. In that regard, why do we keep arguing that a 1-ms latency requirement is so magical? Well, it has to do with the physics of feedback loops,” said Prof. Fitzek. (Latency is the inherent delay in the network.) NEXTech Labs Theater, MWC 2018 He gave the example of a 50 Hz power plant feeding electricity into a smart power grid. A mere 10-ms of latency in the grid would result in such large phase shifts in the generator’s electrical output that it could be damaged, he said, whereas 1-ms of latency would be adequate. “Many people think that if you put the wrong figure for latency into the standard, you can just fix it later. But it will be hard to fix, and to get the full value of 5G networks it must be there from the start.” This doesn’t pose a problem for semiconductor technologists, he said, because they are already very familiar with feedback loops. The need for low latency is a major reason why Nokia designed its recently introduced 5G Reefshark chipsets itself instead of working with a fabless semiconductor company, according to Reiha. Cadigan asked him what that might mean for future foundry relationships. Reiha said that to achieve such low latencies one needs to look at 5G requirements holistically, with a vision of the future that semiconductor solutions are flexible enough to support. “Nokia Bell Labs literally wrote the book on massive MIMO, and this enables us to understand the system-based challenges. We also understand the importance of seamless integration of semiconductor functions,” he said. “What we expect from our foundries is an honest dialog and open access to IP to maintain our quality standards. We need quality IP because we can’t do everything, we’re not experts in all domains,” he said. Cadigan went on and asked the panelists for their perspective on the approach GLOBALFOUNDRIES is taking in the 5G space. Madden said that GF’s ability to integrate various technologies is very important. “As we go to massive MIMO arrays, there is pressure to reduce the size of radio arrays as well as receivers. There can’t be large transmission lines, and multichip modules where everything is tightly integrated are essential,” he said. Cadigan noted the advanced packaging technology which came to GF from IBM. Reiha said GF has the best-in-class RF capability, and that from Nokia’s perspective the continuation of ongoing device model improvements for RF is key. “This is especially needed for thermal device models and also for technologies such as SOI to enable more of a seamless mixed-signal simulation environment that would let us build many more sensors and put more control on our RF die, which would really let us focus on having an AI footprint at the antenna interface,” he said. Prof. Fitzek talked about the importance of software and the openness of GF’s technology. “Because at this point you can’t really foresee what users will do, and machine learning will have its own purposes, your software APIs will only become more important in the future.” 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,
格芯发起RF生态系统计划， 旨在加快无线连接、雷达和5G应用的上市速度 March 20, 2018RFwave™合作伙伴计划可以扩展生态系统，在格芯的RF技术平台上实现更快的产品部署 加利福尼亚州圣克拉拉，2018年3月20日 – 格芯今日宣布启动名为RFwave™的全新生态系统合作伙伴计划，旨在简化RF设计，帮助客户缩短新一代无线设备和网络的上市时间。 过去几年，市场对互联设备和系统的需求持续增长，这就需要我们在无线电技术领域开展创新，以支持新的运营模式和更先进的功能。RFwave合作伙伴计划基于格芯的5G愿景和路线图, 重点围绕格芯先进的射频(RF)解决方案，例如FD-SOI、RF CMOS（体硅和先进CMOS节点）、RF SOI和锗硅 (SiGe)技术。该计划为设计人员提供了一种低风险、高成本效益的方法，帮助他们构建高度优化的RF解决方案，面向众多不同的无线应用，例如采用多种无线连接和蜂窝标准的物联网、独立或集成收发器的5G前端模块、毫米波回程、汽车雷达、小基站和固定无线和卫星宽带。 通过RFwave计划，客户能够构建创新的RF解决方案，以及封装和测试解决方案。首批合作伙伴已经为该计划提交了一系列关键产品，包括： 工具(EDA)，通过添加特定模块，方便客户轻松地利用格芯的RF技术平台的功能，从而为先进的设计流程提供补充； 全面的设计要素(IP)库，包括基础IP、接口和复杂IP，让晶圆代工厂客户能够利用经过预先验证的设计要素来开始进行设计； 资源（设计咨询、服务），我们的员工经过培训，遍及全球各地，当合作伙伴使用格芯RF技术来开发解决方案时，可以轻松获得支持 “未来几年内，数字化信息将会呈现爆炸式增长，从而驱动数据量急剧增加，我们的客户已经在为未来随时随地进行无缝可靠的超高数据速率无线连接做准备。”格芯射频业务部高级副总裁Bami Bastani表示，“作为RF领域的领导者，格芯的RFwave计划将行业合作提升到一个新的高度，让客户能够构建针对RF量身定制的高度集成的差异化解决方案，加快推动新一代技术的兴起。” RFwave合作伙伴计划将创建一个开放式框架，允许选定的合作伙伴将他们的产品或服务集成到已获得验证的即插即用型设计解决方案之中。得益于这种程度的集成，客户能够利用针对RF技术的广泛优质产品，创建高性能设计，同时最大程度地降低开发成本。通过合作伙伴生态系统，成员和客户能够实现无处不在的无线连接，广泛采用格芯先进的RF技术平台。 RFwave合作伙伴计划的首批成员包括：asicNorth、Cadence、CoreHW、CWS、是德科技（Keysight Technologies）、Spectral Design和WEASIC。这些公司已经启动了相关工作，以提供高度优化的创新RF解决方案。 有兴趣了解更多关于格芯RFwave合作伙伴计划的客户，可以联系格芯销售代表，或登陆网站 globalfoundries.com/cn。 正面评价 “asicNorth很荣幸加入格芯的RFwave生态系统，为RFwave客户提供IP和设计服务。显而易见，格芯在认真严肃地选择合适的合作伙伴，帮助客户在RF技术领域取得成功。asicNorth一直在有效地推动着很多格芯客户，为RFwave客户取得成功创造便利条件。” ——asicNorth总裁Mike Slattery “RFwave合作伙伴计划在格芯和Cadence之间建立了良好合作关系，让双方的共同客户能够使用我们的全套‘系统-设计-实现’工具进行设计，包含从芯片到封装再到电路板的独特解决方案。其中包括我们的Virtuoso®、Spectre®、SigrityTM和Allegro®工具，客户可以使用这些工具来开发5G、无线以及其他RF芯片和系统，实现更出色的性能、更低的功耗、更小的尺寸。” ——Cadence定制IC和PCB部门资深副总裁兼总经理Tom Beckley， “我们非常荣幸与格芯合作开发CoreHW的下一代IC解决方案。这种合作关系将会进一步增强我们的IC设计合作，让我们能够开发先进的技术节点，达到出色的RF工艺性能和建模精度。通过与格芯这样的领先代工厂开展密切合作，再结合CoreHW的最新创新、经验和方法，我们能够一次性成功开发正确的RF芯片解决方案。” ——CoreHW 首席执行官Tomi-Pekka Takalo “对于RF设计行业而言，这是一个好消息。通过格芯的RFwave计划，CWS将能够在优化设计尺寸方面扮演至关重要的角色，并为在高性能蜂窝、物联网、5G和Wi-Fi通信芯片上设计片上传输线路提供更高灵活性。” ——CWS 董事长兼首席执行官Brieuc Turluche “是德科技很荣幸通过RFwave计划与格芯结为合作伙伴。这样可以进一步实现我们共同客户的设计流程，从而将双方的合作关系提升到新的高度。是德科技的先进设计系统，以及先进的RF和微波电路设计平台GoldenGate，将帮助设计人员利用适用于RFIC电路、电磁、电热模拟的新兴解决方案，应对最严峻的设计挑战。此外，有了格芯的可互操作ADS PDK，无论使用哪一种原理图或布局环境来生成设计，芯片设计人员都能够采用是德科技的模拟技术。” ——是德科技公司高级副总裁兼通信解决方案部门总裁Satish Dhanasekaran “对于RF架构师而言，RFwave生态系统是一个功能强大的平台，让他们能够无缝集成优秀的系统设计，而且设计周期非常短。Spectral的MemoryIP平台能够在很短时间内，将格芯的PDK和第三方EDA工具集成在一起。MemoryIP为ASIC设计人员提供了用于高速低功耗存储器编译器的先进架构，还提供比其他任何嵌入式SRAM供应商更多的选项。凭借格芯的高产量位单元，结合Spectral的专有泄漏偏置技术以及各种辅助和维修选项，RF设计人员能够让存储器宏在更广泛的电压和温度条件下工作。祝贺格芯为RF设计行业提供了广泛经过芯片验证的解决方案。” ——Spectral Design & Test Inc.总裁兼首席执行官Deepak Mehta “WEASIC非常荣幸能够加入格芯的RFwave计划。WEASIC正在采用格芯具有良好前景的工艺，部署毫米波和混合信号IP产品组合，以满足新一代5G通信和自动驾驶市场的庞大需求。” ——WEASIC首席执行官和创始人Emmanouil Metaxakis 关于格芯 格芯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。伴随着全球生产基地横跨三大洲的发展步伐，格芯促生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。欲了解更多信息，请访问https://www.globalfoundries.com/cn。 媒体垂询： 杨颖（Jessie Yang) (021) 8029 6826 [email protected] 邢芳洁（Jay Xing） 86 18801624170 [email protected]
GLOBALFOUNDRIES Launches RF Ecosystem Program to Accelerate Time-to-Market for Wireless Connectivity, Radar and 5G Applications March 20, 2018RFwave™ Partner Program expands the ecosystem and enables faster product deployment on GF’s RF technology platforms Santa Clara, Calif., March 20, 2018 – GLOBALFOUNDRIES today announced a new ecosystem partner program, called RFwave™, designed to simplify RF design and help customers reduce time-to-market for a new era of wireless devices and networks. The last few years there has been an increasing demand for connected devices and systems that will require innovations in radio technologies to support the new modes of operation and higher capabilities. The RFwave Partner Program builds upon GF’s 5G vision and roadmap, with a focus on the company’s industry-leading radio frequency (RF) solutions, such as FD-SOI, RF CMOS (bulk and advanced CMOS nodes), RF SOI and silicon germanium (SiGe) technologies. The program provides a low-risk, cost-effective path for designers seeking to build highly optimized RF solutions for a range of wireless applications such as IoT across various wireless connectivity and cellular standards, standalone or transceiver integrated 5G front end modules, mmWave backhaul, automotive radar, small cell and fixed wireless and satellite broadband. RFwave enables customers to build innovative RF solutions as well as packaging and test solutions. Initial partners have committed a set of key offerings to the program, including: tools (EDA) that complement industry leading design flows by adding specific modules to easily leverage features of GF’s RF technology platforms, a comprehensive library of design elements (IP), including foundation IP, interfaces and complex IP to enable foundry customers to start their designs using pre-validated IP elements, resources (design consultation, services), trained and globally distributed, for Partners to gain easy access to support in developing solutions using GF’s RF technologies “An explosion of digital information is expected to drive an enormous amount of growth in the coming years and our customers are already preparing for a future of seamless, reliable ultra high data rate wireless connectivity everywhere,” said Bami Bastani, senior vice president of GF’S RF Business Unit. “As a leader in RF, GF’s RFwave program takes industry collaboration to a new level, enabling our customers to build differentiated, highly integrated RF-tailored solutions that are designed to accelerate the next wave of technology.” The RFwave Partner Program creates an open framework to allow selected partners to integrate their products or services into a validated, plug-and-play catalog of design solutions. This level of integration allows customers to create high-performance designs while minimizing development costs through access to a broad set of quality offerings, specific to RF technology. The partner ecosystem positions members and customers to take advantage of ubiquitous connectivity and the broad adoption of GF’s industry-leading RF technology platforms. Initial members of the RFwave Partner Program are: asicNorth, Cadence, CoreHW, CWS, Keysight Technologies, Spectral Design, and WEASIC. These companies have already initiated work to deliver innovative, highly optimized RF solutions. Customers that are interested in learning more about GF’s RFwave program contact your sales representative or visit globalfoundries.com. Supporting Quotes “asicNorth is pleased to join GF’s RFwave Ecosystem and make its IP and Design Services available to RFwave customers. It is clear that GF is serious about aligning the right partners to enable their customers to be successful in the RF technologies. asicNorth has been an effective catalyst for many GF customers and is excited to facilitate the success of RFwave customers.” Mike Slattery, President, asicNorth “The RFwave Partner Program builds on the relationship between GF and Cadence, enabling our mutual customers to design with our full set of system-design-enablement tools with unique solutions from chip to package to board. This includes our Virtuoso®, Spectre®, SigrityTM, and Allegro® tools that our customers use to develop 5G, wireless, and other RF chips and systems with better performance, lower power consumption and a smaller form factor.” Tom Beckley, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Custom IC & PCB Group, Cadence “We are excited to partner with GF on the development of CoreHW’s next generation IC solutions. This partnership further strengthens our IC design cooperation by giving us access to advanced technology nodes with exceptionally good RF process performance and modelling accuracy. A close cooperation with a leading foundry such as GF coupled with the latest innovations, experience and methodology from CoreHW enables first time right RF silicon success.” Tomi-Pekka Takalo, CEO, CoreHW “This is great news for the RF design community. Through GF’s RFwave program CWS will be able to play a critical role in optimizing design sizes and deliver more flexibility to design on-chip transmission lines for high-performing cellular, IoT, 5G and Wi-Fi communication chips.” Brieuc Turluche, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer, CWS “Keysight is excited to partner with GF in the RFwave program. This takes our relationship to the next level by further enabling our mutual customers’ design flows. Keysight’s Advanced Design System and GoldenGate, are industry leading platforms for RF and microwave circuit design that will help designers address their most difficult design challenges with pioneering solutions for RFIC circuit, electromagnetic, and electro-thermal simulations. Furthermore, GF’s interoperable ADS PDKs allow silicon designers access to Keysight’s simulation technologies independent of which schematic or layout environment is used to generate the design.” Satish Dhanasekaran, SVP and President of Communications Solution Group, Keysight Technologies Inc. “The RFwave Ecosystem is an excellent platform for RF architects to seamlessly integrate their best-in-class system designs with the shortest cycle-time. Spectral’s MemoryIP platform was able to integrate GF’s PDKs and third party EDA tools in record time. MemoryIP provides ASIC designers with the most advanced architectures for high speed low power Memory Compilers with more options than any other embedded SRAM provider. With GF’s high yielding bit cells, coupled with Spectral’s proprietary leakage biasing techniques and various assist and repair options, RF designers can operate memory macros over a wider variety of voltage and temperature conditions. Congratulations to GF for offering a wide-range of silicon proven solutions to the RF design community.” Deepak Mehta, President and CEO, Spectral Design & Test Inc. “WEASIC is excited to participate in GF’s RFwave program. WEASIC is deploying its millimeter-wave and mixed signal IP portfolio in GF’s most promising processes for the next generation big markets of 5G communications and autonomous driving.” Emmanouil Metaxakis, CEO and Founder, WEASIC About GF GLOBALFOUNDRIES is a leading full-service semiconductor foundry providing a unique combination of design, development, and fabrication services to some of the world’s most inspired technology companies. With a global manufacturing footprint spanning three continents, GLOBALFOUNDRIES makes possible the technologies and systems that transform industries and give customers the power to shape their markets. GLOBALFOUNDRIES is owned by Mubadala Investment Company. For more information, visit https://www.globalfoundries.com. Contact: Erica McGill GLOBALFOUNDRIES (518) 795-5240 [email protected]
GLOBALFOUNDRIES Names Ronald Sampson as General Manager of its Leading-Edge Silicon Manufacturing Facility in New York March 19, 2018GLOBALFOUNDRIES Names Ronald Sampson as General Manager of its Leading-Edge Silicon Manufacturing Facility in New York Santa Clara, Calif., March 19, 2018 – GLOBALFOUNDRIES today announced it has appointed Dr. Ronald Sampson as senior vice president and general manager of the company’s leading-edge 300mm semiconductor wafer manufacturing facility (Fab 8), located in Saratoga County, N.Y. Sampson, who is an accomplished leader with 30 years of industry experience, will lead the operations of one of the world’s most advanced semiconductor fabs, supporting a wide range of customers designing chips on advanced 14nm FinFET and 7nm FinFET technology platforms. Sampson replaces Dr. Thomas Caulfield, who was recently appointed as GF’s chief executive officer. “Fab 8 is a true manufacturing success story and proof that innovation is alive and well in the U.S. semiconductor industry,” Caulfield said. “I am committed to capitalizing on the significant investments we have made to build Fab 8 into a trusted partner for our leading-edge customers. Ron is an experienced leader and an integral member of the Fab 8 team. I can think of nobody better to lead the next era of growth at Fab 8.” Sampson joined GF in August 2014 as the vice president of program management at Fab 8. Prior to that, he spent 20 years at STMicroelectronics where he held a variety of progressive leadership positions in technology development, manufacturing, operations and program management within both ST and with the IBM-led Joint Development Alliances. Prior to his time with ST, he worked at Digital Equipment Corporation’s Hudson, Mass. Advanced Semiconductor Development facility. Sampson holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from University of Cincinnati, and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Duke University. ABOUT GF GLOBALFOUNDRIES is a leading full-service semiconductor foundry providing a unique combination of design, development, and fabrication services to some of the world’s most inspired technology companies. With a global manufacturing footprint spanning three continents, GLOBALFOUNDRIES makes possible the technologies and systems that transform industries and give customers the power to shape their markets. GLOBALFOUNDRIES is owned by Mubadala Investment Company. For more information, visit www.globalfoundries.com. Contact: Steven Grasso(518) 305-6144[email protected]
格芯扩展硅光子路线图，满足对数据中心连接的爆炸式增长需求 March 15, 2018光子集成技术有助于提升新一代光学互连的带宽和能效 2018年3月14日，加州圣克拉拉 – 今天，格芯揭示硅光子路线图的新信息，推动数据中心和云应用的新一代光学互连。格芯已经用300 mm晶圆认证了行业首个90 nm制造工艺，同时宣布未来的45 nm技术将带来更大的带宽和能效。 格芯的硅光子技术旨在应对全球通信基础设施中的大规模数据增长。不同于利用铜线电信号传输数据的传统互连，硅光子技术使用光纤光脉冲，以更高的速度在更远距离上传输数据并降低能耗。 格芯ASIC业务部高级副总裁Mike Cadigan表示：“带宽需求呈现爆炸式增长，现在迫切需要新一代的光学互连。不管是数据中心内部芯片之间，还是相隔千里的云服务器之间，我们的硅光子技术都能让客户在前所未有的连接水平上传送大量数据。” 格芯的硅光子技术可在单个硅芯片上并排集成微小光学组件与电路。“单芯片”方案利用标准硅制造技术，提高了客户部署光学互连系统的效率，降低了成本。 现在可使用300 mm晶圆 格芯的当代硅光子产品依托90 nm RF SOI工艺，这项工艺充分发挥了公司在制造高性能射频(RF)芯片方面积累的一流经验。平台可以实施提供30GHz带宽的解决方案，支持客户端数据传输速率达到800 Gbps，同时使数据传输距离增加到120 km。 这项技术先前使用200 mm晶圆工艺，格芯位于纽约州东菲什基尔的10号晶圆厂现在认证了300 mm直径的晶圆。采用300 mm晶圆有助于提高客户产能和生产率，让光子损失减少2倍，扩大覆盖范围，实现效率更高的光学系统。 Cadence Design Systems公司用于E/O/E、协同设计、极化、温度和波长参数的完整PDK支持90 nm技术，并提供差异化光子测试能力，包括从技术认证和建模到MCM产品测试的五个测试部分。 未来路线图 格芯新一代单芯片硅光子产品将采用45 nm RF SOI工艺，计划于2019年投入生产。这项技术利用更先进的45 nm节点，功耗降低，体积减小，用于光学收发器产品的带宽更高，可满足新一代兆兆位应用。 关于格芯 格芯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。伴随着全球生产基地横跨三大洲的发展步伐，格芯促生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。 欲了解更多信息，请访问 www.globalfoundries.com/cn。 媒体垂询： Jason Gorss (518) 698-7765 [email protected]
GLOBALFOUNDRIES Extends Silicon Photonics Roadmap to Meet Explosive Demand for Datacenter Connectivity March 14, 2018Integrated photonics technologies enable improved bandwidth and energy efficiency for next-generation optical interconnects Santa Clara, Calif., March 14, 2018 – GLOBALFOUNDRIES today revealed new details of its silicon photonics roadmap to enable the next generation of optical interconnects for datacenter and cloud applications. The company has now qualified the industry’s first 90nm manufacturing process using 300mm wafers, while also unveiling its upcoming 45nm technology to deliver even greater bandwidth and energy efficiency. GF’s silicon photonics technologies are designed to support the massive growth in data transmitted across today’s global communication infrastructure. Instead of traditional interconnects that transmit data using electrical signals over copper wires, silicon photonics technology uses pulses of light through optical fibers to move more data at higher speeds and over longer distances, while also minimizing energy loss. “The explosive need for bandwidth is fueling demand for a new generation of optical interconnects,” said Mike Cadigan, senior vice president of the ASIC business unit at GF. “Our silicon photonics technologies enable customers to deliver unprecedented levels of connectivity for transferring massive amounts of data, whether it’s between chips inside a datacenter or across cloud servers separated by hundreds and even thousands of miles.” GF’s silicon photonics technologies enable the integration of tiny optical components side-by-side with electrical circuits on a single silicon chip. This “monolithic” approach leverages standard silicon manufacturing techniques to improve production efficiency and reduce cost for customers deploying optical interconnect systems. Available Today on 300mm GF’s current-generation silicon photonics offering is built on its 90nm RF SOI process, which leverages the company’s world-class experience in manufacturing high-performance radio frequency (RF) chips. The platform can enable solutions that provide 30GHz of bandwidth to support client side data rates of up to 800Gbps, as well as long-reach capabilities of up to 120km. The technology, which had previously been manufactured using 200mm wafer processing, has now been qualified on larger-diameter 300mm wafers at GF’s Fab 10 facility in East Fishkill, N.Y. The migration to 300mm enables more customer capacity, greater manufacturing productivity, and up to a 2X reduction in photonic losses to improve reach and enable more efficient optical systems. The 90nm technology is supported by a full PDK for E/O/E co-design, polarization, temperature and wavelength parametrics from Cadence Design Systems, as well as differentiated photonic test capabilities including five test sectors from technology verification and modeling to MCM product test. A Roadmap for Tomorrow GF’s next-generation monolithic silicon photonics offering will be manufactured on its 45nm RF SOI process, with production slated for 2019. By leveraging the more advanced 45nm node, the technology will enable reduced power, smaller form factor, and significantly higher bandwidth optical transceiver products to address next generation terabit applications. ABOUT GF GLOBALFOUNDRIES is a leading full-service semiconductor foundry providing a unique combination of design, development, and fabrication services to some of the world’s most inspired technology companies. With a global manufacturing footprint spanning three continents, GLOBALFOUNDRIES makes possible the technologies and systems that transform industries and give customers the power to shape their markets. GLOBALFOUNDRIES is owned by Mubadala Investment Company. For more information, visit www.globalfoundries.com. Contact: Jason Gorss(518) 698-7765[email protected]
