By Brian Raley 
Director of Corporate Environmental, Health, and Safety and Sustainability, GlobalFoundries 

It is my pleasure to announce GlobalFoundries (GF) has published its 2024 Sustainability Report. This comprehensive report is a testament to our company’s longstanding commitment to corporate responsibility and doing the right thing for our global team, our communities and the planet. 

The achievements highlighted in the 2024 Sustainability Report are the culmination of efforts from nearly every area of our business. Throughout its pages, you’ll read about a range of topics. From employee health and safety, to resource conservation and sustainable manufacturing. From fostering a secure and responsible supply chain, to the way we engage with our communities and other stakeholders, and so much more. 

Below are a few examples of stories and information you’ll find:  

• GF’s new goal of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050  

• GF’s commitment to employee safety, achieving 2023 results that surpass our 2022 best-in-class performance. 

• Chips made by GF are in the James Webb telescope and have traveled to Mars and beyond the moons of Jupiter to pioneer new discoveries. 

• GF winning the “Equity 100 Award” from the Human Right’s Campaign for being a leader in LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion. 

• The good we are doing in our communities, with GF and its employees collectively donating more than $1.3 million USD in 2023 to support 1,443 charities globally. 

• Our four global manufacturing sites having earned the maximum score of 200, with zero finding, in their most recent Responsible Business Alliance audits. 

This work is in service to GF’s mission of innovating and partnering with customers to deliver solutions for humanity; our vision of changing the industry that is changing the world; and our living our values “Create, Embrace, Partner and Deliver” always with unyielding integrity. 

For many of us at GF, this work goes beyond our professional life and duties. This sentiment is reflected in the words Dr. Thomas Caulfield, president and CEO of GF, wrote in his introduction to the report: 

“This is a calling for us as companies, organizations and individuals to take responsibility and personal ownership of these important topics. We owe this to ourselves and future generations.” 

I invite you to read through GF’s 2024 Sustainability Report, learn more about the meaningful outcomes achieved by our talented team, and see how this work reflects our company’s ongoing commitment to doing the right thing. 

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Brian Raley is the Director of Corporate Environmental, Health, and Safety and Sustainability at GlobalFoundries. Based in Malta, New York, Brian has been with GF since its founding in 2009. He has focused on sustainability efforts in the semiconductor industry for 29 years. 

Alexandros Margomenos, GlobalFoundries Director RF Product Management 

As recently as just a few decades ago, the idea of delivering broadband and cellular connectivity from space was a futuristic dream. Fast forward to today, and this dream is rapidly becoming a reality. Advances in satellite technology are revolutionizing global connectivity. These types of advancements are powered by essential innovations in semiconductor technology, like those we are pioneering here at GlobalFoundries, which are helping to bring high-speed communication to every corner of the globe, even the most remote areas. These innovations are essential for creating immersive user experiences and transforming industries. 

So, How Does It Work? 

You may be asking, what do all these satellites mean, and how does it impact me? Let’s break it down. 

There are two main types of satellites used for communication: Geosynchronous (GEO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. 

• GEO Satellites: These orbit 36,000 km above the Earth and stay fixed over one spot. They can cover large areas with just a few satellites but have higher latency (delay) because of their distance. 

• LEO Satellites: These orbit much closer to Earth, between 500 to 1,200 km. They provide lower latency (less delay) and faster internet speeds but require many more satellites to cover the globe because they move quickly across the sky. LEO satellites travel at nearly 25 times the speed of sound, enabling significantly lower latency (<20 milliseconds). 

Connecting the Dots: How Satellites Communicate 

Satellite networks include four types of communication links. In all cases, the downlink from the satellite is at a lower frequency compared to the uplink to optimize the power amplifiers on the satellite. 

• User Link: Connects the satellite to your home or mobile device. This is how you receive data from the satellite. 

• Feeder Link: Connects the satellite to ground stations (gateway terminals), linking the satellite network to the terrestrial internet. 
• Telemetry, Tracking, and Command (TT&C) Link: Manages the satellite’s operations, ensuring they stay on course and function correctly. 
• Intersatellite Links (ISL): Allow satellites to talk to each other, transferring data and coordinating handoffs as they orbit. 

Typically, user, feeder, and TT&C links use RF and millimeter-wave frequencies, while ISL links can utilize both millimeter-wave frequencies and optical communications. 

To put it simply, think of it as a relay race. The user link is like the baton passed from the satellite to your device. The feeder link is the baton passed from the satellite to the ground station, connecting you to the wider internet. The TT&C link ensures the satellites stay on course, much like a coach guiding the runners. Finally, ISLs are like runners passing the baton between each other to ensure seamless coverage as they orbit the Earth. 

The Evolution of Satellite Antennas 

Imagine those old satellite systems: giant, rigid dish antennas—like the ones you might see in old movies. These large dishes were excellent for sending focused signals but lacked flexibility. They could only point in one direction at a time and needed to be physically moved to change their focus. 

Today, the game has changed with the advent of phased array antennas. Instead of one big dish, think of these antennas as being made up of thousands of tiny elements, each capable of steering a part of the signal. These elements work together to create a powerful, flexible system that can direct beams electronically, without any moving parts. 

This technological leap means that modern satellites can connect to multiple places at once, seamlessly switching between different targets. It’s like having a spotlight that can instantly shine in any direction, or even multiple directions at once, without physically moving. 

Choosing the Right Technology 

Creating these advanced satellite systems requires selecting the right semiconductor technology. Key considerations include the type of beamforming (analog, digital, or hybrid), system design (placing amplifiers close to antennas vs. integrating them with beamformers) and achieving a low noise figure (NF) for better performance. Lower NF means fewer required elements, simplifying design and reducing costs, making the system more efficient overall. 

Powering the Future of Connectivity 

At GF, we offer a wide range of technologies supporting all the components necessary for creating any possible configuration of satellite communication phased arrays. Here are some of our key technologies: 

• 130NSX: Perfect for ground terminals, offering excellent performance for smaller phased arrays. 
• High-Performance SiGe: Efficient power amplifiers and low noise for high-volume manufacturing. 
• 9SW and 45RFSOI: Advanced RF SOI technologies optimized for beamformers, ensuring high efficiency and low noise. 
• 22FDX: Combines high-density logic and memory, ideal for digital beamformers and integrated systems. 

By leveraging these essential technologies, we are helping to create satellite systems that are more efficient, cost-effective, and capable of bringing high-speed connectivity to every corner of the globe. 

Significant progress has been made to expand access and adoption of broadband services. The number of internet users doubled between 2010 and 2020, reaching over 4 billion users worldwide. As we continue to innovate and develop these technologies, the dream of connecting the next 4 billion people is closer than ever.  

GlobalFoundries’ Next-Generation Technology Will Shape What’s Essential in the Auto Industry 

Today’s vehicles are marvels of integrated technology—an intelligent edge device on wheels. Look under the hood, and it’s likely you’ll find a semiconductor born in one of GF’s global manufacturing facilities. 

The shift from traditional combustion engines to autonomous, connected, and electrified (ACE) vehicles—and eventually to Software Defined Vehicles (SDVs)—is a giant technological stride. And GF’s 12LP+ AutoPro150 platform is precisely engineered to fuel this transition. 

The Evolution of Automotive Performance 

From self-driving features to efficient power management and central controls, the modern car is experiencing an explosion of advancements in user experience, safety, and connectivity—all while moving toward zero emissions. With 15 years of expertise in automotive solutions, GF has been pivotal in this evolution. 12LP+ AutoPro150 not only meets these complex demands but is built to withstand the rigors of automotive operation—engineered to perform reliably even at the high temperatures of up to 150 degrees Celsius. 

Power, Performance, Area: The Core of 12LP+ AutoPro150 

In automotive electronics, three factors are crucial: power, performance, and the area—or PPA. 12LP+ AutoPro150 excels in all three, offering a 16% boost in performance and slashing power consumption by 32% over our prior 12LP models. This puts it miles ahead of older 16nm technologies, packing more power into a smaller space with enhanced efficiency. 

Unleashing Performance with Precision 

Future-ready vehicles require compact, powerful semiconductors. Enter 12LP+ AutoPro150, with its logic Contacted Poly Pitch (CPP) of just 84nm—fine electrical paths for a more potent chip. “What’s a logic Contacted Poly Pitch?” you might wonder. It’s the measure of space between the transistors on a chip, determining how many can fit in a given area. The smaller the CPP, the more transistors we can pack in, and the more powerful the semiconductor. 

The Heart of Automotive Evolution: Efficiency 

It’s not just about miles per gallon; efficiency extends to the silicon that powers every electronic process in your vehicle. 12LP+ AutoPro150 marks a significant step toward sustainability, reducing power usage by up to 32% and improving overall vehicle performance. 

 A History of Excellence and Innovation 

Our Malta, New York fab has dispatched more than 2 million wafers globally, embodying our relentless pursuit of innovation and dedication to quality. 12LP+ AutoPro150 builds on this heritage, robust enough to withstand the intense conditions of modern driving and GF’s long-standing mission to enhance automotive security and safety. 

Wiring the Future, Layer by Layer 

12LP+ AutoPro150’s intricate multi-layer copper wiring facilitates swift, efficient data transfer, essential for enhanced autonomous driving and vehicle connectivity—akin to an urban grid designed for optimal traffic flow. 

Customization at its Core 

Offering four voltage threshold options, 12LP+ AutoPro150 tailors to the nuanced needs of various vehicles. This adaptability allows automakers to fine-tune system performance, whether it’s for a family SUV or a high-octane sports car, without complicating the manufacturing process. 

The Road Ahead 

For drivers, this translates to a vehicle that’s smarter, safer, and perfectly aligned with your lifestyle—transforming every journey with unparalleled technology, comfort, and efficiency. 

As we forge ahead, GF is excited to introduce several new features as part of this platform in the development pipeline: 

• Ultra Low Leakage (ULL) – We are enhancing the digital logic and memory components of our semiconductors to ensure they perform optimally even in extreme automotive environments. This development is crucial for supporting connectivity functions that need to be continuously active, helping the modern vehicle transition into an always-connected, AI-enhanced platform. 
• ZG 3.3V – This innovation involves the introduction of higher voltage devices that can manage a wider array of signals from complex automotive sensors. These sensors are vital for enhancing vehicle safety and responsiveness by providing more accurate real-time data. 
• eMRAM – We are deploying a differentiated non-volatile memory (eMRAM) that offers high endurance, high density, and low power consumption. It is designed to meet the increased code and data storage needs of advanced microcontrollers used in cars, facilitating more sophisticated AI and machine learning applications. 

GF Customers will find these innovations particularly applicable in the design of: 

• ADAS processors at the edge: These are crucial for features like automatic braking or lane-keeping, focusing on reliability while consuming less power. 
• Digital Signal Processors: Enhancing the audio and infotainment systems inside your car, making your ride more enjoyable. 
• High-Speed Connectivity devices: Essential for features that require fast data transfer, like downloading maps or streaming music. 
• MRAM and ZG 3.3V technologies in 12LP+: Soon, these will help manage the car’s built-in sensors more effectively, improving performance and safety. 

The 12LP+ AutoPro150 platform is yet another milestone in GF’s journey to shape the future of the automotive. As cars increasingly resemble computers, our essential semiconductors are the heart—capable, efficient, and future-ready.  

By Brian Raley
Director of Corporate Environmental, Health, and Safety and Sustainability, GlobalFoundries 

In celebration of World Environment Day, and as I think about how GlobalFoundries (GF) continues to lean into our commitment to sustainability, I am excited about the ways the essential chips we manufacture enable our customers to create devices and technologies necessary for building a more resource-efficient and sustainable future.  

GF’s announcement last month of new goals to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and 100% carbon-neutral power by 2050 is a critical step in our Journey to Zero Carbon and our role as a responsible corporate steward of the environment. These goals reflect the all-hands-on-deck effort needed at every level of society to combat climate change.  

The benefits of the essential chips we manufacture go beyond environmental sustainability. In addition to more energy-efficient devices and shaping technologies from electric vehicles to smart devices to datacenters, the essential chips we make are also key for enabling improved medical diagnostics, safety, and health and fitness across a range of technologies and devices. Let’s look at three of our end-markets: 

Automotive 

• Automotive, our fastest growing end market in 2023, is a prime example of GF chips enabling a more sustainable future. I am inspired to imagine a new era of electric transportation driven by GF’s BCD and BCDLite® CMOS platforms delivering differentiated power efficiency and management to the battery systems critical for (hybrid) electric vehicles. Automotive radar is another area where GF’s technology solutions support human needs. Radar is the basis for safety features like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring and other advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) functions. 

Data Center 

• As society demands more from AI and other data center services, we continue to see unprecedented energy demands to support these services. GF technology is addressing these massive energy demands in several ways. First, GF’s products are used across the full range of power delivery systems to improve the efficiency of the delivery of energy to run data centers. Additionally, GF’s Fotonix™ platform is enabling the fundamental shift of communication from electrons to photons, delivering higher data bandwidth that is not possible with conventional chips to enable large language AI models to run efficiently across multiple processors within a server or across multiple servers. 

Internet of Things (IoT) 

• The IoT devices GF’s technology supports range from retail tags that improve supply chain functionality to health and fitness trackers helping people better understand their health metrics. One of the most impactful examples of this is enabling life-changing continuous glucose monitoring for people with diabetes, a condition which impacts more than 500 million people around the world.

These are just a few ways in which GF-made chips are helping to build a healthier, safer and more sustainable world. Read more on this topic here or in the “Technology for Humanity” section of our 2023 Corporate Responsibility Report. We’ll have even more examples in our forthcoming 2024 Report. 

Brian Raley is the Director of Corporate Environmental, Health, and Safety and Sustainability at GlobalFoundries. Based in Malta, New York, Brian has been with GF since its founding in 2009. He has focused on sustainability efforts in the semiconductor industry for 29 years.