By Alex Margomenos 
Director, RF Product Management at GlobalFoundries 

Providing broadband and cellular connectivity from space has become feasible due to advancements in rocket engineering, satellite technology, and RF semiconductors. Through these advancements and innovations, we are now able to build sufficient satellite constellations and offer affordable ground terminals to support seamless global communications networks with reliable connectivity.  

When designing a SATCOM ground terminal, the goal is to receive the signal from space at a quality that allows the demodulation of the received data. This specification is quantified by the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), which is influenced by the power and bandwidth of the transmitted signal from the satellite, the altitude of its orbit, and the receiver gain over noise temperature (G/T). Among these factors, the G/T ratio is the only parameter that can be controlled by the ground terminal designer. 

In this context, the gain (G) in the numerator is determined by the area of the phased array, which correlates to the number of phased array elements. The noise temperature (T) in the denominator is determined by the noise figure (NF) of the low noise amplifiers (LNA). By decreasing the NF of the LNA, a designer can reduce the gain of the phased array while maintaining the same SNR (keeping G/T constant). Consequently, lowering the NF directly decreases the required number of phased array elements. Each 0.1 dB improvement in NF results in a 5% reduction in the number of phased array elements. Fewer antenna elements require fewer chips, emphasizing the significant impact of selecting the appropriate technology with the suitable NF on the overall cost of a ground terminal. 

GlobalFoundries provides three, US-manufactured RF process technologies for SATCOM front-ends and beamformers, ranked by digital density: 45RFSOI, 45RFE, and 130NSX. 

45RFSOI is a partially depleted RF SOI technology developed for mmWave phased arrays with 40nm logic. The platform offers matched, high performance nFET/pFET regular Vt (RVT) devices (ft/fmax of 290/330GHz and 245/300GHz respectively) and an advanced nFET (ADNFET) with ft/fmax of 230/400GHz and a 20% increase in maximum voltage compared to RVT devices [Jain 2021]. It comes with a full suite of passive devices (capacitors, resistors, diodes, ESD, eFuse) as well as SRAM. Finally, it provides three back end of the line metal stacks and supports dual thick Cu and thick Al for very high Q inductors.   

During the last decade, our customers, university partners, and internal reference designers have published over 300 papers on 45RFSOI circuits. Some recent examples include Ka-, Q- and D- band beamformers [Baek 2025, Ren 2024, Ahmed 2024, Khalil 2021], 1.3dB NF Ku-band LNA [Kanar 2023], 27dBm/44% PAE Ku-band PA [Alluri 2024], 19dBm/48% PAE Ka-band PA [Syed 2020], 20dBm/38% PAE Doherty Ka-band PA [Ibrahim 2025], and a high linearity Ku-band mixer [Hassan 2025].  

45RFE is a partially depleted RF SOI on a high resistivity substrate, offering two gate dielectrics for optimal RF performance, high voltage support, and low leakage. It includes three types of nFETs: RVT, ADNFET, and DGADNFET, with increasing voltage handling capabilities. The platform supports passive devices such as resistors, capacitors, diodes, ESD, and eFuse. An 8-metal layer stack with 2 thick copper layers enables high Q-passives. GF announced this technology in 2024 [Jain 2024], highlighting 1.3dB LNA and 21dBm/44% PAE PA at Ka band.   

130NSX is a bulk CMOS technology on high resistivity substrate. It offers thin oxide devices for LNA applications that have demonstrated excellent performance at Ku/Ka frequency bands. It includes thick oxide digital logic, passives (capacitors, resistors, ESD, eFuse) and different back end of the line metal stacks with thick copper and aluminum that enable high Q inductors. GF’s reference design team has published a series of circuit examples showcasing the excellent performance of 130NSX for SATCOM applications. These include a 0.95dB NF LNA at Ku band [Das 2024], a 1.2dB NF LNA at Ka band [Kakara 2024], and a 16dBm / 50% PAE PA at Ku band [Bantupalli 2024]. 

If you would like to learn more about GF’s differentiated RF and ultra-low power CMOS portfolio for SATCOM applications, we invite you to visit our booth (#149) at the upcoming 2025 International Microwave Symposium (IMS), happening June 17-19 in San Francisco, CA. We look forward to connecting with you and discussing how GF can support your next-gen innovations. 

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Alex Margomenos oversees the product management of the RF Product Line at GlobalFoundries. The RF Product Line encompasses RFSOI, RF GaN, and SiGe technologies, which support cellular RF front-ends, satellite communications, aerospace and defense, and cellular infrastructure. He has been with GlobalFoundries for four years. Previously, he held managerial and individual contributor positions at Apple, Intel, Infineon, and HRL Laboratories.

by Ruby Yan 
IoT End Market Director of Sensing & Display, ID & Security, GlobalFoundries 

In our fast-paced digital world, display driver technology plays a crucial role in how we interact with devices, from televisions and PC monitors to smartphones and healthcare equipment. As technology continues to advance, the innovations in display and display drivers (DDIC) are transforming our viewing experiences and enhancing the functionality of various applications. 

For those designing display devices, GF offers a comprehensive long-term roadmap and will be your partner on this journey. We consider display an extremely important market, and whether you’re working in microdisplays or next-generation OLEDs or Mini LEDs, we can help.  

In this blog, we will explore the latest trends and innovations in display driver technology across different sectors. 
 
Television: A New Era of Visual Experience 
 
Television technology has advanced significantly, and display drivers are at the heart of this evolution. With the rise of 4K and 8K resolution TVs, display drivers are now capable of handling higher bandwidths to support these ultra-high-definition formats. Innovations such as High Dynamic Range (HDR) and Wide Color Gamut (WCG) require advanced display drivers that can process and render richer colors and deeper contrasts, providing viewers with a more immersive experience. 
 
Moreover, the integration of smart technology in TVs has led to the development of display drivers that support advanced features like variable refresh rates and low latency modes, enhancing gaming experiences and streaming quality. As we move towards OLED and MicroLED technologies, display drivers will continue to evolve with enhanced driving architecture including microIC to enable low dimming, ensuring that we can enjoy stunning visuals with minimal power consumption. GF’s 150MCU technology with 5V core and ultra-low mask layer count is the ideal platform to address the microIC needs in both performance and cost competitiveness. 

PC Monitors: Enhancing Productivity and Gaming 
 
In the realm of PC monitors, display driver technology has seen significant advancements aimed at improving productivity and gaming experiences. Modern display drivers now support features like G-Sync and FreeSync, which synchronize the refresh rates of the monitor with the graphics card, reducing screen tearing and providing smoother gameplay. 
 
Additionally, the rise of ultrawide and multi-monitor setups has necessitated the development of display drivers that can efficiently manage multiple displays, ensuring seamless transitions and consistent color accuracy across screens. Innovations in display technology, such as Mini-LED and Quantum Dot displays, are also pushing the boundaries of what display drivers can achieve, offering users vibrant colors and enhanced contrast ratios. GF is offering a comprehensive solution to serve the IC needs in this market. From middle size OLED monitors with 55HV, to microLED backplane with 22FDX+uLED, GF is leading the foundry effort to enhance PC monitor displays. 

Smartphones: The Power of Portability 
 
Smartphones have become an integral part of our daily lives, and display driver technology is key to delivering high-quality visuals on these compact devices. With the advent of high-resolution displays, such as Retina and AMOLED screens, display drivers must efficiently manage power consumption while providing stunning visuals. 
 
Recent innovations include adaptive refresh rate technology, which adjusts the screen’s refresh rate based on the content being displayed, optimizing battery life without compromising on performance. Furthermore, advancements in touch technology, such as in-display fingerprint sensors and haptic feedback, rely on sophisticated display drivers to create a seamless user experience. GF’s advanced 22FDX+HV platform is addressing the need for the next generation high performance smartphone display, with integrated an edge AI processor, sensor hubs and wireless connectivity. 

 
Healthcare: Revolutionizing Patient Care 
 
In the healthcare sector, display driver technology is playing a vital role in improving patient care and diagnostics. Medical imaging devices, such as MRI and CT scanners, rely on high-resolution displays to provide clear and accurate images for diagnosis. Innovations in display drivers ensure that these images are rendered with precision, allowing healthcare professionals to make informed decisions. 
 
Moreover, telemedicine has gained traction, especially in recent years, and display drivers are essential for delivering high-quality video consultations. The ability to transmit clear visuals in real-time is crucial for effective remote patient monitoring and consultations, making display driver technology a key component in the future of healthcare. GF’s enhanced 40HV technology with increased voltage to 34V is addressing the high-resolution, high-contrast needs in healthcare display. 

What’s next? 
 
As we continue to embrace new technologies, display driver innovations will remain at the forefront of enhancing our visual experiences across various industries. From televisions and PC monitors to smartphones and healthcare applications, the advancements in display driver technology are paving the way for richer, more immersive interactions. As we look to the future, we can expect even more exciting developments that will redefine how we see and engage with the world around us. 

For more information on how GF can help you build your advanced display devices, contact me at [email protected] 

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Ruby Yan is a seasoned Business Line Director at GlobalFoundries, where she oversees the Sensing & Display, ID & Security business line. With more than 13 years of experience in the company, she has held various roles and responsibilities including technology development and product management.  

Ruby established company initiatives in AR/VR/MR and wearables with comprehensive go-to market strategy and is a Master Inventor in GlobalFoundries, boasting an impressive track record with more than 20 patents granted and over 70 peer-reviewed papers published.   

GlobalFoundries’ Chief People Officer and team honored for transformative leadership

On May 1 at the CHRO of the Year Awards, GF Chief People Officer Pradheepa Raman was recognized for her outstanding efforts in revolutionizing the semiconductor industry. Awarded by HRO Today, the 2025 Leader of Distinction, Large Market award is a testament to the collective dedication and hard work of the entire GF team.

Best-in-class benefits

Since Raman took the reins at GF two years ago, her team has revolutionized the approach to talent management, focusing on creating a culture that prioritizes the wellbeing of its people. One of the most impactful initiatives has been the Student Loan Repayment Program, a pioneering effort in the semiconductor industry. This program offers U.S.-based employees a tax-free benefit of up to $28,500, helping them alleviate student debt and empowering them to invest in their futures. In less than a year, 237 employees have enrolled, with the program already repaying over $100,000 in loans. Participants have reported newfound financial freedom, allowing them to focus on family planning, home buying, or retirement.

The team’s efforts have also led to other exceptional policies and benefits, like 20 weeks of paid parental leave and childcare credit. The holistic approach to employee wellbeing and career development has reshaped GF’s identity as a people-centric organization.

Employee engagement through ERGs

With Pradheepa’s leadership, GF has recommitted to a culture of inclusivity. Her team’s dedication to inclusivity and employee engagement is evident through GF’s ten Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and 22 chapters across the globe. Open to all employees, these groups are vital– they build community, boost engagement and ensure everyone feels seen and heard. In fact, 26% of GF employees are members. Notably, GF’s Early Tenure Professionals (ETP) ERG launched in Austin, TX, India, Germany and Singapore over the last two years and provide an instant community for new college and university graduates upon hire.  Our inclusive culture is built and sustained by our more than 13,000 global team members.

Building a strong talent pipeline

Recognizing the importance of a sustainable talent pipeline, GF’s team has spearheaded partnerships with institutions like Hudson Valley Community College, resulting in a $1 million donation to enhance workforce training and apprenticeship programs. Initiatives such as the Global Journey Re-Entry Program and the semiconductor industry’s first U.S. Registered Apprenticeship program have broadened the candidate pool, increased retention and advancement and ensured that employees from diverse backgrounds have opportunities to grow and succeed.

Congratulations to Pradheepa and the entire GlobalFoundries team on this well-deserved recognition. Their collective efforts and dedication to fostering a supportive and thriving workplace culture have truly set a new standard in the industry.

The award was announced at the 2025 HRO Today Forum, which annually brings together HR leaders, practitioners, technology experts, and innovators who are building the workforces and setting the policies that will be the future of North American and global business.

By Anjana Govil 
Sr. Director, Smart Mobile Devices, GlobalFoundries 

Smart glasses were a hot topic at CES 2025 and are being touted as the next big category in wearables. Counterpoint Research estimates global smart glasses shipments to increase significantly, from under 3 million units shipped in 2024 to nearly 45 million units shipped annually by 2030.  

In the past year, the smart glasses industry has transformed with sleek, lightweight designs and a variety of features easily controlled by voice commands as well as integrated micro-displays.

The evolution of smart glasses 

Initial smart glasses technologies had limited appeal with consumers. Enabling only audio and camera capabilities that come standard on modern smartphones, these gadgets were seen as a niche play with few additional use cases.  

With the convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and advancements in micro-display capabilities that can be integrated into smart glasses, their appeal has drastically increased. These advancements address needs that do not have elegant solutions today. From general consumer use cases like real time translation and navigation to more specific uses like summarizing notes in a meeting or tracking key health parameters for athletes, these next generation of AI-enabled smart glasses are unlocking new frontiers and applications that consumers may not have imagined. 

As technology further evolves, several vendors believe that full Augmented Reality (AR) glasses could be the next personal computer, offering a mobile and personalized way to work, connect and entertain. Though the journey to mainstream full AR glasses is still further away, smart glasses are making an indelible mark in the wearable device market.  

Real estate and power challenges 

Nearly 3 billion people across the world use glasses, and most are accustomed to very light weight frames (< 35 grams) that can be worn comfortably throughout the day. This constraint has created significant real estate challenges and power consumption limitations for all functional additions to smart glasses such as cameras, displays, and batteries.  

These challenges have spurred the adoption of new micro-display technologies that can meet the space and power figures of merit (FOMs) while providing the brightness needed to enable displays in ambient light. This innovation in display technology is crucial for the advancement of smart glasses. 

Innovation in displays addressing these challenges 

A lot of incumbent display technologies struggle to fight against sunlight and those that do are relatively power hungry like Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCOS) based displays. Innovation in micro-displays like microLEDs have enabled extremely bright displays (>1 Mnits) at the ultra-low power consumption needed for AI glasses with extremely small footprints. MicroLEDs are self – emissive, so only the pixels that light up consume power. This is helpful in smart glasses where you are displaying contextual information that needs only limited field to view (FOV) to ~ 20-30 degrees and doesn’t require all pixels to light up.  Over time, as technology evolves and becomes more efficient, we expect these limited FOV glasses to evolve into full AR displays (large FOV > 70 degrees). 

MicroLED construction and GF solutions – 28SLPe and 22FDX+ 

MicroLED displays are typically constructed with 2 wafers: a front plane based on GaN LEDs and a CMOS backplane to help drive the LEDs. Let’s delve deeper into how GF’s differentiated technologies are enabling these advancements. 

GF offers 28SLPe and 22FDX platforms offer key features to enable very compact, ultra-low power CMOS backplane designs:  

• GF’s 28SLPe and 22FDX+ platforms enable in-pixel drivers with 1.8V and 3.3V devices.  

• Both platforms offer dense SRAM bit cells enabling 6-10-bit color depth in 2 – 4um pixels, enabling customers to optimize their design for pixel pitch, resolution and color depth to cater to different performance/price segments of the market. 

• 22FDX+ helps minimize both active power and leakage power with low-voltage SRAM and the inherently low leakage in the FD-SOI transistor. 

• GF offers innovative, custom pixel cell designs to meet the growing density requirements for microLEDs. 

• Lastly, GF enables superior device matching performance to minimize brightness variation across the pixel array. 

MicroLED manufacturing also involves stringent requirements on wafer bow, warpage, roughness and planarity to enable various bonding approaches that customers use. GF is partnering closely with our customers to help support their requirements for their specific bonding approaches including supporting different wafer surface finishes. We are also enabling a roadmap with TSVs to enable interconnections and reduce solution size.

GF’s front end of Line (FEOL) capability, metallization stacks and back end of Line (BEOL) solutions optimized for microLEDs have led to partnerships with several leading vendors to enable the next generation of micro displays with 28SLPe and 22FDX. Looking ahead, the future possibilities for smart, AI-enabled glasses are vast and exciting.  

Future Possibilities  

We expect future smart glasses to offer enhanced AR experiences, better battery life, and more intuitive interfaces. Longer term, this is just a step in the journey towards spatial computing where full AR glasses can be used with large visual real estate, entertainment and more.  We expect these advancements to complement today’s computing experience by facilitating tasks done on PCs, tablets and smartphones.  

As we envision the future of spatial computing with full AR glasses, GF is committed to serving display applications across all existing and new markets. This includes LCD and OLED displays as well as next generation micro displays across consumer, automotive and industrial applications where GF has a history of continued investment and innovation: 

• OLED DDIC / TDDI for smartphones, smartwatches – GF has a broad portfolio of solutions for display driver integrated circuits (DDICs) and touch and display driver integration (TDDI) with our 28HV, 40HV and 55HV platforms. GF is also developing our 22FDX+HV platform to address power concerns for next generation mobile devices and automotive applications. 

• TCON for display drivers, including AI-enabled displays with integrated sensor functions – GF offers multiple solutions for timing controllers with our 22FDX, 28SLPe, and 40LP process technologies that are purpose-built for high performance compute. 

• MicroLED backplane for automotive HUD – GF offers 28SLPe and 22FDX+ that are auto qualified and enabled with customized features for dense, low power microLED  heads up displays (HUD). 

The possibilities are truly endless. Following our success with developing essential chip technologies for modern smartphones, cars and more, GF is well positioned to address the growing role smart glasses and AR glasses will take in reshaping how we interact with our world.  

For more information on how GF can help you build your next generation smart glasses or advanced display devices, you can contact us anytime through gf.com. 

By John Compani 
Senior Member of the Technical Staff for Corporate EHS and Sustainability, GlobalFoundries 

Every year, GlobalFoundries (GF) experts develop and implement new projects to enhance the sustainable operations of the company’s advanced manufacturing sites across the globe. With a mix of innovation, clever engineering and incremental improvements, the teams enable important resource savings to further decrease GF’s impact on the environment and deliver on our sustainability commitments to our customers. 

There is no better time to share these accomplishments than in the midst of GF’s third annual Earth Week, which has the theme of “ONEGF, one planet, protect it together”. GF recognizes climate change is an unprecedented global challenge, and below are some of the ways we are taking meaningful action. 

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions  

This week GF announced an accelerated and more ambitious goal for reducing our total greenhouse gas emissions by 42% from 2021-2030, even as the company continues to expand its global semiconductor manufacturing capacity and capabilities. Read about this exciting news here. 

GF is on track to meet this more ambitious 42% reduction goal, which will be accomplished through a comprehensive mix of energy efficiency improvements, state-of-the-art emissions controls, expanded use of alternative chemistries, and use of lower-carbon power across all our fabs. 

In 2024, GF completed projects at our fabs with reoccurring benefits of approximately 100,000 MTCO₂e, which is equivalent to the amount of carbon sequestered by 30,000 acres of mature forest in one year.  

Saving water 

Semiconductor manufacturing requires large amounts of water. Despite our fabs not being located in high water stress geographies, GF takes water conservation seriously and we continue to drive new ways of reducing, recycling and reusing water at our facilities. More than 42% of GF’s total water use in 2024 was covered by reused or recycled water. 

In 2024 alone, our completed water conservation projects led to an annual savings of more than 224,000 m³ (59 million gallons) of water – about the amount used by 540 average U.S. households in one year. These new water-saving projects were related to identifying and seizing opportunities to reuse and recycle at various points throughout our chip manufacturing processes. 

Using less electricity  

Semiconductor manufacturing is an energy-intensive process. Not only do electricity conservation projects save money, but they can also reduce the GHG emissions generated as a byproduct of producing that electricity. 

In 2024, GF’s sustainability and efficiency initiatives resulted in annual savings of 33 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity – enough to power over 3,000 average U.S. households. These efforts led to both significant energy cost savings for GF as well as lower indirect GHG emissions. 

These savings were achieved through numerous projects across our global fabs, including efficiency improvements to our chilled water systems and HVAC optimization  

Managing chemicals and waste 

Across all of our manufacturing sites, GF has rigorous chemical review and pollution prevention programs in place to identify opportunities to reduce or eliminate chemical use and waste generation.  

For 2024, teams completed a variety of projects for a combined reduction of nearly 900 metric tons of hazardous waste and chemical use, equating to about $8 million in annual savings for our company.  

These projects include innovative new processes and systems, new efficiencies, and novel ways of reusing or recycling materials in our lithography, cleans, and other manufacturing tools.  

Keep an eye out for even more details on the above as well as many other resource conservation projects in GF’s forthcoming 2025 Sustainability Report, to be published in June. 

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John Compani is a Senior Member of Technical Staff with GF’s Corporate EHS & Sustainability Team. He is based in Malta, New York, with focus on GF’s Environmental Performance, Resource Conservation and Sustainability efforts.