GF Achieves Savings in Electricity, Chemical Use, and Waste Generation July 1, 2022 By Candice Callahan Principal Member of the Technical Staff for EHS and CSR, GlobalFoundries Semiconductor manufacturing is an energy-intensive process. It also requires the use of many different chemicals. As part of our resource conservation efforts at GlobalFoundries (GF), we are constantly looking for new ways to save electricity and to be more energy efficient. Similarly, we also look for opportunities to reduce the amount of chemicals used and waste created at our manufacturing facilities around the world – all without compromising the quality of the wafers we produce for our customers. These efforts are a key part of GF’s commitment to being a leader in sustainable manufacturing and reducing our impact on the environment. Electricity Consumption At the end of 2021, GF completed its three-year resource conservation goal aimed at achieving savings in annual electricity consumption of 86 million kilowatt-hours (kwh). For comparison, this is roughly equivalent to the total electricity used by about 8,000 U.S. homes in an average year. Thanks to the effort of GF’s global team, we met and exceeded our electricity consumption savings goal, and decreased our normalized electricity use by 23%. Below are a few examples of electricity reduction projects completed in 2021 that contributed to GF’s achievements: Fab 9 in Essex Junction, Vermont, conserved electricity through several projects including infrastructure upgrades, lighting upgrades, and installing more energy efficient equipment. Fab 8 in Malta, New York, reduced power consumption by optimizing environmental controls in the cleanroom and adjustments to water pumps. Fab 7 and GIGA+ TM Fab in Singapore completed electricity saving projects including the upgrade of ventilation systems to increase energy efficiency, optimizing chilled water and cooling tower systems, and light replacement projects. Hazardous Waste & Chemical Usage At the end of 2021, GF completed its three-year resource conservation goal aimed at achieving savings in annual chemical use and waste generation by 7,100 tons. To help visualize this amount of weight, think of a group of about 1,600 elephants. GF was able to exceed its original target, achieving approximately 2.5 times our goal. Two strategies we used to accomplish this were source reduction – reducing or eliminating the use of the chemical or generation of the waste – and reusing and recycling materials. Some of the major projects contributing to our company’s success include: Fab 7 and GIGA+ TM Fab in Singapore reduced the use of chemicals including 290 tons of hydrogen peroxide, and reduced the overall amount of office waste that goes to landfills. Fab 1 in Dresden, Germany, reduced waste with a new wastewater pretreatment program, and a new project to separate, purify, and recycle deuterium used in the manufacturing process. Fab 8 in Malta, New York, implemented several optimizations including the reduction or elimination of certain chemicals used at various points in the semiconductor manufacturing process, as well as the installation of a new system for reusing sulfuric acid waste. 2022 Corporate Social Responsibility Report Above are just a few of the many environmental, social, and corporate governance success stories featured in GF’s 2022 Corporate Social Responsibility report. In addition to providing an update of how GF is performing against our sustainability goals, the report details how GF is playing a positive role in our communities and creating value by doing the right thing. Click here to read the full report.
GlobalFoundries Celebrates New Singapore Fab with Arrival of First Tool June 23, 2022 One year after breaking ground, GF celebrates key milestone on path to expanded semiconductor manufacturing capacity in Singapore Singapore, June 23, 2022 – GlobalFoundries (Nasdaq: GFS) (GF), a global leader in feature-rich semiconductor manufacturing, today announced that its first tool has been moved into the company’s new facility on its Singapore campus. The milestone, just one year after breaking ground on the first phase of the Singapore expansion has been achieved in partnership with the Singapore Economic Development Board and co-investments from committed customers. Today’s milestone brings GF closer to increasing manufacturing capacity at its Singapore site and fulfilling additional global demand for GF-made chips used in automobiles, smartphones, wireless connectivity, internet of things (IoT) devices, and other applications. In a ceremony today in Singapore at the newly constructed building, GF celebrated the first tool-in milestone with Senior Vice President and Head of Semiconductor of the Singapore Economic Development Board, Chang Chin Nam; President and CEO of Lam Research, Tim Archer; President Asia-Pacific Region of Exyte, Mark Garvey; and other key partners/suppliers including AMAT, ASML, Axcelis, DAIFUKU, KLA, Mattson, SCREEN, Semes, TEL, Wonik, Air Liquide, and Linde. Representing GF was CEO Dr. Thomas Caulfield; GF Senior Vice President and Head of Global Operations, KC Ang; Vice President and General Manager of GF Singapore Operations, Yew Kong Tan; Vice President of Global Construction, Roberto Avallone; and many members of the GF Singapore team. Together they watched as the first tool – a market-leading etch tool made by Lam Research– was moved into GF’s newly commissioned cleanroom. “Today marks a special moment for GF, as we stand with our Singapore team, our partners, and valued employees to appreciate just how much progress we have made over the past year. From a groundbreaking event hosted virtually due to the global pandemic to today’s first tool-in, we are delivering on our commitments to expand our global manufacturing footprint to meet the growing need in the marketplace for GF chips,” Dr. Caulfield said. “This first phase of our Singapore expansion plan is a tremendous example of strong partnerships driving our industry forward. This first tool moved into our facility was incredible to witness and is a harbinger of more great milestones on the horizon for GF.” “We are delighted that GlobalFoundries has chosen Singapore for a major expansion of its global manufacturing footprint. We congratulate GlobalFoundries’ success in bringing the site from ground-breaking to tool move-in in one year, to achieve production ramp up as planned in 2023. We look forward to GlobalFoundries’ business growth and the creation of job opportunities in this rapidly growing sector,” said Mr. Chang Chin Nam, Senior Vice President and Head, Semiconductors, Singapore Economic Development Board. GF completed major construction of its Singapore expansion, which includes 250,000-square-feet (23,000-square-meters) of cleanroom space and new administrative offices. Following today’s first tool-in ceremony, GF will continue adding new tools to the cleanroom over the coming months and is expected to ramp in 2023. Once complete, the new facility will have the capacity to manufacture 450,000 wafers (300mm) per year, raising the total capacity of GF’s Singapore site to approximately 1.5 million wafers (300mm) annually. The new GF facility will be the most advanced semiconductor manufacturing site in Singapore and is on track to create 1,000 new jobs, including technicians and engineers. In June 2021, GF announced it would invest approximately US $4B (S$5B) to expand its Singapore campus as part of the company’s overall plan to grow its global manufacturing footprint and capacity to meet the increase in demand for GF-made semiconductor chips. The development, construction, and job creation in Singapore were accelerated by the new chipmaking economic model pioneered by GF, which includes support and investment from GF, its committed customers, and the national government through the Singapore Economic Development Board. GF aims to replicate this economic model with its planned expansion on the campus of its manufacturing facility and corporate headquarters in Malta, New York. Sorry, this video requires cookie consent. Please accept marketing-cookies to watch this video. About GF GlobalFoundries, Inc. (GF) is one of the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturers. GF is redefining innovation and semiconductor manufacturing by developing and delivering feature-rich process technology solutions that provide leadership performance in pervasive high growth markets. GF offers a unique mix of design, development and fabrication services. With a talented and diverse workforce and an at-scale manufacturing footprint spanning the U.S., Europe and Asia, GF is a trusted technology source to its worldwide customers. For more information, visit www.gf.com. Media Contact: Erica McGillGlobalFoundries[email protected]
Behind the Scenes at GF’s Fab 1 in Dresden May 31, 2022 With our talented and diverse workforce and at-scale manufacturing footprint spanning the U.S., Europe and Asia, GlobalFoundries (GF) is a trusted technology source to our customers around the world. While all of our advanced manufacturing facilities, or fabs, are dedicated to delivering the feature-rich chips that are pervasive in everyday life and vital to the global economy, each GF fab is unique and offers its own advantages and opportunities. To get an insider’s look into our global manufacturing operations in Germany, we sat down with Manfred Horstmann, Vice President and General Manager of Fab 1. Thank you for taking the time to speak with us, Manfred. Very happy to do so. To start the conversation, can you tell us about the semiconductors manufactured at Fab 1? At Fab 1 we build many different types of chips, on multiple platforms including 22nm and 28nm technology, as well as 40nm and 55nm technology. The entire portfolio is extremely feature-rich, and we work closely with our business units to ensure our technologies target what our customers need both now and in the future. For example, in Dresden we manufacture the industry’s most advanced 28nm high-power technology, which is used for OLED displays in many of the world’s leading smartphones. We also make the industry-leading 22FDX® platform with RF and mmWave capabilities used in smart home, IoT (internet of things) devices or 5G-capable chips. Importantly, we also make chips that are used widely in automobiles, including the radars that are key for driver assistance systems. You mentioned smartphones and automotive – where else are these chips used? Chips built in Fab 1 are everywhere! Our BCD technologies are used as audio chips in phones. We also make logic chips that do the data-crunching for smartphone cameras, and our 28ISP solution is one of the most-used chips for this application. Sticking with smartphones, in addition to enabling the latest 5G and WiFi 6 connectivity features, our 22FDX technology is also used for power management and helps our phones last longer between charges. In addition to phones and cars, you can find GF built chips in GPS devices, in wearable devices including wristband health trackers, other IoT devices, tablet computers, and in robotic systems. It’s important to note that the many features we can add to our process technologies, from high voltage, to embedded nonvolatile memory, and auto qualification, position chips built by GF are the go-to solutions for so many different applications, in different industry segments. Tell us about the Fab 1 team who make these chips. The Fab 1 team is very committed and passionate about their work. They have a strong technical foundation, they know what they are doing, and they work very effectively as a team. They are authentic and they get things done. It is also an extremely diverse team. There are more than 47 nations and nationalities represented among Fab 1 employees, all working together as a team. Individuals on the team have many different talents and strengths, so we always have someone stepping up and flexing these strengths to help drive emerging projects and topics. This knowledge base and initiative are key assets that are particularly vital as our fab grows. We are ramping Fab 1 fast, and it’s all-hands-on-deck. We are working together to develop pragmatic solutions. Adding semiconductor manufacturing capacity is no easy task. How is the ramp progressing? It’s going extremely well. The team is committed to the ramp, which in Fab 1 we call the “Ramp of the Decade.” It kicked off in 2020 when our CEO Tom Caulfield announced GF would be investing to grow its manufacturing capacity in Dresden. The ramp is fully underway, and we are in the midst of equipping our cleanroom with more than 400 new tools and sub tools. Last year we grew our shipments by more than 50%, and our goal is to continue growing shipments this year and into 2023 and 2024. One major consideration as we ramp is that the cleanroom doesn’t have empty space. This means for all the tools we move in, we also need to move out older tools or move them around to make more space. This adds another layer of complexity to the process. At any moment we have roughly 100 tools in installation while production remains full steam ahead. It’s a very busy time! But as busy as it is, our line yield is not just stable, it’s increasing. So quality is good. This outcome is only possible when the whole team is committed and working closely together. Are you in frequent contact with the other GF Fabs and GMs? Absolutely. The Dresden site is ramping, and we are in close communication with the other sites. It’s true ONEGF collaboration. For example, some team members from Fab 7 in Singapore have been spending time at Fab 1 to help us with certain aspects of installing or qualifying a new tool. We also exchange parts and materials with Fab 7, and work together with Fab 8 on specific materials or projects such as deuterium gas recovery and recycling. The global group of GMs work extremely well together, which is an advantage for both GF and our customers. This is particularly important these days, when supply chains are stressed worldwide. We have sent spare parts around, we’ve sent chemicals around, and we help each other. It’s really great how closely we work together. Can you tell us about your path to becoming the GM of Fab 1? I like to say that I’m a kid of this company. I grew up with this Dresden team. After receiving my Ph.D. from RTWH Aachen University in 1997, I worked in research and development for AMD in Silicon Valley until 1999. After returning to Dresden I spent time on different R&D and tech development teams focusing on devices and technologies, helping introduce SOI to the fab. I went from an entry-level device engineer to the director of devices and development. When GF was founded in 2009, it was a huge opportunity for me to continue growing, and I had the chance to lead GF’s 28nm technology development and productization. A few years later, I had another opportunity to form an integrated technology, yield, and contamination-free manufacturing team. In 2017 I was named vice president and focused on the ramp of 22FDX in Dresden, and the integration of features like BCD, high voltage, RF, etc. into our 28nm and 22nm platforms. In 2020 I had the big opportunity to become the GM of Fab 1. So, basically, I had a 23-year career in tech development, and then my path led me for the past 2 years to general management. I have learned so much from my GF colleagues, the Fab 1 team, and from our customers and partners. We hear a lot about Silicon Saxony. What is it, and what is GF’s role? Silicon Saxony is a group of about 400 companies that make up Europe’s biggest semiconductor industry cluster. GF and Fab 1 are playing a big and active role in Silicon Saxony, as we are the largest semiconductor site in Europe. Through Silicon Saxony, we aim to drive projects that are relevant to GF and all semiconductor companies here. Right now, one key challenge is talent. We are always looking to hire talented people. This includes working with technical schools and universities on semiconductor coursework and creating positions for graduates. It also includes recruiting technicians and engineers from other industries into the semiconductor segment as well as recruiting people from all over Europe to relocate to Saxony, to live and work here. Another topic we drive is materials management, looking for ways to build more robust supply chains within our region and throughout Europe. Can you say more about what Fab 1 is doing to attract talent? Talent management is really a key focus for us right now. We are hiring talented people from all across Europe and around the world. As I mentioned, the Fab 1 team now represents 47 nations, all working together to move our fab and our company forward. In addition to recruitment, we are building a pipeline of talent. We work with technical schools and universities throughout Germany and all of Europe on internship-to-hire programs, including some programs with a focus on hiring more women. We’ve actually doubled the size of this program over the past few years. Overall, our team is more diverse than ever. And we are fortunate that our site’s attrition rate is very low. Once someone joins the Fab 1 team, they tend to stay with us. I think a key factor is that Fab 1’s culture is very open to new ideas, we have a relatively flat organization compared to other companies, and individuals can really see the results and impact of their contributions. One final question for you. You’ve been in the semiconductor business for a long time. What excites you about chip manufacturing in 2022 and beyond? I am passionate about semiconductors. I really love this technology and how it enables so many other technologies and devices that we need in our daily lives. Something I loved from the beginning is how international this industry is. No other industry is so international, and I enjoy working with people from different countries and regions around the world. Manufacturing semiconductors is such a complex process, you really need people from different cultures, sharing their experience and perspectives to make it work well. This keeps me driving forward. Click here to read more about Manfred and GF’s Fab 1.
A Look into the Future of Automotive Radar May 25, 2022 by Gary Dagastine If you think there’s been an increase in aggressive and risky driving out on the roads lately, you’re right. Since the pandemic began, traffic infractions like speeding, drunken/impaired driving, distracted driving and others have been on the rise. For example, tickets issued for speeding over 100 mph on California highways are nearly double pre-pandemic levels, while in New York state, record numbers of tickets were issued recently for highway work zone violations. The problem is not confined to the U.S. While the ultimate solution to the growing problem of traffic safety rests with drivers, technology has an important role to play, too, and more advanced automotive radar is a key element. Automotive radar already enables adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring and other advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) functions. But more powerful radar systems that are more tightly integrated with a vehicle’s electronic control systems are foundational to a vehicle’s ability to operate more autonomously. They will bring a much greater capability to anticipate and avoid crashes than is now possible. The 22FDX®, RF CMOS and SiGe BiCMOS technology platforms from GlobalFoundries (GF) offer outstanding RF/mmWave performance and digital processing/integration capabilities, ultralow-power operation, and favorable thermal characteristics for automotive radar and other uses. That’s why many of the world’s top researchers in high-frequency electronics are using them to create new automotive radar solutions which will appear in vehicles in the next three to five years. This work is supported by GF’s University Partnership Program (UPP), which gives selected research teams at more than 50 leading universities access to GF’s semiconductor technology and related assembly/test services. In return, these researchers collaborate with GF’s own R&D team and share research results. This helps support the addition of new features and capabilities to GF’s platforms, opens up application possibilities, and introduces students to these technologies early in their careers. Three World-Class Researchers in Automotive Radar A previous blog post described how the UPP supports University of Toronto Prof. Sorin Voinigescu in his work to build a 22FDX-based 80/160 GHz dual-polarization transceiver. In this post, we’ll learn how three other high-profile researchers are using GF’s technologies to make essential progress in automotive radar: Frank Ellinger, Ph.D. Prof. Frank Ellinger, Ph.D., Dr. sc. techn., is Chair of Circuit Design and Network Theory at Technische Universität Dresden, one of Germany’s leading technical universities located in the “Silicon Saxony” microelectronics cluster near GF’s Fab 1. His work focuses on the design and modeling of high-efficiency analog and mixed-signal circuits. He is the coordinator of the German government’s research initiative called “zwanzig20 cluster FAST” (Fast Actuators, Sensors and Transceivers) which has 90 partners, mostly from industry. He also has coordinated several EU-funded research projects; written a book on RF ICs and technologies; published more than 500 scientific papers; and received many awards. His students, too, have received more than 40 scientific awards. Prof. Vadim Issakov, Ph.D. Prof. Vadim Issakov, Ph.D. leads the Institute for CMOS Design at the Braunschweig University of Technology (TU Braunschweig), also one of Germany’s leading technical universities. He focuses on analog RF and millimeter-wave (mmWave) circuits for radar and communication applications, as well as circuits for quantum computer and biomedical applications. He holds 11 patents; authored/co-authored more than 120 peer-reviewed articles; won numerous awards (including the IEEE MTT-S Outstanding Young Engineer Award); and written a book on mmWave circuits for radar applications. He previously worked in one of the leading European research institutes, Imec, and in industry at Intel Corporation and Infineon Technologies. At Infineon, he was mmWave Design Lead/Principal Engineer, working on 24 GHz radar technology for lane-change assist, now widely used in ADAS systems, 60 GHz radar for gesture sensing and several additional radar predevelopment topics above 100 GHz. Prof. Bogdan Staszewski, Ph.D. Prof. Bogdan Staszewski, Ph.D., is a Full Professor at University College Dublin (UCD), Ireland’s largest and one of its two most prestigious universities, and also Guest Professor at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands. He joined UCD in 2014 to establish a €6.3M center of circuit design for Internet of Things (IoT) applications. His research encompasses nanoscale CMOS architectures and circuits for frequency synthesizers, transmitters and receivers, and quantum computers. For the latter, he and his students have worked to fabricate qubits using quantum well structures in commercial 22FDX process technology and to tightly integrate them on-chip with control electronics. He is co-founder/chief scientific officer of Equal1, a startup aiming to build the world’s first practical single-chip CMOS quantum computer. He has co-authored six books, over 150 journal and 210 conference articles, holds 210 issued U.S. patents, and is an IEEE Fellow. Searching for Optimum Solutions “An ideal automotive radar does not, and will not, exist because tradeoffs always must be made among many different parameters, such as detection resolution and accuracy, efficiency, power consumption and miniaturization,” said Ellinger at TU Dresden. “However, leading-edge semiconductor technologies such as 22FDX will bring us closer towards optimum solutions. They are also essential to tackling what I call our Century Challenge, where not just the performance of our systems but also their environmental friendliness must be improved, in areas such as energy consumption.” Ellinger said that the adaptive body biasing (ABB) feature of 22FDX technology offers great flexibility to adjust transistor operation for higher efficiency, less energy consumption and less signal distortion. GF’s 22FDX platform opens up unique possibilities for studying novel circuit concepts, he said, and his research group currently has three Ph.D. students working on 22FDX-based 77 GHz circuits for automotive radar. “Another 22FDX benefit is the high speed of both its n- and p-channel transistors, which enables sufficient signal levels to be realized at 77 GHz frequencies even in CMOS,” Ellinger said. “This is important because CMOS brings advantages that other technologies don’t, such as lower costs and better integration of the high-frequency circuits with low-power digital circuitry in compact systems-on-a-chip.” Looking ahead, Ellinger said an interesting research topic is the co-design of high-frequency circuits with packaging to decrease energy losses, a key goal given increasing societal demands for more environmentally friendly technologies. It also reduces thermal effects, leading to improved reliability and greater chip (and therefore automotive) lifetimes. Ellinger’s location also benefits GF. “We educate diploma, masters, and Ph.D. students at TU Dresden, who are important as a pool of skilled personnel for GlobalFoundries here, as well as for other companies in Silicon Saxony which are GF customers,” he said. However, motivating young people to study electrical engineering is a key issue in Germany as it is elsewhere in the world. To do this, Ellinger started an award-winning marketing campaign together with two of his Ph.D. students that uses songs, videos and comics to show that electrical engineering is cool and provides attractive job opportunities. “Whatever can be done in CMOS, will be done in CMOS” Vadim Issakov’s group at the TU Braunschweig is growing fast. “I started in April 2021 and already have several approved projects and 14 research assistants, with another four starting very soon, and an experienced post-doc who’s an expert in mm-wave radar circuit design,” he said. “We do analog/RF/CMOS circuit design, and our work focuses on three main pillars – mm-wave radar, low-power biomedical circuits and cryogenic circuits for quantum technologies.” In automotive radar, his group is currently working on a vehicle sensor based on the 22FDX platform, and a 45RFSOI-based 140 GHz phase-modulated continuous-wave (PMCW) radar system on chip (SoC) towards large scalable MIMO array. The same circuits can be used with minor modification also for communication. Therefore, there is also a trend towards radcom chips, chips capable of simultaneously supporting radar and communication functionality. Issakov said he thinks SOI technology is the most promising CMOS technology on the market for his radar projects. “Generally, with CMOS FinFETs, you rapidly lose intrinsic gain when you go to smaller nodes, and FMAX [a measure of transistor speed] suffers, but SOI technology has great intrinsic gain and lets you combine mmWave performance with digital logic and low-leakage performance,” he said. That potential for integration is important because in coming years, as Issakov puts it, “Whatever can be done in CMOS, will be done in CMOS.” For example, he mentioned the opportunities of combining various modulation techniques. For example, there is a distinction between pulse and continuous wave radar: Pulse radar offers a high resolution at close range, while continuous wave radar detects more distant objects. “One of our goals is to use CMOS design to bring the different types of radar modulations together on one chip. A single chip could then switch back and forth between the modulations depending on the radar scenario,” he said. He said the major near-term technical challenges in automotive radar include the needs to achieve higher resolution and faster time-to-imaging; and finding better ways to synchronize the elements which comprise large MIMO arrays to achieve optimum angular resolution. Longer-term, more digital capabilities will be required for “smart” automotive radar systems that use neuromorphic computing techniques to detect objects and process data in real-time. “That can only be done in CMOS,” he said. Issakov said he is very grateful for the support GF’s UPP provides. “I always get the help and information I need, and fabrication of our circuits on GF’s multi-project wafers (MPWs) is straightforward and enables us to move our work forward effectively,” he said. “22FDX is The Natural Choice” Professor Bogdan Staszewski’s interest in high-frequency electronics and automotive safety goes back a long way. Early in his career, the University College Dublin professor spent 14 years at Texas Instruments developing digital RF processor technology that has since been widely deployed in many TI products. Then, after joining TU Delft in 2009, he put his Ph.D. students to work on a 60 GHz radar project; a chip for a wireless LAN at 6 GHz; and other projects that pushed the state-of-the-art at the time. Along the way he co-founded a company with a Swiss colleague to develop and supply lidar systems to create 3D images of a car’s environment. (Lidar is analogous to radar but uses laser light instead of radio waves.) That experience is one reason he believes the best approach to building better automotive radars is to have a fusion of technologies, including both mmWave radar and lidar. “I believe we need to use digital techniques to complement analog, mixed-signal and microwave elements so that you can integrate those analog functions with the digital ones,” he said. “Radars need lot of high-speed data processing to interpret what they see, and too many analog interconnections can kill it.” That makes SOI technology attractive for his projects, he said. One example is an all-digital PLL-based transmitter for 150GHz automotive radar, which will be taped-out soon. An earlier project was focused on a 77 GHz automotive radar, but Staszewski’s team felt that the 22FDX platform could enable 150 GHz operation, so the project was expanded. It was conducted successfully in collaboration with a major automotive-industry supplier. Staszewski is also exploring the use of FD-SOI technology for quantum computing, which may have future automotive applications. He is using 22FDX technology now, and his company has already made a small cryo-cooler the size of a desktop computer that potentially could be put into cars or trucks to do neural-network calculations “right at the edge.” His team is on their third generation of quantum processors, having made working devices with 10 million gates. Staszewski values his relationship with GF: “They have good technology and give us the opportunity to have frequent tapeouts, unlike others we’ve worked with in the past in TU Delft, which was a problem because students need to move their projects forward in order to graduate,” he said. “Also, the information we get from GF’s technical people is very helpful, they explain the ins and outs of the technology so that we can fine-tune the functions we are building; body bias is an example of this.” He also speaks highly of 22FDX technology: “I like 22FDX because it combines low-power digital capabilities with the option to greatly integrate RF/mmWave functions. In fact, I consult with a number of companies, and for them, GF is 22FDX,” he said. “It’s the natural choice.”
Celebrating Inventors and Innovation at GF May 20, 2022 By Olivia PozderCorporate Communications Intern As a proud supporter of employee innovation and patents, GlobalFoundries (GF) knows that a strong culture of innovation and inclusion builds better business outcomes. By championing employee patents and inventions, GF supports and shapes the semiconductor industry’s movement towards more features and greater energy efficiency, while at the same time promoting innovation and employee career development. Through inventor training programs, patent advocates, mentorship by experienced inventors, and financial incentives, GF supports employees through the process of research, discovery, invention development, and patenting. In 2021, more than 560 GF team members submitted a total of 465 invention disclosures for review. Importantly, nearly 15% of 2021 inventors were women, making up a larger percentage of this group than ever before. May 16-20 is Patent Week at GF, an annual celebration to honor and recognize the inventive minds and meaningful contributions of GF employees to both our company and our industry. Along with a week full of educational and training events to encourage employee-inventing, it is during Patent Week that the company announces which team members will be named GF Master Inventors, as well as the GF Diversity in Inventorship Champion. Recognizing Master Inventors For GF team member Mandy Gu, a member of the technical staff on the integration team at Fab 8 in Malta, New York, inventing has been a way to continuously learn and challenge herself. “Inventing greatly helps me to improve my technical skills to advance my career,” Gu said. “For technology development, we have a lot of challenging problems to solve and it is important for me to keep learning new areas and coming up with new ideas. Putting these ideas into our patent portfolio is a great opportunity to challenge myself and to scrutinize my solutions for novelty and viability.” Gu is among the 10 new Master Inventors named this year by GF. The title of Master Inventor is reserved for employees with at least 20 issued U.S. patents and who have a demonstrated track record of technical accomplishments and intellectual property (IP) asset creation. Now in its fifth year, the program is a powerful platform for honoring prolific employees as well as motivating other employees who may be thinking about submitting their inventions for patenting. Along with inspiring and mentoring their colleagues, Master Inventors are advisors and a resource for GF’s technology leaders and legal team on a range of technical, strategic, and IP topics. “The best advice an inventor can hear is ‘don’t be afraid of problems, take them as opportunities for innovation,’” Gu said. “Being close to problems is the first step to coming up with ideas that may lead to great patentable solutions. The next step is to spend time and effort to understand the problems and study new areas to build up enough technical skills needed for innovation.” Gu said GF’s culture of innovation is an asset for all employees to work together as a team and address challenging issues. “Since people who have expertise and experience in different areas look at the issue from a different angle, I received tremendous support and encouragement from fellow GF inventors in becoming a Master Inventor,” she said. Mandy Gu GF has so far recognized almost 80 Master Inventors, who according to David Cain, IP Legal Director for GF, based at the company’s Fab 9 near Burlington, Vermont, are “the shining stars of the company in terms of innovation … individuals who have had amazing careers of inventing and patenting.” Recognizing the annual cohort of Master Inventors is one of many Patent Week activities to encourage and highlight employee inventing. Through regional panel interviews and patenting trainings and workshops, employees can learn about the patenting process and the resources available to help them along the way. A Culture of Innovation Leads to Differentiation In addition to recognizing and celebrating the successes of GF inventors, Cain said there are external benefits to GF’s Master Inventor program and culture of innovation. Patents and IP can serve as a yardstick – beyond revenue, design wins, and new clients – which further showcases GF’s vital role in the semiconductor industry and global supply chain, he said. “New patents and IP are critical for protecting, maintaining, and growing our wide range of differentiated platforms, features, and specialized application solutions,” Cain said. “Differentiation is a huge focus here at GF, and our technologists and inventors play an oversized role in this differentiation by coming up with their great innovations and getting them into our IP pipeline so we can protect them.” Inclusivity and Diversity Through Mentorship Mentorship and teaching are significant aspects of GF’s mission to support an inclusive inventing culture. This support is made possible by the dedication of GF inventors to be resources for their peers and other team members. This year, GF is proud to award the 2022 GF Diversity in Inventorship Champion. Sponsored by several of our Employee Resource Groups and corporate teams, this award honors a GlobalFoundries employee who is a prolific inventor and innovator that is dedicated to teaching, mentoring, encouraging, and supporting early career engineers in becoming inventors, specifically with early career engineers who are women or members of other historically underrepresented groups. The recipient of this award is one of many such champions nominated for their hard work in creating a new and more diverse generation of inventors. All nominees are tremendous examples of GF’s commitment to a diverse and inclusive culture and community. Keep an eye out for GF’s forthcoming announcement of the 2022 recipient of the GF Diversity in Inventorship Champion! Also, check out these Q&As with other GF Master Inventors: Q&A with Shesh Mani PandeyQ&A with Yan Ping Shen
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GlobalFoundries Unveils GF Labs to Accelerate Technology Innovation May 19, 2022 Program advances long-term technology roadmap and reinforces company’s commitment to drive technology leadership of differentiated foundry solutions SAN JOSE, Calif., May 19, 2022 – At its annual GF Technology Summit (GTS), GlobalFoundries (Nasdaq: GFS) (GF) today announced the launch of GF Labs, a new program that extends the development horizon of innovative, differentiated semiconductor technology and broadens the company’s portfolio of feature-rich and enablement solutions. GF Labs will focus on advancing new technology and long-term roadmap differentiation that will enable GF customers to develop innovative products and accelerate their time-to-market. Semiconductor innovation is essential to the growth and development of technology megatrends that are reshaping the global economy including the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, 6G, cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing and next generation automotive, all of which are propelling semiconductor market revenue to more than $1.3 trillion by the end of the decade, according to International Business Strategies. GF has a proven track record of innovating novel materials such as FD-SOI on 22FDX®, and novel device architectures that enabled GF Fotonix™, the company’s recently announced next generation silicon photonics platform. GF Labs expands and accelerates this innovation momentum by creating an open framework of internal and external research and development initiatives that deliver a differentiated pipeline of market-driven process technology solutions for future data-centric, connected, intelligent and secure applications. “Fostering semiconductor innovation is critical to delivering a differentiated technology portfolio that will continue to fuel emerging markets,” said Gregg Bartlett, senior vice president of Technology, Engineering and Quality, GF. “Our focus is on making sure we’re always developing the latest technologies that provide meaningful differentiation for our customers, not just in the near-term, but far into the next decade. The launch of GF Labs accelerates our pursuit of the innovation it takes to develop and deliver powerful technological advances for our customers.” GF has a proven track record of building partnerships with startup innovators, industry consortia, material suppliers, universities and government entities worldwide. Leveraging GF’s extensive patent portfolio and deep technical expertise in digital, analog, mixed-signal, RF and embedded memory, GF Labs will harvest capabilities from a broad research platform including the Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (IMEC) in Belgium, Fraunhofer in Germany, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in the U.S., and the Institute for Microelectronics in Singapore, along with a broad network of university partnerships. Research and development within GF Labs is underway with a slate of innovative technology capabilities and solutions already in development such as radio frequency silicon on insulator (RFSOI) and silicon-germanium (SiGe). GF will continue to invest to expand and develop tailored solutions, with GF Labs serving as the R&D engine accelerating differentiated solutions based on wide-band-gap semiconductors that go beyond the traditional approach of shrinking transistors. Additional program details and partners will be announced in the second half of 2022. Supporting Quotes “We have a wide research portfolio in high-performance computing, cryogenic electronics, bioelectronics and biosensors, physical-layer security and AI-based design automation. Collaborating with GF allows us the freedom to explore innovative ideas, such as integrating advanced SiGe devices with high-performance CMOS technologies to help achieve the required configuration for next-generation wireless electronics.” George White, Ph.D., Director for Strategic Partnerships, Georgia Institute of Technology “For more than 10 years, we’ve been working collaboratively with GF to help drive technology innovation across multiple dimensions. The launch of GF Labs will enable tomorrow’s more intelligent and intuitive, more connected and secure, and more powerful and energy-efficient technology solutions. We are committed to continue collaborating on advanced semiconductor R&D with GF, working hand in hand to come up with solutions that make the high-tech industry grow.” Luc Van den hove, President and CEO, imec “IQE’s collaboration with GF on GaN accelerates the development of differentiated technology platforms that enable smart mobile devices, wireless infrastructure, power electronics and next generation displays.” Americo Lemos, CEO, IQE “Micledi has developed a unique and innovative solution for microLED arrays. Our technology is based on an innovative combination of III/V materials processing, 3D integration and 300mm silicon-based processing combined with a proprietary ASIC to provide a self-contained, compact monolithic AR display with high image quality and power efficiency. Our partnership with GF is enabling future AR devices and revolutionizing how digital information is delivered to consumers.” Soeren Steudel, Chief Technology Officer, Micledi Microdisplays “Congratulations to GF for their visionary endeavor with GF Labs. We are delighted to be collaborating with them as a member of the Semiconductor Alliance to accelerate research, innovation and prototyping, and help grow the U.S. semiconductor industry amid increased global competition. Collaboration among industry, government and academia in the United States will facilitate growth of advanced manufacturing, strengthen supply chains and help protect intellectual property.” Dr. Raj Jammy, Chief Technology Officer, MITRE Engenuity and Director, Semiconductor Alliance “Ranovus is dedicated to developing application-specific optical engines that are energy and space efficient to address the massive growth in data center traffic, which is fueled by new compute, storage and networking paradigms. Ranovus’ monolithic Odin™ silicon photonics platform leverages the GF Fotonix™ process with its feature-rich libraries together with Ranovus’ own proprietary photonic and RF IP blocks, including innovative on-chip lasers, to enable an unprecedented high-density optical interconnect for datacenter applications. This is a great example of the GF and Ranovus teams collaborating to deliver leading-edge solutions.” John Martinho, Senior Vice President of Research and Development, Ranovus “SOITEC and GF’s close collaboration on state-of-the-art RFSOI and FD-SOI substrate development continues to set the pace for the introduction of market-leading solutions for each generation of mobile connectivity standards.” Bernard Asper, Chief Operating Officer, SOITEC “GF technologies made 5G mm-wave possible with 45RSOI and 22FDX® processes first used by universities and then by most companies in 5G and SATCOM. It is now taking steps to establish a leadership position in 6G. We’ve been collaborating on a broad set of high-risk, high-payoff research projects leveraging the unparalleled benefits of FD-SOI, RF-SOI and SiGe technology with demonstrated phased-arrays and transceivers up to 180 GHz and together, we are pushing the limits. GF has been a great partner, with an accurate design kit at greater than 100 GHz. They also support innovative work and enable the successful demonstration of complex 6G systems.” Gabriel M. Rebeiz, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor and the Wireless Communications Industry Endowed Chair at the UC San Diego About GF GlobalFoundries, Inc. (GF) is one of the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturers. GF is redefining innovation and semiconductor manufacturing by developing and delivering feature-rich process technology solutions that provide leadership performance in pervasive high growth markets. GF offers a unique mix of design, development and fabrication services. With a talented and diverse workforce and an at-scale manufacturing footprint spanning the U.S., Europe and Asia, GF is a trusted technology source to its worldwide customers. For more information, visit www.gf.com. Media Contact: Erica McGillGlobalFoundries(518) 795-5240[email protected]
GlobalFoundries Advances RF Leadership with GF Connex™ Portfolio and Customer Collaborations May 19, 2022 MALTA, N.Y., May 19, 2022 – At its annual GF Technology Summit (GTS), GlobalFoundries (Nasdaq: GFS) (GF), today announced GF Connex, the industry’s most comprehensive and advanced portfolio of feature-rich radio frequency (RF) technology solutions for next generation wireless connectivity. GF Connex includes best in class design enablement and an extensive partner ecosystem for delivering breakthrough wireless-connected products. Products based on GF Connex are on the market today through GF’s collaborations with industry leaders and innovators including Broadcom, Fujikura, MediaTek, Orca Systems and Skyworks. “Our ability to provide leadership solutions for wireless connectivity is rooted in our rich RF innovation heritage,” said Dr. Thomas Caulfield, president and CEO, GF. “The GF Connex portfolio enables our customers to deliver market-leading innovation, expanding the pervasive deployment of semiconductors powering a new generation of intelligent wireless products.” When it comes to connectivity, the best wireless wins and a “one-size-fits-all” approach does not work. The GF Connex portfolio showcases purpose-built solutions based on GF’s RF silicon-on-insulator (SOI), FDXTM, silicon-germanium (SiGe) and fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) platforms fulfilling the application-specific requirements of wireless in smart mobile devices and communications infrastructure, home and industrial IoT, and automotive including: Smart Mobile Devices & Communications Infrastructure: GF Connex solutions sets are tailored to deliver the exacting requirements of 5G sub-6GHz (gigahertz) and mmWave applications, delivering outstanding performance, integration and area advantages, and exceptional power efficiency. This means GF customers can design cellular systems that enable smartphones to stay connected longer on a single charge, and cellular and satellite communications that deliver more robust, reliable and swift connections.Home and Industrial IoT: GF Connex solutions have application-specific features that deliver exceptional power efficiency, high performance edge computing and robust non-volatile memory integration. This enables GF customers to design tightly integrated, high performing, ultra-low power wireless system on chips (SoCs) that enable extremely power-efficient intelligent Internet of Things (IoT) products.Automotive: GF Connex mmWave solutions fulfill the highest automotive grade RADAR mission profiles, making it possible for GF customers to design innovative sensors that boast extended range, high resolution imagery at low latency and an unprecedented level of integration and power efficiency. Customer demand for GF Connex solutions has grown 47% in the last two years, demonstrating strong market momentum. GF Connex solutions are in volume production today, with close to 100 billion chips shipped to date. Customers strongly endorse GF Connex portfolio “Broadcom’s Wireless Semiconductor Division supplies industry-leading performance, highly integrated RF front-end (RFFE) solutions that enable our customers to deliver the best possible 5G experience to their end users. We continuously improve product performance in an ever more complex and physically constrained environment. To achieve this, we combine the best available technologies. GF’s advances in SOI technology have been a key enabler to keep improving our product performance,” said Youngwoo Kwon, senior vice president and general manager of Broadcom’s Wireless Semiconductor Division. “mmWave is not just important for 5G today but will be a key foundation for beyond 5G and 6G networks,” said Kenji Nishide, head of the Electronics Technologies Research and Development Center at Fujikura. “5G and future networks will require highly efficient base station transmitters that also deliver exceptional receiver performance to support demanding user requirements for data rate and network coverage, all of which are enabled by the GF Connex high-performance SiGe platform.” “Advanced connectivity technologies like Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 require more artificial intelligence (AI) processing power, energy efficiency and robust security,” said HW Kao, MediaTek corporate vice president and general manager of the manufacturing operations functional unit. “MediaTek’s collaboration with GF helps us meet those demands with all-in-one solutions that offer energy efficiency, reliability and high-performance connectivity in small form factor designs that are ideal for a wide range of IoT devices.” “Orca Systems has developed the first fully integrated wireless system on chip (SoC) solution for direct to satellite IoT connectivity over a low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite network,” said John McDonough, CEO at Orca Systems. “GF’s RF leadership and significant integration and low power feature advantages were critical to bringing this innovative SoC to market.” “Our long-standing collaboration with GF has provided Skyworks early access to best-in-class switch and low noise amplifier (LNA) technology enabling us to pioneer breakthroughs in RF front-end modules,” said Joel King, senior vice president and general manager of Mobile Solutions for Skyworks. “Skyworks is uniquely positioned to engineer and seamlessly integrate advancements to increasingly smaller, more efficient form factors, purpose-built and customized for specific end markets and applications, including next-generation mobile devices and IoT applications.” Additional customer RF news: GlobalFoundries and Motorola Solutions Announce Strategic Agreement for Chip SupplyGlobalFoundries and Qualcomm Sign Agreement to Deliver Advanced 5G RF Front-End Products About GF GlobalFoundries, Inc. (GF) is one of the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturers. GF is redefining innovation and semiconductor manufacturing by developing and delivering feature-rich process technology solutions that provide leadership performance in pervasive high growth markets. GF offers a unique mix of design, development, and fabrication services. With a talented and diverse workforce and an at-scale manufacturing footprint spanning the U.S., Europe and Asia, GF is a trusted technology source to its worldwide customers. For more information, visit. Media Contact: Erica McGillGlobalFoundries(518) 795-5250[email protected]