As consumer demand accelerates for next-generation smart mobile devices and RF and battery performance requirements continue to rise, every square millimeter of board space matters. Front-end modules must support more bands, more functionality and more complex switching architectures without increasing footprint. Achieving this level of integration requires both advanced RF switch technology and innovative design platforms that help reduce area while maintaining the performance and reliability modern devices require.

This is where our SLATE™ wafer-to-wafer bonding technology delivers a viable path forward – enabling advanced 3D integration (3DI) for compact, high-performance cellular front-ends by significantly reducing RF switch layout area. This level of area reduction opens new opportunities for integration, and while the process itself is novel, we make it simple to migrate your existing RF designs to the platform.

3DI made simple: Seamlessly migrating your design from 9SW to 9SW SLATE

Our first‑generation SLATE technology with 9SW enables wafer‑to‑wafer (W2W) bonding and 3D homogeneous integration, allowing two 9SW wafers to be bonded so large field‑effect transistors (FETs) can be vertically stacked. This ability to “fold” large FETs across bonded wafers is foundational to reducing lateral area while maintaining the electrical performance required for advanced RF front‑ends. With this approach, designers can seamlessly convert a traditional 2D 9SW single-pole single-throw (SPST) switch into a compact 3D architecture.

This can all be accomplished within the PDK using the industry’s latest EDA tools, where RF designers can intuitively migrate their original 2D 9SW design into a 3D architecture using an automated flow that generates the new device structure. This is based on established design rules, entered by the designer based on their unique needs. Key parameters – such as total width and stack configuration – are preserved, while the platform intelligently partitions the device into top and bottom elements and splices the number of fingers by up to half. Automated constraint assignment, schematic partitioning and layout hierarchy creation ensure that the resulting 3D design remains electrically consistent with the original.

Designers can align 3D pins, manage connectivity and finalize pin placement with automated tools that maintain accuracy and reduce manual effort. The result is a fully migrated, fully verified 3D RF switch design that delivers meaningful area savings without requiring a ground‑up redesign.

To learn more about how you can migrate your existing RF design from 9SW to SLATE technology with 9SW, you can watch our tutorial video that was developed with our in-house technical experts.

Delivering meaningful and measurable value for RF system architects

Migrating to SLATE technology with 9SW provides clear advantages for designers developing future-proofed RF front‑end modules:

  • Up to 45% reduction in overall die size, decreasing RF board space and total design area for space‑constrained mobile applications
  • Advanced 3D integration (3DI) through W2W bonding, enabling vertical stacking of large field effect transistors (FETs)
  • Homogeneous 3DI that maintains electrical performance while reducing lateral footprint
  • Automated, PDK‑driven migration tools that accelerate development and reduce design complexity
  • Production‑ready technology on our industry-leading 9SW RF-SOI platform, manufactured at our 300mm facility in Singapore, with volume ramp expected in 2H 2027

These benefits extend beyond RF switches to other key front‑end components – including low‑noise amplifiers (LNAs) and antenna tuners – making 9SW SLATE a compelling platform for the next wave of mobile and connectivity solutions.

Explore what SLATE technology with 9SW can enable for your next RF design

If you are looking to reduce your RF switch area and increase integration density, our team is ready to collaborate with you on your next development with detailed tutorials and reference flows.

Contact your GF representative to learn more about engagement opportunities and how SLATE technology with 9SW can accelerate your next RF innovation.

By: Jignesh Patel, Distinguished Member of Technical Staff, RF design enablement