GLOBALFOUNDRIES Delivering 45nm RF SOI Customer Prototypes for 5G Applications January 24, 2018Company’s advanced 300mm RF SOI offering is ready for volume production Santa Clara, Calif., January 24, 2018 – GLOBALFOUNDRIES today announced that its 45nm RF SOI (45RFSOI) technology platform has been qualified and is ready for volume production. Several customers are currently engaged for this advanced RF SOI process, which is targeted for 5G millimeter-wave (mmWave) front-end module (FEM) applications, including smartphones and next-generation mmWave beamforming systems in future base stations. As next-generation systems move to frequencies above 24GHz, higher performance RF silicon solutions are required to exploit the large available bandwidth in the mmWave spectrum. GF’s 45RFSOI platform is optimized for beam forming FEMs, with features that improve RF performance through combining high-frequency transistors, high-resistivity silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates and ultra-thick copper wiring. Moreover, the SOI technology enables easy integration of power amplifiers, switches, LNAs, phase shifters, up/down converters and VCO/PLLs that lowers cost, size and power compared to competing technologies targeting tomorrow’s multi-gigabit-per-second communication systems, including internet broadband satellite, smartphones and 5G infrastructure. “GF’s leadership in RF SOI solutions makes the company a perfect strategic partner for Peregrine’s next generation of RF SOI technologies,” said Jim Cable, Chairman and CTO of Peregrine Semiconductor. “It enables us to create RF solutions that provide our customers with new levels of product performance, reliability and scalability, and it allows us to push the envelope of integrated RF front-end innovation for evolving mmWave applications and emerging 5G markets.” “To bring 5G into the future, mmWave innovations are needed for allocating more bandwidth to deliver faster, higher-quality video, and multimedia content and services,” Bob Donahue, CEO of Anokiwave. “GF’s RF SOI technology leadership and 45RFSOI platform enables Anokiwave to develop differentiated solutions designed to operate between the mmWave and sub-6GHz frequency band for high-speed wireless communications and networks.” “GF continues to expand its RF capabilities and portfolio to provide competitive RF SOI advantages and manufacturing excellence that will enable our customers to play a critical role in bringing 5G devices and networks to real-world environments,” said Bami Bastani, senior vice president of the RF Business Unit at GF. “Our 45RFSOI is an ideal technology for customers that are looking to deliver the highest- performing mmWave solutions that will handle demanding performance requirements in next-generation mobile and 5G communications.” GF’s RF SOI solutions are part of the company’s vision to develop and deliver the next wave of 5G technology aimed at enabling connected intelligence for next-generation devices, networks and wired/wireless systems. GF has a successful track record in manufacturing RF SOI solutions at its 300mm production line in East Fishkill, N.Y. Customers can now start optimizing their chip designs to develop differentiated solutions for high performance in the RF front end for 5G and mmWave applications. For more information on GF’s RF SOI solutions, contact your GF sales representative or go to www.globalfoundries.com. About GF: GLOBALFOUNDRIES is a leading full-service semiconductor foundry providing a unique combination of design, development, and fabrication services to some of the world’s most inspired technology companies. With a global manufacturing footprint spanning three continents, GLOBALFOUNDRIES makes possible the technologies and systems that transform industries and give customers the power to shape their markets. GLOBALFOUNDRIES is owned by Mubadala Investment Company. For more information, visit https://www.globalfoundries.com. Contacts: Erica McGillGLOBALFOUNDRIES(518) 795-5240[email protected]
意法半导体公司选择格芯22FDX®提升其FD-SOI平台和技术领导力 January 10, 2018格芯FDX技术将赋能ST为新一代消费者和工业应用提供高性能、低功耗的产品 加利福尼亚州圣克拉拉和瑞士日内瓦,2018 年 1 月 9 日 —— 格芯(GLOBALFOUNDRIES)与意法半导体公司(STMicroelectronics,NYSE:STM)于今日宣布,意法半导体公司选定格芯 22 纳米 FD-SOI(22FDX®)技术平台,为其新一代工业和消费应用的处理器解决方案提供支持。 在部署了业界首个 28 纳米 FD-SOI 技术平台之后,意法半导体公司采用格芯可量产的 22FDX 工艺和生态系统,为未来智能系统提供第二代 FD-SOI 解决方案,以拓展公司业务发展路径图。 “FD-SOI 是对低功耗、高处理性能与高连接能力有较高要求的成本敏感型应用的理想选择”,意法半导体公司数字前端制造与技术执行副总裁 Joël Hartmann 表示,“格芯 22FDX 平台具有成本优化的超高性能与同类最佳的能源效率优势,再加上意法半导体公司在 FD-SOI 领域的丰富设计经验和IP基础,必将为我们的客户提供无与伦比的功耗、性能和成本价值。” “意法半导体公司在 FD-SOI 技术方面拥有良好的业绩记录”,格芯的产品管理高级副总裁 Alain Mutricy 表示,“意法半导体公司拥有开创新技术和产品的悠久历史,有了格芯 22FDX 平台的加入,两家公司将能够在 22 纳米节点上提供差异化的 FD-SOI 产品。” 作为 FinFET 的补充路径,格芯多功能 FDX 平台可以将数字、模拟和射频功能集成到单一芯片,从而使客户能够设计出智能化且完全集成的系统解决方案。此项技术尤其适用于要求以最低成本的解决方案成本实现高性能、高能效的芯片,非常适合从智能客户端、无线连接到人工智能和智能汽车的广泛应用。 关于意法半导体公司 意法半导体(STMicroelectronics; ST)是全球领先的半导体公司,提供与日常生活息息相关的智能的、高能效的产品及解决方案。意法半导体的产品无处不在,致力于与客户共同努力实现智能驾驶、智能工厂、智慧城市和智能家居,以及下一代移动和物联网产品。享受科技、享受生活,意法半导体主张科技引领智能生活(life.augmented)的理念。 意法半导体 2016 年净收入 69.7 亿美元,在全球拥有 10 万余客户。详情请浏览意法半导体公司网站:www.st.com 关于格芯 格芯是全球领先的全方位服务半导体代工厂,为世界上最富有灵感的科技公司提供独一无二的设计、开发和制造服务。伴随着全球生产基地横跨三大洲的发展步伐,格芯促生了改变行业的技术和系统的出现,并赋予了客户塑造市场的力量。格芯由阿布扎比穆巴达拉投资公司(Mubadala Investment Company)所有。欲了解更多信息,请访问 https://www.globalfoundries.com/cn。 媒体垂询: 杨颖(Jessie Yang) (021) 8029 6826 [email protected] 关慧珠 (Sunny Guan) 86 13564132717 [email protected] 邢芳洁(Jay Xing) 86 18801624170 [email protected] 范怡唯(Yiwei Fan) 86 13585713665 [email protected]
STMicroelectronics Selects GLOBALFOUNDRIES 22FDX® to Extend Its FD-SOI Platform and Technology Leadership January 9, 2018GF’s FDX technology will enable ST to deliver high-performance, low-power products for next-generation consumer and industrial applications Santa Clara, California and Geneva, Switzerland, January 9, 2018 – GLOBALFOUNDRIES and STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) today announced that ST has selected GF’s 22nm FD-SOI (22FDX®) technology platform to support its next-generation of processor solutions for industrial and consumer applications. After deploying the industry’s first 28nm FD-SOI technology platform, ST is extending its commitment and roadmap by adopting GF’s production-ready 22FDX process and ecosystem to deliver second-generation FD-SOI solutions for the intelligent systems of tomorrow. “FD-SOI is ideally suited for cost-sensitive applications requiring significant processing and connectivity capabilities at lower power consumption,” said Joël Hartmann, Executive Vice President, Digital Front-End Manufacturing and Technology, STMicroelectronics. “The cost-effective performance and best-in-class energy efficiency benefits of GF’s 22FDX platform, coupled with ST’s extensive design experience and IP base in FD-SOI, will enable our customers with unparalleled value for power, performance and cost. We are relying on GF’s Dresden site for manufacturing products using this technology.” “ST has established a strong track record with FD-SOI technology,” said Alain Mutricy, senior vice president of product management at GF. “The addition of GF’s 22FDX platform, coupled with ST’s long history of pioneering new technologies and products, will enable the two companies to deliver differentiated FD-SOI products at the 22nm node.” As a complementary path to FinFETs, GF’s versatile FDX platform offers the ability to integrate digital, analog, and RF functions onto a single chip, which allows customers to design intelligent and fully-integrated system solutions. The technology is uniquely suited for chips that require performance on demand and energy efficiency at the lowest solution cost, making it ideal for a broad range of applications, from intelligent clients and wireless connectivity to artificial intelligence and smart vehicles. About STMicroelectronics ST is a global semiconductor leader delivering intelligent and energy-efficient products and solutions that power the electronics at the heart of everyday life. ST’s products are found everywhere today, and together with our customers, we are enabling smarter driving and smarter factories, cities and homes, along with the next generation of mobile and Internet of Things devices. By getting more from technology to get more from life, ST stands for life.augmented. In 2016, the Company’s net revenues were $6.97 billion, serving more than 100,000 customers worldwide. Further information can be found at www.st.com. About GF: GLOBALFOUNDRIES is a leading full-service semiconductor foundry providing a unique combination of design, development, and fabrication services to some of the world’s most inspired technology companies. With a global manufacturing footprint spanning three continents, GLOBALFOUNDRIES makes possible the technologies and systems that transform industries and give customers the power to shape their markets. GLOBALFOUNDRIES is owned by Mubadala Investment Company. For more information, visit https://www.globalfoundries.com. For further information, please contact: STMicroelectronicsMichael MarkowitzDirector, Technical Media Relations+1-781-591-0354[email protected] GFErica McGillGF(518) 795-5240[email protected]
Will 2018 Really Be “The Year of 5G”? January 9, 2018By: Dr. Bami Bastani When I returned from the holidays, I thought I had entered a time warp. Did I sleep through January and wake up near the end of February? I expected to see the usual deluge of news about the gadgets and gear that will be featured at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2018). Instead, I’ve seen story after story about next-generation 5G mobile networks—typically the stuff of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Time warp or not, one thing is clear: 2018 is shaping up to be a huge year for 5G. With an estimated 8.4 billion connected devices expected to be on the market by 2020, there is an accelerating need for an ultra-fast, high-bandwidth, low-latency network to connect them. 5G is coming, and it can’t get here soon enough. Qualcomm’s keynote on January 10 is sure to be a high point for the 5G buzz at CES 2018. Cristiano Amon, president of Qualcomm, will be sharing Qualcomm’s vision for leadership in the 5G era. We were fortunate to hear a preview of Cristiano’s story when he delivered a keynote at our GLOBALFOUNDRIES Technical Conference (GTC 2017) back in September. One of his key points was that the demanding requirements of 5G networks are driving increased complexity at the chipset level. This means silicon innovation is essential to enabling the transition to 5G. At GF, we offer a sweeping range of semiconductor technologies designed to help customers’ transition to next-generation 5G wireless networks. We have the industry’s broadest set of technology solutions for a range of 5G applications, including mmWave front end modules (FEMs), standalone or integrated mmWave transceivers and baseband chips, and high-performance application processors for mobile and networking. Our roadmap includes offerings in RF-SOI, silicon germanium (SiGe), and CMOS, including a wide range of mature and advanced nodes with RF-optimized options combined with a broad range of ASIC design services and IP. These application-specific solutions address various customer approaches to 5G by supporting a vast range of capabilities, from ultra-low energy sensors, to ultra-fast devices with long-lasting battery life, to higher levels of integration that support on-chip memory. 5G RF and mmWave Transceivers and Baseband Processing: Whether it’s for 5G <6GHz applications or the new 5G mmWave bands, GF’s broad range of CMOS technologies with FinFET, FD-SOI and more mature bulk CMOS technologies have optimized RF and mmWave offerings that allow our customers to make the best design trade-offs between cost, power consumption and performance. GF’s FD-SOI technologies (22FDX and 12FDX) are truly differentiated CMOS platforms that provide the lowest power consumption solution for any RF or mmWave transceiver. In addition, FDX is very well suited to address another part of the 5G standard, massive IoT networks. GF’s optimized solutions provide customers a flexible and cost-effective solution to integrate RF and mmWave transceivers with baseband modem or digital “calibration” processing in 5G handsets and base stations, NB-IoT solutions and other high-performance applications. 5G mmWave Front End Modules: GF’s RF-SOI and SiGe solutions (130nm-45nm) deliver an optimal combination of performance, integration and power efficiency for FEMs with integrated switches, low noise amplifiers and power amplifier applications. For certain applications, such as 5G mmWave handsets and small base stations, GF’s 22FDX mmWave optimized offering makes it possible to integrate FEMs and transceivers onto a single chip, delivering significant advantages in terms of cost, power consumption and footprint. GF’s mmWave solutions are designed to serve applications ranging from sub-6 GHz to mmWave frequency bands. Advanced Applications Processing: GF’s advanced CMOS FinFET-based process technologies deliver an optimal combination of performance, integration and power efficiency for next-generation smartphone processors, low latency networks and massive MIMO networks. Advanced CMOS solutions are available today from GF. Custom Design for 5G Wireless Base Stations: The company’s application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) design systems (FX-14 and FX-7) enable optimized 5G solutions (functional modules) by supporting wireless infrastructure protocols on high-speed SerDes, solutions to integrate advanced packaging, monolithic, ADC/DAC and programmable logic. 5G will undoubtedly play an integral role in helping next-generation networks provide “zero-distance connectivity” between users and their devices, allowing people to take full advantage of the processing power of the cloud as well as edge-to-edge connectivity. With the demand for 5G accelerating rapidly, GF will continue to work with its partners to provide solutions that will allow our customers to succeed in this competitive space. Stay tuned as we continue to roll out new details of our technology solutions for 5G throughout the coming year. About Author Dr. Bami Bastani Dr. Bami Bastani is head of GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ radio frequency (RF) business unit, responsible for expanding the organization’s business leadership position in RF. Bastani has more than 35 years of industry experience in the semiconductor industry, including component to system-level RF technologies. Prior to joining GLOBALFOUNDRIES, he was president, CEO and board member of Meru Networks, a global enterprise-grade Wi-Fi networks solution provider. During his time with the company, Bastani transformed Meru Networks from a hardware company to a solution provider, delivering a portfolio of software, software-defined networks (2015 SDN Excellence Award) and subscription cloud offerings (WaaS). Dr. Bastani has also held positions of president, CEO and board member in the mobility, consumer and broadband markets, including president and CEO of Trident Microsystems, Inc. and ANADIGICS, Inc. In addition, he has served in executive positions at Fujitsu Microelectronics, National Semiconductor and Intel Corporation. Dr. Bastani holds a Ph.D. & MSEE in Microelectronics from Ohio State University.
2018年真会成为“5G元年”吗? January 9, 2018作者: Dr. Bami Bastani 当我度假回来时,我以为发生了时间扭曲。我是否一觉睡过了一月份,接近二月底才醒来?我本来预计会像通常一样看到关于即将到来的国际消费电子展(CES 2018)上要展出的新奇产品的大量消息。不料,我看到的是一篇接一篇关于下一代5G移动网络的故事,而这一般是巴塞罗那移动世界大会才有的内容。 不管时间扭曲与否,有一点很明确:2018年将是对5G有重大意义的一年。预计到2020年市场上将有84亿台联网设备,为了连接如此多的设备,对超高速、高带宽、低延时网络的需求正在加速增长。5G即将到来,但不会说来就来。 高通公司1月10日的主题演讲无疑将使CES 2018的5G热推到高潮。高通公司总裁Cristiano Amon将同与会者分享高通公司如何在5G时代引领行业发展。我们有幸在去年9月份的格芯技术大会(GTC 2017)上听到了Cristiano关于此次发言的预告,他当时在给我们做主题演讲。他的一个重要观点是,5G网络的苛刻要求驱使芯片组的复杂性提高。这意味着硅片创新对于实现向5G过渡至关重要。 格芯提供全面的半导体技术来帮助客户向下一代5G无线网络过渡。我们拥有业界最广泛的技术解决方案,适合各种5G应用,包括毫米波前端模块(FEM)、独立或集成毫米波收发器与基带芯片,以及用于移动和联网的高性能应用处理器。 我们的路线图包括RF-SOI、硅锗(SiGe)和CMOS产品,其中有各种成熟先进的节点,RF优化选项与广泛的ASIC设计服务和IP结合在一起。这些专用解决方案满足了客户多种多样的5G需求,支持广泛的功能——从超低能量传感器,到具有持久电池寿命的超高速器件,再到支持片上存储器的更高集成度。 5G RF和毫米波收发器及基带处理:无论是针对5G sub-6GHz应用还是针对新的5G毫米波频段,格芯类型多样的CMOS技术(FinFET、FD-SOI和更成熟的体硅CMOS技术)都优化了RF和毫米波产品,使我们的客户能够作出关于成本、功耗和性能的最佳设计权衡。格芯FD-SOI技术(22FDX和12FDX)是真正差异化的CMOS平台,可为任何RF或毫米波收发器提供最低功耗的解决方案。此外,FDX非常适合解决5G标准的另一部分需求——大规模IoT网络。格芯的优化解决方案为客户提供一种灵活且经济高效的方法,以将RF和毫米波收发器与基带调制解调器或数字“校准”处理集成起来,适合5G手机和基站、NB-IoT解决方案及其他高性能应用。 5G毫米波前端模块:格芯RF-SOI和SiGe解决方案(130nm-45nm)为集成开关、低噪声放大器和功率放大器的FEM提供最佳的性能、集成度与功效组合。对于某些应用,例如5G毫米波手机和小型基站,格芯22FDX毫米波优化方案使得将FEM和收发器集成到单个芯片成为可能,这在成本、功耗和尺寸方面有着显著的优势。格芯毫米波解决方案旨在服务于从sub-6 GHz到毫米波频段的应用。 先进应用处理:格芯基于先进CMOS FinFET的工艺技术为下一代智能手机处理器、低延时网络和大规模MIMO网络提供最佳的性能、集成度与功效组合。格芯现在提供先进的CMOS解决方案。 5G无线基站的定制设计:格芯专用集成电路(ASIC)设计系统(FX-14和FX-7)通过支持高速SerDes上的无线基础架构协议来实现优化的5G解决方案(功能模块)——集成先进封装、单片ADC/DAC和可编程逻辑的解决方案。 在帮助下一代网络提供用户与设备之间的“零距离连接”方面,5G无疑将发挥无可替代的作用,让人们得以充分利用云端的处理能力和边缘到边缘连接。随着5G需求的加速增长,格芯将继续与合作伙伴合作,提供让我们的客户在激烈竞争中胜出的解决方案。请继续关注我们在未来一年持续发布的5G技术解决方案最新细节。
Reflections of 2017: GF Making a Difference January 5, 2018GF has a global footprint and with it a responsibility to our local communities. Through GF’s GlobalGives program, the company provides employees the opportunity to make a positive impact in their local communities in the areas of education, philanthropy and the environment. In 2017, employees made a difference in many ways, giving their time, money and goods. Below is a sample of just a few of the wonderful programs and events employees helped support in 2017. Aid to Victims of Disasters (GF WW) GF launched a number of global campaigns this year to aid the victims of a series of natural disasters, which resulted in an extensive amount of damage and devastation around the world. These included Hurricanes Matthew, Irma, and Maria; flooding in South Asia; an earthquake in Mexico; wildfires in California; and an earthquake in Iran/Iraq. The response from team GF was tremendous, raising valuable funds for all causes, in some cases including matching donations from the company. While immediate relief efforts were focused on providing victims with medical, food and water supplies, and other critical needs, those in the hardest hit areas will require even more support in the months ahead as they begin to rebuild their homes and communities. Burlington Food Drive (Vermont) Fab 9, in Burlington Vermont, held their annual food drive, collecting 4,817 pounds or nearly 2.5 tons of food that will make a large difference in nearby communities. In conjunction with the drive, the site held its annual food sculpture contest with teams of volunteers turning the donations into incredible, creative “food sculptures.” A number of different service agencies in the region received boxes of food and other necessary commodities, thanks to the help of GF’s 971 dock, which supported the drive by storing, weighing, and transporting the food. Other community events in Burlington included a winter items drive, a bike build competition (which benefited a local charity), and Benevity training. Toys for Tots Drive/Open House (New York) Fab 8, in Malta New York, held its annual Toys for Tots Drive, providing employees and community members the opportunity to give back to the community over the holidays by helping out needy children in the Greater Capital Region. Local Veterans began collecting donations at the Fab 8 Open House. As part of the event, GF also presented checks with money raised from our title sponsorship of the Malta 5K race to numerous community organizations. The event culminated with a check presentation to nearly a dozen FIRSTⒸ robotics teams and New York Tech Valley (NYTV) FIRSTⒸ affiliate partners, the recipients of NYTV FIRSTⒸ‘s 2018 grant awards. In 2017, the Malta site also donated about $3,000 worth of equipment to Ballston Spa High School for a new virtual reality lab. Hair for Hope (Singapore) The Singapore site held its annual Hair for Hope fundraising event, helping to raise funds for the Children’s Cancer Foundation and promote awareness of childhood cancer. A total of 68 GF employees had their heads shaved at the Singapore site, raising a total of $116,290.00 to date. Employees at the Singapore site also supported the Boy’s Brigade Give-A-Gift Wishes program, providing 815 gifts to a number of different charitable organizations. Christmas Volunteer Project (Germany) Fab 1, in Dresden Germany, collected presents for 50 children and teenagers of the welfare organization Louisenstift gGmbH. The six groups of children from disadvantaged families range in age from 3 to 17 years. Many of them will not be able to celebrate Christmas with their families. Employees also made donations to two charitable organizations: Treberhilfe Dresden e.V., which supports teenagers and young adults without a home or any means of income, and INTERPLAST Germany e.V., a group of surgeons and nurses from Saxony, who operate for free on patients in Tanzania (Africa) during their vacation time. ALS Walk/Treat the Troops Program (New York) The Fab 10 team in East Fishkill, N.Y. participated in the annual Hudson Valley ALS Walk on the Walkway Over the Hudson. This is a walk in remembrance and in honor of relatives and friends who have been affected by ALS, and the funds raised support people living with ALS in the local community and helps to advance global ALS research and public policy initiatives aimed at finding treatments and a cure for the disease. GF employees, along with IBM, also collected over 16,000 treats as part of the Treat the Troops program. GF employees brought the treats, which included cookies, candy, granola, crackers, chips, and popcorn, among others, as well as drink mix and cards, to a collection point at the IBM site in Poughkeepsie. In all, 211 packed boxes were shipped out to our deployed men and women! Don Edwards San Francisco Bay Refuge (California) Employees from the GF Santa Clara site sponsored a day of volunteering at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay Refuge located in Alviso, just 10 minutes from campus. Nineteen employees volunteered their time, spending approximately two hours weeding, planting, picking up litter and the like to help preserve the natural beauty of this local gem. In total, GF volunteers picked up just over 27 pounds of trash. Other community activities at the Santa Clara site in 2017 included a food drive supporting the Redwood Empire Food Bank, a Back to School drive, and a Family Giving Tree Holiday Wish Drive. Austin Food Drive (Texas) Employees from GF’s Austin site participated in the Food and Fund Drive 2017, benefiting the Central Texas Food Bank. In all, 142 pounds of food (good for 113 healthy meals!) was donated by GF employees. The Central Texas Food Bank works to fulfill the unmet needs of people in Central Texas in three ways – sharing free food and their knowledge on low-cost, healthy eating with families in need, assisting families who qualify for federal assistance programs, and making food affordable for charitable and government partners. Sri Channabasaveshwara Gov’t School/Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (India) This year, GF’s Bangalore site donated a projector and computers to the Sri Channabasaveshwara Government School in Bellary, Karnataka, to help students attend “smart” classes. The school has approximately 200 students at the primary level and 200 students at the secondary level. The school has qualified teachers who are very enthusiastic and, in addition to academics, they also focus on the overall development of children and extracurricular activities, such as in-house organic gardening, sports and cultural shows. GF also donated a projector to help support cancer awareness camps in rural areas in conjunction with the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, a well-known comprehensive regional center for cancer research and treatment, offering sophisticated diagnostic and treatment services in India. As a company, GF remains committed to the communities in which we work. Through GlobalGives, employees have access to over two million non-profit organizations to enable a broader giving process and the opportunity to foster empathy through supporting our communities. GF employees, worldwide, are proud to be stewards for their communities and we all look forward to a great 2018.
nvNITRO Is Accelerating Business December 7, 2017 By: Pat Patla Information demands are increasing dramatically as digital transformation and other business trends are creating the need for more real-time decision making. Collecting, transmitting and storing the data that helps drive business insights is putting strains on businesses as they grapple with optimizing the increasing flow of data. Nowhere is this taking its toll on traditional systems more than in storage, where both the volume and critical nature of the information is driving rapid changes in how data is handled and tiered. Storage is both the bottleneck of most environments while simultaneously being the most critical component of any application. Everspin created its nvNITRO™ technology to help address the growing needs for faster and more persistent storage. Built on magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) that is fabricated by GLOBALFOUNDRIES, nvNITRO brings both high performance and persistence to data storage, enabling a new generation of application performance. We recently showed the power of nvNITRO at Supercomputing 17, the worldwide event for high performance computing. In a demonstration with SMART Modular Technologies, SMART’s NVMe accelerator card was able to drive high performance with ultra-low latency. The demo showed an NVMe accelerator acting as a front-end buffer for an enterprise SSD. While SSDs are transforming businesses today and all flash arrays are gaining popularity because of their performance advantages over rotating media, NAND memory still can’t match the high speed and low latency of MRAM. Transaction processing is just one of the areas where we see opportunity for MRAM. In these environments, to guarantee the integrity and compliance of transactions, many systems require logging or journaling of each transaction before beginning of the next new transaction. These applications – such as banking, payment processing, stock trading, e-commerce, supply chain, or ERP/CRM – can all benefit from nvNITRO technology. As message traffic increases, that additional logging can become a bottleneck if not handled quickly and efficiently. With an MRAM storage accelerator as a front end to an SSD, transaction logging can be achieved in a fraction of the time required with just an SSD. The lower latency of MRAM means that these logs can be written faster, freeing the system up to begin the next transaction without delay. nvNITRO’s 9X reduction in latency, through the use of MRAM, means more transactions can be recorded per second, bringing the potential for greater overall application throughput. The other key benefit that MRAM delivers is its ability to maintain the state of the data without requiring batteries or supercapacitors. For these businesses, writing huge volumes of transactions also presents a second challenge beyond speed – maintaining the data regardless of the state of the underlying system. Typically, when a system loses power or has a power interruption, transactions that are “in flight”, either being written, or being journaled, can be lost because standard DRAM memory is not persistent and the NAND memory in SSDs just can’t write fast enough to capture all of the in-flight data before power is lost. With the persistence of MRAM, this data can be written out faster, reducing the data stored in the buffer. If the system does need to restart, that data would still be persistent in the MRAM upon initialization. In a world where regulatory entities scrutinize every transaction and may need a financial company to “replay” its transactions, ensuring everything was logged properly the first time is invaluable. This sort of protection goes beyond just protecting the data; at that point, it is actually protecting the company. The traffic at Supercomputing was brisk and we were happy to see the level of excitement that our demo was producing. Technology like MRAM can become a great foundation for many future platforms. The ability to integrate nvNITRO technology into storage solutions through a variety of interfaces – directly as a PCIe or U.2 device, integrated into the chassis or integrated directly into the system boards – means there is a wide variety of implementations to match specific needs. Discussions about nvNITRO always start with the specific use case being shown, but eventually becomes “hey, could you…?” And that is where it gets interesting. Along with the STT-MRAM that we were displaying in the nvNITRO demo, STT-MRAM is also available as embedded MRAM (eMRAM) through GF for those applications that demand the persistence, durability and write performance that embedded flash (eFlash) cannot deliver. As we see growth in areas like drones, IoT and autonomous vehicles, the value of embedding MRAM directly into designs will grow. Today’s nvNITRO solutions are built on Everspin 40nm STT-MRAM technology that is produced by our partner GF. Additionally, GF is now offering process design kits for 22FDX eMRAM. GF expects customers to start prototyping MRAM on multi-project wafers (MPWs) to start in Q1 2018. We see the immediate opportunity today in accelerating the storage of massive data streams. These large amounts of telemetry need to be efficiently handled in a manner that ensures both fast capture and long-term retention. But as MRAM and eMRAM continue to gain market momentum (moving traditional memory and storage products aside) and the form factors shrink, we will see even greater opportunity present itself. Today we are accelerating the back-end storage and processing piece of the equation but it is not a stretch to see MRAM and eMRAM potentially integrating into the front-end and edge devices that are creating this data – and that is where things begin to get even more interesting. If Supercomputing 17 was any indication, the future is bright for MRAM. About Author Pat Patla Pat Patla, is the Senior Vice President of Marketing, at Everspin. He is responsible for driving strategic direction for Everspin and leading the marketing effort to drive growth across our business, including product roadmaps and the development and execution of global marketing strategies that solidify the leadership position of the company. Prior to Everspin, Pat was the Senior VP and General Manager for KNUPATH, a privately held semiconductor company, where he was responsible for establishing product roadmap strategies in the Machine Learning space. In addition, he has held several senior management positions including VP of Server Business Marketing at Samsung and VP and GM of the Server and Embedded Division of Advanced Micro Devices. Pat also led the launch of PowerEdge servers at Dell, Inc., achieving the number one market share in multi-socket servers. Pat holds a Bachelors of Science degree in marketing management from DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois.
Reduced Energy Microsystems Joins FDXcelerator Program to Bring RISC-V IP to GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ 22FDX® Technology Process December 5, 2017Reduced Energy Microsystems (REM) announced today that it has joined GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ FDXcelerator™ Partner Program, and will be making RISC-V CPU IP available for GF’s 22FDX® process.
Reduced Energy Microsystems加入FDXcelerator项目,将RISC-V IP引入格芯的22FDX®工艺技术 December 5, 2017Reduced Energy Microsystems (REM) announced today that it has joined GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ FDXcelerator™ Partner Program, and will be making RISC-V CPU IP available for GF’s 22FDX® process.
GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Ayar Labs Establish Strategic Collaboration to Speed Up Data Center Applications December 4, 2017Collaboration to push the limits of chip technology, extending optical circuits to meet rising demands in bandwidth and data center connectivity Santa Clara and San Francisco, Calif., December 4, 2017 – GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Ayar Labs, a startup bringing optical input/output (I/O) to silicon chips, today announced a strategic collaboration to co-develop and commercialize differentiated silicon photonic technology solutions. The companies will develop and manufacture Ayar’s novel CMOS optical I/O technology, using GF’s 45nm CMOS fabrication process, to deliver an alternative to copper I/O that offers up to 10x higher bandwidth and up to 5x lower power. This cost-effective solution is integrated in-package with customer ASICs as a multi-chip module, and improves data speed and energy efficiency in cloud servers, datacenters and supercomputers. As part of the agreement, GF has also invested an undisclosed amount in Ayar Labs. Modern data centers and cloud applications require high-performance, power-hungry chips to process and analyze huge volumes of data in real time. Growth in chip I/O capabilities has not matched exponential increases in computing power, because of physical limitations in electrical data transmission. Optical I/O, which leverages optical components on the CMOS die to transmit data at rapid speeds, will be a key enabler to overcoming the limitations of today’s data center interconnects. In addition, Ayar’s technology reduces power consumption at both the network and processor level. “GF has demonstrated true technology leadership in recognizing optical I/O as the inevitable next step as we move into a More than Moore world,” said Alex Wright-Gladstein, CEO at Ayar Labs. “This collaboration between Ayar and GF could improve chip communication bandwidth by more than an order of magnitude and at lower power, and is a validation of Ayar’s viability in the current semiconductor ecosystem. This collaboration will unlock a larger market opportunity, expanding both our and GF’s customer base. We look forward to working with GF to help solve the interconnect problems of today’s chips and create greater value for our customers than if both companies worked independently.” “The Ayar Labs team has been designing cutting-edge silicon photonics components on GF’s technology for the past eight years and has achieved exceptional results,” said Mike Cadigan, senior vice president of global sales and business development at GF. “Our strategic collaboration builds on our relationship, leveraging GF’s silicon photonics IP portfolio and our world-class manufacturing expertise to enable faster and more energy-efficient computing systems for data centers.” The collaboration brings together Ayar Labs’ patented IP in optical technology with GF’s best-in-class expertise in silicon photonics to co-develop optical solutions that will be fabricated using GF’s process technology. The availability of this technology, including certain Design IP cores, will enable internet service providers, system vendors and communication systems to push data capacity to 10 Tera bits per second (Tbps) and beyond, while maintaining the low energy and cost of optical-based interconnects. ABOUT Ayar Labs Ayar Labs is replacing copper with optical I/O from silicon chips to improve speed and energy efficiency in computing by removing bottlenecks in moving data. The company was formed by the inventors of the first microprocessor chip to communicate using light at MIT, UC Berkeley, and CU Boulder, a breakthrough that was the result of a 10-year research collaboration funded by DARPA. For more information, visit www.ayarlabs.com. About GF: GLOBALFOUNDRIES is a leading full-service semiconductor foundry providing a unique combination of design, development, and fabrication services to some of the world’s most inspired technology companies. With a global manufacturing footprint spanning three continents, GLOBALFOUNDRIES makes possible the technologies and systems that transform industries and give customers the power to shape their markets. GLOBALFOUNDRIES is owned by Mubadala Investment Company. For more information, visit https://www.globalfoundries.com. Contacts: Jason GorssGF(518) 698-7765[email protected] Alex Wright-GladsteinAyar Labs, Inc.[email protected]