Infineon and GlobalFoundries Announce Joint Development and Production Collaboration for 40nm Embedded Flash Process Technology April 29, 2013 Neubiberg / Dresden, Germany and Singapore — April 29, 2013 — Infineon Technologies (FSE: IFX / OTCQX: IFNNY) and GlobalFoundries Inc. today announced a joint technology development and production agreement for 40 nanometer (nm) embedded flash (eFlash) process technology. The cooperation will focus on technology development based on Infineon’s eFlash cell design and manufacturing of automotive and security microcontrollers (MCUs) with 40nm process structures. Production of the next generation 40nm eFlash MCUs will take place at different GF sites, initially in Singapore with subsequent transfer to its site in Dresden, Germany. “Next-generation embedded Flash microcontrollers with 40nm process structures will further enhance our competitive strength in the automotive as well as chip card and security markets,” says Arunjai Mittal, Member of the Management Board of Infineon Technologies. “We trust in GF with their excellent manufacturing background and sites on different continents to fulfill Infineon’s stringent quality, infrastructure security and business continuity requirements.” “Infineon’s decision to choose GF as the foundry partner for the 40nm embedded Flash technology node recognizes our unique ability to offer one-foundry-solutions supported by multiple fabs in different geographies,” says Ajit Manocha, CEO GF. “We are committed to providing leading-edge technology and manufacturing capabilities required to support Infineon’s business. We are looking forward to a long-term collaboration with Infineon and to contribute to its success in a very dynamic industry.” This agreement with GF is consistent with Infineon’s strategy to engage in technology co-development for CMOS-based technologies in 65nm and below. Process and product qualification for security microcontrollers is planned for the second half of 2015. Automotive microcontroller production start is scheduled for the first half of 2017. Infineon and GF have a longstanding relationship in development and manufacturing, including joint development and manufacturing of CMOS-based low-power mobile phone products. About GF GF is the world’s first full-service semiconductor foundry with a truly global footprint. Launched in March 2009, the company has quickly achieved scale as the second largest foundry in the world, providing a unique combination of advanced technology and manufacturing to more than 160 customers. With operations in Singapore, Germany and the United States, GF is the only foundry that offers the flexibility and security of manufacturing centers spanning three continents. The company’s three 300 mm fabs and five 200 mm fabs provide the full range of process technologies from mainstream to the leading edge. This global manufacturing footprint is supported by major facilities for research, development and design enablement located near hubs of semiconductor activity in the United States, Europe and Asia. GF is owned by the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC). For more information, visit https://www.gf.com. About Infineon Infineon Technologies AG, Neubiberg, Germany, offers semiconductor and system solutions addressing three central challenges to modern society: energy efficiency, mobility, and security. In the 2012 fiscal year (ending September 30), the Company reported sales of Euro 3.9 billion with close to 26,700 employees worldwide. Infineon is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX) and in the USA on the over-the-counter market OTCQX International Premier (ticker symbol: IFNNY). This news release is available online at www.infineon.com/press and at www.gf.com/news-events/globalfoundries-press-releases. Press Contacts at GF: Gina WongPublic Relations, SingaporePhone: +65 6670-1808 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +65 6670-1808 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlightingEmail: [email protected] Karin RathsEMEA Communications, Dresden, GermanyPhone: +49 351 277-1013 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +49 351 277-1013 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlightingEmail: [email protected] Press Contacts at Infineon Technologies: Karin BraeckleMedia Relations, Neubiberg, GermanyPhone: +49 89-23424 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +49 89-23424 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlightingEmail: [email protected] Chi Kang David OngMedia Relations, SingaporePhone: +65 6876-3070 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +65 6876-3070 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlightingEmail: [email protected]
GLOBALFOUNDRIES Names Shigeru Shimauchi as New Country Manager For Japan Sales Office April 22, 2013Milpitas, Calif., April 22, 2013 — GLOBALFOUNDRIES today announced that the appointment of a new country manager for its sales office in Japan. Shigeru (Gerry) Shimauchi joins the world’s second largest foundry from InvenSense, a US-based fabless company that specializes in motion-sensing devices for consumer electronics products. At InvenSense, he was the country manager responsible for driving sales revenue. Reporting to Craig Luhrmann, Vice President of Japan and Korea Sales at GF, Shimauchi is responsible for the company’s sales and business development in Japan. “We are pleased to have Gerry on board with us. His broad experience and depth of relationships within the Japanese semiconductor market will strengthen our accelerating foundry engagements with the Japanese integrated device manufacturers,” said Luhrmann. “Gerry will act as our local contact for sales activities and drive our goal in becoming the foundry partner of choice.” Shimauchi brings 30 years of industry experience to the role in GF, including his last 10 years in leading sales for the Japan market Gerry brings 30 years of industry experience to the role, including the last 10 years leading Japan sales, most recently for InvenSense, and previously with Cirrus Logic, Impinj, MoSys International and Nippon Sipex. He also held operational leadership roles with TSMC Japan, Burr-Brown, and Fujitsu where he started his career as a sales engineer. Shimauchi graduated from Yokohama National University in 1982. ABOUT GF GF is the world’s first full-service semiconductor foundry with a truly global footprint. Launched in March 2009, the company has quickly achieved scale as the second largest foundry in the world, providing a unique combination of advanced technology and manufacturing to more than 150 customers. With operations in Singapore, Germany and the United States, GF is the only foundry that offers the flexibility and security of manufacturing centers spanning three continents. The company’s three 300mm fabs and five 200mm fabs provide the full range of process technologies from mainstream to the leading edge. This global manufacturing footprint is supported by major facilities for research, development and design enablement located near hubs of semiconductor activity in the United States, Europe and Asia. GF is owned by the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC). For more information, visit https://www.globalfoundries.com.
GLOBALFOUNDRIES Helps Host National Academy of Sciences Conference April 3, 2013GLOBALFOUNDRIES CEO Ajit Manocha welcomes national leaders with opening keynote for National Academy of Sciences Conference on “New York’s Nanotechnology Model: Building the Innovation Economy” Troy, New York, April 3, 2013 – In coordination with the National Academy of Sciences, GF today helped host a conference titled, “New York’s Nanotechnology Model: Building the Innovation Economy” at the Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, NY. To open the conference, GF CEO Ajit Manocha welcomed more than 200 national leaders from business, industry, government, non-profit organizations and academic institutions describing the company’s multi-billion dollar investment in new semiconductor research, development and manufacturing production in New York’s “Tech Valley,” which serves as a central pillar in the new NAS study on the region’s innovation environment. “In today’s increasingly complex global economy, innovative approaches to the public-private partnerships that support new advanced manufacturing operations must be part of the nation’s economic strategy,” said Ajit Manocha, CEO of GF. “The Fab 8 project represents one of the largest new capital investments in the world and the success of this public-private partnership offers a model for the broader U.S. economy. Through these partnerships, our business is expanding and New York is now a hub for the technology industry, attracting global firms, vendors, suppliers, start-ups, and new research facilities. These are truly exciting times.” The National Academies worked with major regional institutions to develop the conference to examine the keys to success of the New York nanotechnology cluster. The attraction of investments by technology and industry leaders such as GF, SEMATECH, and IBM, combined with centers of academic and technical excellence such as the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at SUNY-Albany and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, have brought the Greater Capital region to the attention of the National Academies’ analysis of state and regional innovation initiatives and innovation clusters in leading high-tech sectors such as nanotechnology and semiconductors. Academy studies have looked at programs around the U.S. and around the world, as highlighted in a major recent report, Rising to the Challenge: U.S. Innovation Policy for the Global Economy. Partnerships like the ones created in New York between state government, industry, and universities have created a remarkable success, from which national policy lessons may well be drawn. A key focus of the conference is to explore not only what has been achieved but, equally importantly, what needs to be done to ensure the region’s future. ABOUT GF GF is the world’s first full-service semiconductor foundry with a truly global footprint. Launched in March 2009, the company has quickly achieved scale as the second largest foundry in the world, providing a unique combination of advanced technology and manufacturing to more than 160 customers. With operations in Singapore, Germany and the United States, GF is the only foundry that offers the flexibility and security of manufacturing centers spanning three continents. The company’s three 300mm fabs and five 200mm fabs provide the full range of process technologies from mainstream to the leading edge. This global manufacturing footprint is supported by major facilities for research, development and design enablement located near hubs of semiconductor activity in the United States, Europe and Asia. GF is owned by the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC). For more information, visit https://www.globalfoundries.com.
GLOBALFOUNDRIES Demonstrates 3D TSV Capabilities on 20nm Technology April 2, 2013Fab 8 in New York delivers functional 20nm silicon with Through-Silicon-Vias (TSVs) Milpitas, Calif., April 2, 2013 – GLOBALFOUNDRIES today announced the accomplishment of a key milestone in its strategy to enable 3D stacking of chips for next-generation mobile and consumer applications. At its Fab 8 campus in Saratoga County, N.Y., the company has demonstrated its first functional 20nm silicon wafers with integrated Through-Silicon Vias (TSVs). Manufactured using GF’s leading-edge 20nm-LPM process technology, the TSV capabilities will allow customers to stack multiple chips on top of each other, providing another avenue for delivering the demanding performance, power, and bandwidth requirements of today’s electronic devices. TSVs are vertical vias etched in a silicon wafer that are filled with a conducting material, enabling communication between vertically stacked integrated circuits. The adoption of three-dimensional (3D) chip stacking is increasingly being viewed as an alternative to traditional technology node scaling at the transistor level. However, TSVs present a number of new challenges to semiconductor manufacturers. GF utilizes a “via-middle” approach to TSV integration, inserting the TSVs into the silicon after the wafers have completed the Front End of the Line (FEOL) flow and prior to starting the Back End of the Line (BEOL) process. This approach avoids the high temperatures of the FEOL manufacturing process, allowing the use of copper as the TSV fill material. To overcome the challenges associated with the migration of TSV technology from 28nm to 20nm, GF engineers have developed a proprietary contact protection scheme. This scheme enabled the company to integrate the TSVs with minimal disruption to the 20nm-LPM platform technology, demonstrating SRAM functionality with critical device characteristics in line with those of standard 20nm-LPM silicon. “Our industry has been talking about the promise of 3D chip stacking for years, but this development is another sign that the promise will soon be a reality,” said David McCann, vice president of packaging R&D at GF. “Our next step is to leverage Fab 8’s advanced TSV capabilities in conjunction with our OSAT partners to assemble and qualify 3D test vehicles for our open supply chain model, providing customers with the flexibility to choose their preferred back-end supply chain.” As the fabless-foundry business model evolves to address the realities of today’s dynamic market, foundries are taking on increasing responsibility for managing the supply chain to deliver end-to-end solutions that meet the requirements of the broad range of leading-edge designs. To help address these challenges, GF is engaging early with partners to jointly develop solutions that will enable the next wave of innovation in the industry. This open and collaborative approach will give customers maximum choice and flexibility, while delivering cost savings, faster time-to-volume, and a reduction in the technical risk associated with developing new technologies. ABOUT GF GF is the world’s first full-service semiconductor foundry with a truly global footprint. Launched in March 2009, the company has quickly achieved scale as the second largest foundry in the world, providing a unique combination of advanced technology and manufacturing to more than 160 customers. With operations in Singapore, Germany and the United States, GF is the only foundry that offers the flexibility and security of manufacturing centers spanning three continents. The company’s three 300mm fabs and five 200mm fabs provide the full range of process technologies from mainstream to the leading edge. This global manufacturing footprint is supported by major facilities for research, development and design enablement located near hubs of semiconductor activity in the United States, Europe and Asia. GF is owned by the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC). For more information, visit https://www.globalfoundries.com.
GLOBALFOUNDRIES Offers Enhanced 55nm CMOS Logic Process with ARM Next-Generation Memory and Logic IP Support for Low Voltage February 19, 201355nm LPe 1V is optimized for ultra-low power, reduced cost and improved design flexibility MILPITAS, Calif., February 19, 2013 – GLOBALFOUNDRIES today announced additional enhancements to the foundry’s 55-nanometer (nm) Low-Power Enhanced (LPe) process technology platform – 55nm LPe 1V – with qualified, next-generation memory and logic IP solutions from ARM. The 55nm LPe 1V is the industry’s first and only enhanced process node to support ARM’s 1.0/1.2V physical IP library, enabling chip designers to use a single process that supports two operating voltages in a single SoC. “The key advantage of this 55nm LPe 1V offering is that the same design libraries can be used whether you are designing at 1.0 voltage or 1.2 voltage power option,” said Bruce Kleinman, Vice President of Product Marketing at GF. “What it means is that same set of design rules and models can be adopted, with no extra mask layer or special process required. This translates into cost saving and design flexibility without compromising on the power and optimization features.” Based on ARM’s 1.0V/1.2V standard cells and memory compilers, GF 55nm LPe 1V enables designers to optimize their design for speed, power and/or area and is especially beneficial for designers who are faced with power constraints in designing System-on-Chip solutions. ARM offers a comprehensive, silicon-validated platform of 8-track, 9-track and 12-track libraries along with high-speed and high-density memory compilers for GF’s advanced 55nm LPe process. “The combination of 1V and 1.2V operation along with supporting level shifting logic provides the best combination of low power, high performance and reduced chip area,” said Dr. John Heinlein, vice president of marketing, Physical IP Division at ARM. “Dual-voltage domain characterization support coupled with Artisan next-generation memory compiler architecture reduces dynamic and leakage power by more than 35 percent, compared to previously available solutions.” The 55nm LPe 1V is especially suited for high-volume, battery-operated mobile consumer devices, as well as a broad range of green or energy-saving products. PDK and EDA tools are available now, along with MPW shuttle availability.Artisan memories offer flexible manufacturing options and are shipping in billions of products worldwide. Part of a broader platform of Artisan physical IP from 65nm to 20nm, these next-generation memories include low voltage and stand-by modes enabling extended battery life, ultra high-speed caches for maximum processor speed, and proprietary design techniques resulting in reduced area for low-cost SoC designs. ABOUT GF GF is the world’s first full-service semiconductor foundry with a truly global footprint. Launched in March 2009, the company has quickly achieved scale as the second largest foundry in the world, providing a unique combination of advanced technology and manufacturing to more than 150 customers. With operations in Singapore, Germany and the United States, GF is the only foundry that offers the flexibility and security of manufacturing centers spanning three continents. The company’s three 300mm fabs and five 200mm fabs provide the full range of process technologies from mainstream to the leading edge. This global manufacturing footprint is supported by major facilities for research, development and design enablement located near hubs of semiconductor activity in the United States, Europe and Asia. GF is owned by the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC). For more information, visit https://www.globalfoundries.com. Media Contact: Jason Gorss (518) 305-9022 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (518) 305-9022 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting[email protected] Gina Wong(65) 6670-8108[email protected]
GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Synopsys Partner To Provide Comprehensive Design Environment for Foundry’s 14 nm-XM FinFET Offering February 5, 2013IP and design tool flows accelerate implementation of robust non-planar architecture for mobile products Milpitas, Calif., February 5, 2013 — GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNPS), a global leader providing software, IP and services used to accelerate innovation in chips and electronic systems, today announced the two companies have partnered to deliver a comprehensive design solution to accelerate the implementation of GF’s 14 nm-XM FinFET offering. The solution includes Synopsys’ DesignWare® Embedded Memory and Logic Library IP; design tools from the Galaxy™ Implementation Platform; and TCAD process and device simulation tools, all optimized to enable design teams to achieve desired performance, power and area requirements in the most efficient, low-risk manner. The collaborative development is built on the industry’s first modular FinFET technology, which combines a 14 nanometer (nm) FinFET device with elements of GF’s 20 nm-LPM process to reduce risk and accelerate time to volume. “We have a long-standing relationship with Synopsys that has resulted in a wide range of proven design implementation solutions for our mutual customers. The compelling benefits available through our new 14 nanometer-XM FinFET technology, particularly in addressing the requirements of mobile device SoCs, will be much more accessible and efficient to realize thanks to this latest collaboration,” said Mike Noonen, executive vice president of marketing, sales, design and quality at GF. “The combination of our advanced process and Synopsys’ IP, design and manufacturing tools design environment will give customers the performance and power benefits of three-dimensional FinFET transistors with less risk and a faster time-to-market.” FinFET transistors are a significant change from planar devices. GF collaborated with Synopsys on TCAD to model and simulate the changes and to speed up the process development and performance optimization of its FinFET devices. In addition, these devices and the associated shrinking of process geometry at 14nm impact parasitic extraction, SPICE modeling of the devices, routing rules, and IP development. GF and Synopsys collaborated closely to minimize the impact of these changes and ensure smooth adoption of FinFET technology by design teams. Synopsys’ extensive portfolio of DesignWare® Embedded Memory and Logic Library IP is architected to achieve the full benefits of GF’s 14 nm-XM FinFET technology. The IP delivers superior results in the areas of performance, leakage and dynamic power, and low voltage operation. “Synopsys has a history of strong collaboration with GF to bring advanced process technologies to the market,” said John Chilton, senior vice president, marketing and strategic development, at Synopsys, Inc. “Our collaboration on FinFET is built on this foundation. It focuses on enabling design teams to take full advantage of GF’s investment in 14 nanometer process technology and the significant benefits it brings to next-generation semiconductor designs.” About 14 nm-XM The 14 nm-XM offering is based on a modular technology architecture that uses a 14nm FinFET device combined with elements of GF’s 20 nm-LPM process, which is well on its way to production. Technology development is already underway, with test silicon running through GF’s Fab 8 in Saratoga County, N.Y. The XM stands for “eXtreme Mobility,” and it is the industry’s leading non-planar architecture that is truly optimized for mobile system-on-chip (SoC) designs, providing a whole product solution from the transistor all the way up to the system level. The technology is expected to deliver a 40-60% improvement in battery life when compared to today’s two-dimensional planar transistors at the 20 nm node. About GF GF is the world’s first full-service semiconductor foundry with a truly global footprint. Launched in March 2009, the company has quickly achieved scale as the second largest foundry in the world, providing a unique combination of advanced technology and manufacturing to more than 160 customers. With operations in Singapore, Germany and the United States, GF is the only foundry that offers the flexibility and security of manufacturing centers spanning three continents. The company’s three 300mm fabs and five 200mm fabs provide the full range of process technologies from mainstream to the leading edge. This global manufacturing footprint is supported by major facilities for research, development and design enablement located near hubs of semiconductor activity in the United States, Europe and Asia. GF is owned by the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC). For more information, visit https://www.globalfoundries.com. About Synopsys Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq:SNPS) accelerates innovation in the global electronics market. As a leader in electronic design automation (EDA) and semiconductor IP, its software, IP and services help engineers address their design, verification, system and manufacturing challenges. Since 1986, engineers around the world have been using Synopsys technology to design and create billions of chips and systems. Learn more at www.synopsys.com.
GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Rambus Collaborate To Develop Broad IP Portfolio for 14nm-XM FinFET Process Technology February 5, 2013Companies to deliver silicon-proven complex IP blocks for advanced interface solutions Santa Clara, Calif., February 5, 2013 — At today’s Common Platform Technology Forum, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, and Rambus Inc. (NASDAQ:RMBS), the innovative technology solutions company, unveiled plans to collaborate for the development of a broad portfolio of complex semiconductor intellectual property (IP) optimized for GF’s leading-edge process technology. This collaboration will enable seamless integration of Rambus’ enhanced standard interface solutions into the next generation of electronics for faster time-to-market. These silicon-proven IP blocks will address the growing needs in applications ranging from high-performance computing to smart mobile devices. Rambus will develop a range of high-speed memory and chip-to-chip serial link interfaces optimized for GF processes, including the new 14nm-XM technology, which is the industry’s first 14nm offering based on a modular FinFET technology architecture. This new work will build on past collaboration on several 28nm test chips that demonstrate the capabilities of Rambus’ interfaces for both mobile and server-based applications. “Our new foundry model of Collaborative Device Manufacturing (CDM) relies on early collaboration across the semiconductor ecosystem in order to deliver innovative solutions at the leading edge,” said Mike Noonen, executive vice president of marketing, sales, design and quality at GF. “This extension of our partnership with Rambus will give customers a faster path to take advantage of Rambus’ advanced interface solutions on our new 14nm-XM technology, opening up new avenues for chip designers to innovate on our process technology.” “As the industry continues its relentless drive to more advanced technologies, deep technology engagements are required to deliver the innovative solutions necessary to bring invention to market,” said Kevin Donnelly, senior vice president and general manager of the Memory and Interfaces Division at Rambus. “By engaging early with GF on their advanced 14nm process, we can combine our high speed, mixed signal design expertise with FinFET technology, enabling a broad portfolio of silicon-proven complex IP blocks in advance of customer needs.” GF’s 14nm-XM offering is based on a modular technology architecture that uses a 14nm FinFET device combined with elements of GF’s 20nm-LPM process, which is well on its way to production. Technology development is already underway, with test silicon running through GF’s Fab 8 in Saratoga County, N.Y. The XM stands for “eXtreme Mobility,” and it is the industry’s leading non-planar architecture that is truly optimized for mobile system-on-chip (SoC) designs, providing a whole product solution from the transistor all the way up to the system level. The technology is expected to deliver a 40-60% improvement in battery life when compared to today’s two-dimensional planar transistors at the 20nm node. About Rambus Rambus is the innovative technology solutions company that brings invention to market. Unleashing the intellectual power of our world-class engineers and scientists in a collaborative and synergistic way, Rambus invents, licenses and develops solutions that challenge and enable our customers to create the future. While best known for creating unsurpassed semiconductor memory architectures, Rambus is also developing world-changing products and services in security, advanced LED lighting and displays, and immersive mobile media. Additional information is available at www.rambus.com. About GF GF is the world’s first full-service semiconductor foundry with a truly global footprint. Launched in March 2009, the company has quickly achieved scale as the second largest foundry in the world, providing a unique combination of advanced technology and manufacturing to more than 160 customers. With operations in Singapore, Germany and the United States, GF is the only foundry that offers the flexibility and security of manufacturing centers spanning three continents. The company’s three 300mm fabs and five 200mm fabs provide the full range of process technologies from mainstream to the leading edge. This global manufacturing footprint is supported by major facilities for research, development and design enablement located near hubs of semiconductor activity in the United States, Europe and Asia. GF is owned by the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC). For more information, visit https://www.globalfoundries.com.
GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Cyclos Semiconductor Partner to Develop High-Performance, Low-Power ARM Cortex-A15 Processors Using Resonant Clock Mesh Technology February 5, 2013Partnership Will Enable GLOBALFOUNDRIES Customers to Realize SoCs with Class-Leading Performance and Power-Efficiency in 28nm through Cyclos Resonant Clock Mesh Technology Santa Clara, Calif., February 5, 2013 — At today’s Common Platform Technology Forum, GF and Cyclos Semiconductor, the inventor and only supplier of resonant clock mesh (RCM) technology for commercial IC designs, announced plans to implement Cyclos’ low-power semiconductor intellectual property in ARM® CortexTM-A15 processors using 28nm High-K Metal Gate (HKMG) process technology from GF. The partnership will enable GF’s customers to design next-generation SoCs with class-leading performance and power efficiency. It also reflects Cyclos’ commitment to ensure the broadest possible availability of its RCM IP technology for reducing power consumption. Cyclos RCM IP is a unique and differentiating technology that reduces the power consumed in clock meshes, the clock distribution networks that have been used in high-performance processors for years. Cyclos employs on-chip inductors to create an electric pendulum, or “tank circuit,” formed by the large capacitance of the clock mesh and the Cyclos inductors. The Cyclos inductors and clock control circuits “recycle” clock power instead of dissipating it on every clock cycle like in a conventional clock network implementation, which results in a reduction in total IC power consumption. Implementing inductors on-chip to resonate a clock mesh is a simple idea with complex implementation requirements. Cyclos has commercialized over 10 years of research to produce resonant clock mesh design solutions that meet all the testability, reliability, dynamic frequency scaling, and quality assurance requirements of today’s ICs. GF and Cyclos are now partnering to make RCM technology available for the first time ever to the ARM ecosystem. The low clock-skew, power-saving clock distribution technology from Cyclos will be deployed to achieve uniquely differentiating power, performance and area (PPA) metrics on ARM Cortex-A15 processors based on GF 28nm-SLP and 28nm-HPP process technologies to serve both the high-end mobility and low-power micro-server segments. “Cyclos’ advanced clock mesh technology has already been used to demonstrate reduced power consumption while maintaining high clock speeds with our HKMG process,” said Srinivas Nori, director of SoC innovation at GF. “Now the powerful combination of our 28nm HKMG process and Cyclos’ RCM technology will be available to a broader customer base, thereby enabling them to push the envelope of PPA efficiency for ARM processor-based SoC designs at the leading edge.” “Our customers demand continuous improvements in the performance of their ARM processor-based SoCs, while maintaining leadership in energy efficiency,” said Dr. KrisztiaÌn Flautner, vice president of research and development at ARM. “We are excited that GF is developing future power and performance scaling options for leading-edge applications.” “This partnership represents a major milestone for Cyclos Semiconductor,” said Marios Papaefthymiou, founder and President of Cyclos Semiconductor. “We believe that RCM design will be a key enabler for GHz+ embedded processor IP blocks in next-generation SoCs that also require ultra-low power consumption. We are looking forward to making this technology available to GF’s customers through the development of RCM-based ARM Cortex-A15 cores. We are also eager to expand RCM deployment into SoC designs via design automation tools currently under development at Cyclos.” About GF GF is the world’s first full-service semiconductor foundry with a truly global footprint. Launched in March 2009, the company has quickly achieved scale as the second largest foundry in the world, providing a unique combination of advanced technology and manufacturing to more than 160 customers. With operations in Singapore, Germany and the United States, GF is the only foundry that offers the flexibility and security of manufacturing centers spanning three continents. The company’s three 300mm fabs and five 200mm fabs provide the full range of process technologies from mainstream to the leading edge. This global manufacturing footprint is supported by major facilities for research, development and design enablement located near hubs of semiconductor activity in the United States, Europe and Asia. GF is owned by the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC).For more information, visit https://www.globalfoundries.com. About Cyclos Semiconductor Cyclos is the inventor and only commercial provider of resonant clock mesh technology for IC designs. The company is a spin-out of the University of Michigan via their Technology Transfer Office. Based in Berkeley, CA and Ann Arbor, MI, Cyclos delivers resonant clock mesh semiconductor IP, design automation tools, and design consulting services for resonant clock mesh design solutions. For more information, visit https://www.cyclos-semi.com.
GLOBALFOUNDRIES Details 14nm-XM FinFET Technology Performance, Power and Area Efficiency with a Dual-Core Cortex-A9 Processor Implementation February 5, 2013Company expects 14nm-XM to deliver more than twice the energy efficiency of 28nm-SLP at only half the chip area Santa Clara, Calif., February 5, 2013 — At today’s Common Platform Technology Forum, GLOBALFOUNDRIES announced results from the industry’s first implementation of a dual-core ARM® Cortex™-A9 processor using three-dimensional 14nm-XM FinFET transistors. Based on the industry standard design implementation flows and sign-off simulations using real process data, GF expects that a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor manufactured on GF’s 14nm-XM technology will deliver more than twice the energy efficiency of a similar 28nm-SLP technology based design, while requiring only half the chip area. GF used technical specifications from its 14nm-XM process design kit (PDK) combined with ARM Artisan® standard-cell libraries and memories to release a Graphic Database System (GDS) file that has been used to calculate expected performance, power and area metrics. The results were compared to a silicon implementation of a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor manufactured on GF’s 28nm-SLP technology. The implementation clearly demonstrates the value proposition of the 14nm-XM FinFET technology for tomorrow’s mobile applications. Some of the salient aspects ascertained through the simulation are: High-performance, energy-efficient ARM processors implemented on 28nm-SLP typically use 12-track libraries. However at 14nm-XM FinFET technology, much higher performance and more energy-efficient ARM processors can be implemented using 9-track libraries resulting in further die-size reductions. At constant power, the frequency achieved with 14nm-XM technology based implementation (using 9-track libraries) is expected to be 61% faster than the frequency achieved with 28nm-SLP technology based implementation (using 12-track libraries). At constant frequency, the power consumed by 14nm-XM technology based implementation is expected to be 62% lower than the power consumed by 28nm-SLP technology based implementation. The performance-power efficiency of 14nm-XM technology based implementation (expressed as DMIPs/milliwatts) is anticipated to be more than twice that of the 28nm-SLP technology based implementation, while using half the silicon area. “Our deep collaboration with ARM is continuing to pay off as we work together to optimize ARM IP for our leading-edge process technology,” said Mike Noonen, executive vice president of marketing , sales, design and quality at GF. “Our 14nm-XM FinFET technology is designed for the next generation of mobile devices, making it a perfect fit for ARM’s energy-efficient processor technology. Our mutual customers will benefit extensively from this partnership as they design a range of products for the mobile, tablet and computing applications of tomorrow.” “These preliminary results illustrate the potential benefits of FinFET technology applied to an ARM processor-based system-on-chip (SoC),” said Dr. Dipesh Patel, executive vice president and general manager, Physical IP Division at ARM. “Early collaboration on manufacturing process technologies allows GF and ARM to identify and address SoC design challenges and reduce risks to adoption by our mutual customers.” ABOUT GF GF is the world’s first full-service semiconductor foundry with a truly global footprint. Launched in March 2009, the company has quickly achieved scale as the second largest foundry in the world, providing a unique combination of advanced technology and manufacturing to more than 160 customers. With operations in Singapore, Germany and the United States, GF is the only foundry that offers the flexibility and security of manufacturing centers spanning three continents. The company’s three 300mm fabs and five 200mm fabs provide the full range of process technologies from mainstream to the leading edge. This global manufacturing footprint is supported by major facilities for research, development and design enablement located near hubs of semiconductor activity in the United States, Europe and Asia. GF is owned by the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC). For more information, visit https://www.globalfoundries.com.
GLOBALFOUNDRIES To Offer Adapteva’s Processor IP For 28nm SoC Designs February 5, 2013Customers can leverage massively parallel multicore technology in SoCs for next-generation mobile devices Santa Clara, Calif., February 5, 2013 — At today’s Common Platform Technology Forum, GLOBALFOUNDRIES announced a partnership with Adapteva to offer the company’s Epiphany IV microarchitecture to customers using GF’s leading-edge 28nm-SLP process technology. The agreement will allow chip designers to integrate Adapteva’s massively parallel multicore technology into their next-generation system-on-chip (SoC) designs, enabling server-level performance in mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Adapteva, a privately-held semiconductor technology startup, collaborated closely with GF to optimize the Epiphany IV design based on the 28nm Super Low Power (SLP) process, allowing Adapteva to become the first company to demonstrate a processor operating at 50 GFLOPS/Watt. Adapteva’s partnership with GF has allowed the company to dramatically improve energy efficiency over multiple generations, maintaining overall power consumption at just 2 Watts while moving from 16 cores at 65nm to 64 cores at 28nm. GF’s 28nm-SLP technology is ideally suited for the next generation of smart mobile devices, enabling designs with faster processing speeds, smaller feature sizes, lower standby power and longer battery life. The technology is based on GF’s “Gate First” approach to High-k Metal Gate (HKMG), which has been in volume production for more than two years. The Epiphany IV microarchitecture is Adapteva’s latest design, including 64 high-performance RISC cores operating at up to 800MHz while consuming less than two watts with maximum program activity. The technology is designed for use as low-cost and low-power co-processor for running massively parallel tasks in conjunction with an ARM or x86 CPU. “At GF, we are constantly seeking opportunities to offer our customers innovative silicon solutions to help them get the most from their SoC designs,” said Mike Noonen, executive vice president of marketing, sales, design and quality at GF. “Adapteva’s Epiphany IV processor technology is a significant innovation in the realm of parallel computing, and we are excited to give our customers a chance to leverage this technology on our production-proven HKMG process.” “Our close collaboration with GF is helping us bring a whole new class of multicore microprocessors to market,” said Andreas Olofsson, CEO at Adapteva. “The Epiphany IV technology is ideally suited for next-generation mobile SoC designs, and using GF’s 28nm-SLP process allows us to achieve excellent performance and energy efficiency.” Over the past three years, Adapteva has successfully completed four generations of its Epiphany multicore IP at different process nodes at GF. In September 2012, the company began sampling its first Epiphany IV products based on a limited mask set. ABOUT GF GF is the world’s first full-service semiconductor foundry with a truly global footprint. Launched in March 2009, the company has quickly achieved scale as the second largest foundry in the world, providing a unique combination of advanced technology and manufacturing to more than 160 customers. With operations in Singapore, Germany and the United States, GF is the only foundry that offers the flexibility and security of manufacturing centers spanning three continents. The company’s three 300mm fabs and five 200mm fabs provide the full range of process technologies from mainstream to the leading edge. This global manufacturing footprint is supported by major facilities for research, development and design enablement located near hubs of semiconductor activity in the United States, Europe and Asia. GF is owned by the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC). For more information, visit https://www.globalfoundries.com.
