Finwave Semiconductor, Inc., a pioneering innovator in GaN (gallium nitride) technology, recently announced a strategic technology development and licensing agreement with GlobalFoundries (GF), the world's leading specialty foundry. GlobalFoundries is known for its extensive experience in the RF sector, particularly in the excellence of silicon on RF insulators and silicon germanium solutions. The collaboration aims to accelerate the development and volume production of Finwave's E-Mode MISHEMT RF GaN-on-Si technology, which, combined with GF's large-scale manufacturing capabilities in the United States, will drive widespread adoption of this cutting-edge technology.
At the heart of the collaboration is the optimization and expansion of Finwave's E-mode MISHEMT technology for large-scale production at GF's 200mm semiconductor manufacturing facility in Burlington, Vermont. Finwave's 200mm GaN-on-Si E-mode MISHEMT platform is known for superior RF performance, excelling at voltages below 5V, providing excellent gain and efficiency, and ensuring consistency and high uniformity on 200mm wafers. The platform was fully demonstrated at the CS Mantech 2024 industry conference. By integrating Finwave's technology, GF's 90RFGaN platform will enable high power density and high efficiency, enabling the development of high-performance, optimized devices while saving space and cost.
This collaboration provides new breakthrough solutions to address the limitations of traditional GaAs and Si technologies, particularly in high-frequency 5G FR2/FR3 bands, 6G and millimeter wave (mmWave) amplifiers, and high-power Wi-Fi 7 systems, which require superior RF performance and efficiency.
Figure：RF GaN-on-Si Technology
Dr. Pierre-Yves Lesaicherre, CEO of Finwave Semiconductor, said, "This agreement is an important milestone for Finwave. By leveraging GlobalFoundries' strong manufacturing capabilities to bring Finwave's E-mode MISHEMT technology into mass production, we will unlock significant growth potential in addressing the increasingly demanding demands of the wireless communications market." This collaboration opens the door to the integration of RF front-ends on a single GaN-on-Si device, an unprecedented innovation that promises to dramatically reduce costs and device size, which is critical for portable devices such as mobile phones.”
"As next-generation wireless networks need to operate at higher frequencies, Finwave's low-voltage GaN-on-Si technology, combined with GF's 90RFGaN platform, will be a key component of future mobile phone power amplifiers, ensuring superior performance and high power efficiency," said Shankaran Janardhanan, vice president and general manager of RF business at GlobalFoundries.”
Finwave's E-mode MISHEMT technology has been developed over more than a decade of research and innovation, with federal funding from the United States Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy Program (ARPA-E) and private investment from deep technology investors and strategic partners. By leveraging GF's large-scale CMOS manufacturing capabilities, Finwave and GlobalFoundries plan to achieve mass production of the technology in the first half of 2026, bringing more innovation and business opportunities to the wireless communications market.
