To enhance radio frequency performance for advanced 5G, 6G, and Wi-Fi systems, Finwave Semiconductor and GlobalFoundries have teamed up to develop and scale GaN-on-Si technology-based chips for mass production.
American company Finwave Semiconductor has entered into an agreement for technology development and licensing with GlobalFoundries (GF). This partnership will integrate Finwave’s GaN-on-Si (gallium nitride on silicon) technology with GF’s US-based fabrication capabilities and radio frequency (RF) innovation expertise.
The collaboration will focus on refining and scaling up Finwave’s advanced enhancement-mode (E-mode) metal–insulator–semiconductor high electron mobility transistors (MISHEMT) technology for large-scale mass production at GF’s 200mm semiconductor plant in Burlington, Vermont.
Subsequently, GF’s established 90RFGaN platform will leverage Finwave’s technology to achieve superior power density and efficiency, creating high-performance, cost-effective devices.
This is particularly valuable for applications requiring enhanced performance where traditional gate-all-around (GaAs) and Si technologies fall short, such as in new higher frequency 5G FR2/FR3 bands, 6G and mmWave amplifiers, and high-power Wi-Fi 7 systems, where superior range and efficiency are essential.
The partners aim to achieve mass production qualification for this technology within the first half of 2026. However, no financial information about this deal was disclosed.
Commented Finwave Semiconductor CEO Dr. Pierre-Yves Lesaicherre on this partnership, “We are unlocking large growth opportunities as we address the increasingly demanding wireless communication landscape. This partnership opens the door to further innovation and integration of RF Front-Ends onto a single GaN-on-Si device. This has never been done before, and has the potential to reduce cost and size, both of which are at a premium in cellphones.”
According to Finwave’s recent presentation at the CS Mantech 2024 Industry Conference, their 200mm GaN-on-Si E-mode MISHEMT platform offers prominent RF performance, including high gain and efficiency at sub-5V voltages and uniformity across 200mm wafers.
Finwave’s E-mode MISHEMT technology was developed over a decade ago with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) through its SCALEUP program and private investments.
