GlobalFoundries: Collaboration with Marvell in the Field of Next-Generation Optical Connectivity

Modern AI data centers operate as distributed computing systems in which performance depends not only on accelerators but also on the high-speed connections through which data is transferred between them. As AI systems continue to scale, efficient data transfer is becoming increasingly critical to overall performance. The expanded collaboration between GF and Marvell will increase capacity for high-performance SiGe technology, which is used in next-generation pluggable optical transceivers, Near-Packaged Optics (NPO), and Co-Packaged Optics (CPO).

The expanded agreement builds on existing production and is expected to create significant additional capacity to meet Marvell’s growing demand.

GF’s “SiGe” technology portfolio delivers the high-frequency performance, signal integrity, and power efficiency required for advanced optical networking applications. The current technology supports optical connections at 200 G per lane, with the roadmap focused on future generations with even higher speeds as bandwidth requirements for AI and cloud data centers continue to rise. GF has been manufacturing advanced “SiGe” technology for over a decade and continues to drive the co-integration of “SiGe,” silicon photonics, and advanced packaging technologies for new optical interconnect architectures such as NPO and CPO.

“AI is fundamentally changing the way data centers are built, and connectivity is becoming increasingly critical to fully realizing the performance potential of these systems,” said Robb Johnson, Vice President of “Foundry Technology” at Marvell. “As the industry transitions to higher-bandwidth optical architectures, including NPO and CPO, Marvell is investing heavily to lead this transformation. Our expanded collaboration with GF will help ensure that we have the ‘SiGe’ technology and manufacturing capabilities to support the significant growth we expect in the future.”

“With ‘SiGe,’ GF’s decades-long leadership in high-performance RF and analog technology directly translates into groundbreaking optical performance,” said Shankaran Janardhanan, Senior Vice President of the Photonics & RF at GF. “This agreement strengthens our long-standing partnership with Marvell and reflects the critical role that ‘SiGe’ technology plays in enabling high-speed fiber-optic networks for AI infrastructures. We will continue to invest in our technology roadmap and manufacturing capabilities, both in the U.S. and globally, to support our customers’ future growth.”

The agreement builds on more than a decade of collaboration between GF and Marvell and reflects the increasingly important role that optical networking technologies play in the large-scale deployment of AI and cloud infrastructure.

About GF

GlobalFoundries (GF) is a leading manufacturer of essential semiconductors that enable the widespread adoption of AI, from the cloud to the physical world. Through close partnerships with customers, GF delivers differentiated, power-efficient, and high-performance solutions for the automotive, aerospace, and defense industries, data centers, smart mobile devices, the Internet of Things, and other high-growth markets. With manufacturing facilities worldwide in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, GF is a trusted, end-to-end technology partner for customers around the globe. GF’s talented, global team focuses every day on safety, longevity, and sustainability. 

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