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The funding will accelerate GF\u2019s development of next-generation silicon photonics wafer technologies, novel optical materials, and advanced packaging solutions, including its proven 3D hybrid bonding technology, which enables the introduction of \u201cNear-Packaged Optics\u201d (NPO) and \u201cCo-Packaged Optics\u201d (CPO). This work builds directly on the SCALE\u2122 (Silicon Photonics Co-Packaged Advanced Light Engine) platform recently introduced by GF and aims for industry-leading modularity, a performance of 400 Gb\/s, and a fivefold increase in energy efficiency compared to current-generation solutions. <\/p>\n
Under a separate agreement, the U.S. Department of Commerce will receive shares in GF, which currently represent approximately 1 percent of the company, allowing the American public to share in GF\u2019s growth. <\/p>\n
“With today\u2019s investments in the computer industry\u2019s supply chain, the Trump administration is fueling America\u2019s innovation engine,” said Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. “These strategic investments will strengthen our country\u2019s domestic capabilities, create high-paying jobs, and ensure that America remains at the forefront of the semiconductor industry.” <\/p>\n
“The CHIPS research and development incentives will support a breakthrough in computing and communications networks that goes beyond the traditional bottlenecks of copper wiring and powers AI,” said Bill Frauenhofer, Executive Director for Semiconductor Innovation and Investment at the Department of Commerce. “Accelerating research and development in domestic photonics capabilities and advanced packaging technologies will provide the American industry with the extremely high bandwidth and energy efficiency required to scale complex AI workloads securely and quickly.” <\/p>\n
Silicon photonics enables energy-efficient data transmission with extremely high bandwidth by transmitting information using light instead of electrical signals\u2014thereby delivering higher performance, greater connection density, and lower power consumption, as workloads in AI and data centers continue to grow. GF\u2019s silicon photonics platform enables today\u2019s pluggable optical interconnects and is uniquely positioned to facilitate the industry\u2019s transition to \u201cNear-Packaged Optics\u201d (NPO) and \u201cCo-Packaged Optics\u201d (CPO). Together with GF\u2019s recently introduced SCALE\u2122, customers gain a clear, scalable, and U.S.-based path to meeting the requirements of next-generation architectures. The work will leverage GF\u2019s existing capabilities in Malta, New York, and Burlington, Vermont, to accelerate the path toward U.S.-based mass production of silicon photonics. <\/p>\n
“Silicon photonics is essential for AI infrastructure. For a decade, the industry has been talking about the impending transition from copper to optical technologies\u2014today, that transition is a reality, enabling data transmission with higher bandwidth and improved power efficiency as workloads become increasingly complex,\u201d said Tim Breen, CEO of GlobalFoundries. “GlobalFoundries has spent more than a decade building the technology, presence, and ecosystem to lead this transformation, and we have the proven manufacturing base to scale this\u2014in the United States\u2014thereby solidifying our technology leadership for generations to come. We are proud to deepen our partnership with the U.S. government, and in particular with the CHIPS R&D Office, to advance our programs.\u201d <\/p>\n
“As we advance the development of next-generation optical materials and co-packaged optical components, GF is building on our already qualified portfolio of photonic devices, our proven expertise in 3D hybrid bonding, and our advanced packaging technologies. Combined with our manufacturing capacity, this enables us to mass-produce near-packaged and co-packaged optics\u2014thereby offering our customers a direct, U.S.-based path to scaling optical connectivity for the AI systems of tomorrow,\u201d said Gregg Bartlett, Chief Technology Officer at GlobalFoundries. <\/p>\n
GF is collaborating with leading customers to ensure that new NPO and CPO architectures, as well as next-generation optical components, are supported by U.S.-based research and development in silicon photonics. These efforts reflect a shared commitment to scaling the technologies that will drive the next wave of AI and data center performance. <\/p>\n
“As AI systems continue to scale, efficient data transmission is just as critical as increasing computing power. Silicon photonics and advanced packaging technologies will play a critical role in delivering the bandwidth, energy efficiency, and system-level connectivity required for the next generation of AI cluster infrastructure. “We welcome GlobalFoundries\u2019 continued investment in innovation and manufacturing in the U.S., as well as the extensive collaboration between the public and private sectors necessary for the further development of these fundamental technologies,” said Mark Papermaster, CTO and EVP of AMD. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs AI workloads continue to grow in scale and complexity, scaling the infrastructure that connects increasingly powerful computing clusters will become one of the industry\u2019s key challenges. Advances in optical interconnects, silicon photonics, and advanced packaging technologies will be critical to enabling the next generation of AI architectures. Today\u2019s announcement by GlobalFoundries helps strengthen the innovation ecosystem needed to accelerate the development of these foundational technologies,” said Near Margalit, vice president and general manager of the Optical Systems Division at Broadcom. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs AI infrastructure expands, efficient data transmission is becoming increasingly important\u2014just as much as computing power itself. Advances in silicon photonics and optical interconnects will be critical to delivering the bandwidth, performance, and energy efficiency required by future AI systems. GlobalFoundries\u2019 investments in next-generation silicon photonics technologies are helping to strengthen the foundation for future AI networks and optical infrastructures,\u201d said Jeetu Patel, President and Chief Product Officer at Cisco. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe rapid growth of AI is driving an unprecedented demand for bandwidth, making optical interconnects essential for next-generation data centers. To meet these demands, innovation is needed across the entire ecosystem\u2014from advanced materials and optical components to silicon photonics and packaging technology. Investments such as the one announced today by GlobalFoundries help strengthen the innovation and manufacturing base in the U.S. that is necessary for the expansion of future AI infrastructure,\u201d said Wendell P. Weeks, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President of Corning Incorporated. <\/p>\n
“AI is driving unprecedented demand for optical interconnects that can transmit more data while consuming less power. To meet this challenge, continuous innovation across the entire silicon photonics ecosystem is required, as well as a strong, resilient U.S.-based supply chain capable of delivering advanced optical technologies at scale. GlobalFoundries\u2019 investments in silicon photonics and advanced packaging technologies, combined with support from the U.S. government, are helping to pave the way for next-generation optical interconnects that will be critical to the future of AI and high-performance computing,\u201d said Michael Hurlston, CEO of Lumentum. <\/p>\n
“The bottleneck in AI infrastructure is shifting from computing power to connectivity\u2014that is, the ability to transfer data between and within systems without bandwidth or power constraints impacting performance. As a leader in silicon photonics and optical connectivity, Marvell welcomes further investment in research and development in the U.S. to accelerate the transition to near-packaged and co-packaged optics \u2014a critical factor in scaling next-generation AI infrastructure,\u201d said Chris Koopmans, President and Chief Operating Officer of Marvell. <\/p>\n
“Silicon photonics technologies will play a critical role in future generations of Meta\u2019s AI infrastructure. We are convinced that an ecosystem with multiple suppliers and geographic diversity will yield the best technical innovations and the most scalable supply chains for high-volume production, and that investments in manufacturing capacity in the U.S. are a key factor in achieving this goal,” said Yee Jiun Song, VP of Engineering at Meta. <\/p>\n
“The next generation of AI infrastructure will require significant advancements in networking, optical interconnects, and data transmission. Silicon photonics is a key technology for meeting these requirements. Microsoft welcomes industry-wide investments that accelerate innovation and strengthen the ecosystem in which the technologies that will power the future of AI are developed,” said Rani Borkar, President of Azure Hardware Systems and Infrastructure at Microsoft. <\/p>\n
“Rebuilding our supply chains is critical to the new industrial revolution. Expanding U.S. manufacturing requires advancements in chips, networks, optics, software, and manufacturing. Silicon photonics is indispensable for this future, and GlobalFoundries brings the necessary manufacturing expertise to make this a reality in the United States,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. <\/p>\n
“As AI increasingly spreads across cloud, enterprise, and edge environments, innovations across the entire technology stack are needed to enable higher performance and efficiency. Silicon photonics has the potential to play a key role in supporting next-generation AI platforms by helping to meet growing bandwidth and connectivity demands. \u201cWe welcome all efforts that drive innovation in this important technology area,\u201d said Kevin O\u2019Buckley, Executive Vice President of Global Operations and Supply Chain at Qualcomm. <\/p>\n
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\u2019s talented, global team focuses every day on safety, durability, and sustainability. <\/p>\n
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