Companies to deliver silicon-proven complex IP blocks for advanced interface solutions

Company Website: http://www.globalfoundries.com
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- (Business Wire)

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 GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ 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 GLOBALFOUNDRIES 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 GLOBALFOUNDRIES. “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 GLOBALFOUNDRIES 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.”

GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ 14nm-XM offering is based on a modular technology architecture that uses a 14nm FinFET device combined with elements of GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ 20nm-LPM process, which is well on its way to production. Technology development is already underway, with test silicon running through GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ 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.

Note to Editors: This news is part of a series of announcements released by GLOBALFOUNDRIES at today’s Common Platform Technology Forum in Santa Clara, CA. The company is featuring five partnerships designed to deliver innovative semiconductor solutions on top of the Common Platform’s shared technology base. The partnerships will be highlighted in a keynote entitled “Common Technology, Uncommon Solutions,” to be delivered by Mike Noonen, executive vice president of marketing, sales, quality and design at GLOBALFOUNDRIES. The keynote will be streamed live beginning at approximately 10 a.m. PST and can be accessed here: http://engage.vevent.com/index.jsp?eid=760&seid=485.

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 GLOBALFOUNDRIES

GLOBALFOUNDRIES 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, GLOBALFOUNDRIES 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. GLOBALFOUNDRIES is owned by the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC). For more information, visit http://www.globalfoundries.com.

Contacts:

GLOBALFOUNDRIES
Jason Gorss, (518) 305-9022
jason.gorss@globalfoundries.com
or
Rambus Inc.
Carolyn Robinson, (408) 46208717
crobinson@rambus.com

Source: GLOBALFOUNDRIES