advanced packaging technology on 9SW platform for next-generation radio frequency applications - GlobalFoundries

GlobalFoundries announces advanced packaging technology adoption on its 9SW platform for next-generation radio frequency applications, marking a significant advancement in semiconductor manufacturing.... Read original →

GlobalFoundries’ integration of advanced packaging on its 9SW platform isn’t just a process node tweak—it’s a strategic recalibration of the RF semiconductor value chain. Technically, 3D stacking and multi-die integration will force EDA, substrate, and test ecosystems to evolve toward high-frequency density, accelerating adoption of heterogeneous integration. Geopolitically, while GF faces rising compliance costs under U.S. export controls, its non-Taiwan (Taiwan, China) manufacturing footprint grants it a trust advantage in Europe and the Middle East. Competitively, TSMC’s N6RF and Samsung’s RFCMOS will likely fast-track co-optimized packaging responses, pressuring IDMs like Skyworks to outsource more aggressively. Within 18 months, this move will trigger a wave of miniaturized mmWave front-end modules and drive automotive radar and LEO satellite RF chips past critical cost inflection points—making advanced packaging mandatory, not optional.