MALTA, NY, July 1, 2026 – GlobalFoundries has made SLATE wafer-to-wafer bonding production-ready on its 9SW radio-frequency silicon-on-insulator (RF-SOI) platform for cellular front-end modules. The 3D integration (3DI) technology is manufactured at GF’s 300mm facility in Singapore and is expected to move to volume production in the second half of 2027.
GF’s first-generation SLATE technology supports wafer-to-wafer (W2W) bonding by joining two 9SW wafers. The process lets designers stack and integrates field-effect transistors (FETs) in vertical architectures.
By folding FETs across bonded wafers, SLATE can reduce die size by up to 45%. The approach reduces RF board space and design area for switches, low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) and antenna tuners in space-constrained smart mobile devices.
GF introduced the 9SW RF-SOI platform in 2023 for front-end modules (FEMs). The platform covers sub-8GHz and FR3 frequency ranges for 5G mobiles and satellite communications. 9SW, the fourth generation of GF’s XSW technology, reduces standby currents and improves efficiency by more than 20% through lower on-resistance and off-capacitance (Ron*Coff).
“Deploying SLATE on 9SW represents a significant step forward in RF integration, enabling our customers to design more compact and power-efficient solutions for next-generation 5G devices without compromising RF performance,” said Shankaran Janardhanan, senior vice president of GF’s RF business. “By combining our industry-leading 9SW platform with SLATE advanced packaging technology, we are unlocking new opportunities for innovation across next-generation mobile and wireless applications.”
“GF’s SLATE technology applied to its 9SW platform represents an important advancement in RF front-end integration, enabling designers to overcome traditional scaling and integration challenges,” said Vinod Kariat, corporate vice president of Custom IC and PCB group at Cadence. “Through Cadence’s Virtuoso Studio homogeneous integration, analysis and verification users can unlock SLATE’s 3D integration potential – giving designers the speed and confidence to deliver next-generation 5G front-end modules from concept to silicon.”
GF’s SLATE provides a path for heterogeneous 3D integration across FDX FD-SOI, RF-SOI and silicon germanium technologies. Target markets include data centers, satellite connectivity, IoT and mobile devices.
Source: GlobalFoundries
About GlobalFoundries
GlobalFoundries is a semiconductor foundry that provides advanced manufacturing services for integrated circuits. It offers a range of technologies, including CMOS, RF, embedded memory, silicon photonics, and FinFET, catering to automotive, communications, defense, data center, industrial, and consumer electronics applications. Founded in 2009 after being spun off from AMD, GlobalFoundries has over a decade of experience delivering tailored semiconductor solutions. The company supports fabless chipmakers with design enablement, IP services, and process technologies to accelerate innovation and meet global demand. Headquartered in Malta, New York, it operates manufacturing sites in the U.S., Germany, and Singapore. The company develops technologies for emerging markets, supporting digital applications that demand energy efficiency and reliable performance.