GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Qualcomm to develop leading-edge technology and pursue high volume manufacturing engagement

SUNNYVALE & SAN DIEGO, USA: GLOBALFOUNDRIES, a leading provider of advanced semiconductor manufacturing technology, and Qualcomm Inc., a leading developer and innovator of advanced wireless technologies, products and services, announced that they have entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding to collaborate on leading edge technologies.

Initially, GLOBALFOUNDRIES intends to provide Qualcomm with access to leading-edge 45nm Low Power (LP) and 28nm (LP) technologies with an intended collaboration on future advanced process nodes.

“As our customers increasingly demand more performance, lower power, functionality and portability in their mobile experiences, the need for a strong manufacturing and technology foundation is more important than ever before,” said Jim Clifford, senior vice president and general manager of operations, Qualcomm CDMA Technologies. “With its manufacturing capacity and technology roadmap, GLOBALFOUNDRIES is well positioned to help us enable the next generation of wireless innovation.”

Qualcomm’s Integrated Fabless Manufacturing (IFM) model builds tight technical interfaces among all parties in the semiconductor development cycle, delivering greater efficiency, lower costs and quicker time to market for new products.

A crucial component of the Qualcomm’s IFM strategy is a multi-foundry approach, which helps assure product supply to Qualcomm’s device manufacturing customers and provides the Company flexibility to meet rapidly changing demands. The IFM model is designed to accelerate Qualcomm’s technology execution and to meet the exponential growth expected in the wireless semiconductor market.

The intended relationship with GLOBALFOUNDRIES will focus on Qualcomm’s wireless businesses and provide technologies for handheld products that operate on the CDMA2000®, WCDMA and 4G/LTE cellular standards, including the emerging smartbook device segment. Both companies anticipate that GLOBALFOUNDRIES will begin accepting Qualcomm designs at Fab 1 in Dresden in 2010.

“As one of the largest and most successful semiconductor design companies in the world, Qualcomm needs access to the industry’s most advanced technologies along with the ability to rapidly bring them to market,” said Douglas Grose, chief executive officer, GLOBALFOUNDRIES.

“By bringing the benefits of a leading-edge IDM model to the foundry world, we provide customers with the fastest option to get advanced products to market in volume and at mature yield. We’re pleased to have an opportunity to collaborate with a market leader like Qualcomm as they enable new classes of wireless products and technologies for the future.”

Besides advanced technology nodes, the two companies intend to explore other areas to collaborate on such as die-package interaction and 3D packaging technologies.