GlobalFoundries Awarded $375 Million to Expand Quantum Semiconductor Manufacturing Capacity

en.Wedoany.com Reported - GlobalFoundries (GF) announced that it has finalized a research and development funding agreement worth up to $375 million with the CHIPS Research and Development Office of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The funds will be disbursed in phases over the next five years according to established milestones, to expand its quantum technology solutions business and drive the transition of quantum semiconductors from laboratory prototypes to scaled manufacturing.

The funding will primarily support the expansion of GF's manufacturing system in Malta, New York, and its quantum technology business. GF stated that its quantum technology solutions business will continue R&D in areas including cryogenic CMOS, advanced packaging, and heterogeneous integration, and will provide quantum computing companies with industrialization support ranging from R&D validation to wafer manufacturing.

GF's existing 22FDX platform uses a 22nm FD-SOI process, which can be used for cryogenic CMOS control and readout circuits, and can be combined with embedded magnetoresistive non-volatile memory, advanced packaging, and heterogeneous integration technologies. The related manufacturing capabilities address multiple quantum computing hardware routes, including silicon spin, ion trap, photonic, topological, and superconducting.

This $375 million funding falls under the CHIPS R&D system, with a focus on supporting quantum semiconductor R&D and manufacturing capacity building. GF previously also signed a $300 million letter of intent with the U.S. Department of Commerce to advance silicon photonics R&D; the company is simultaneously building out manufacturing capabilities for both quantum computing and next-generation optical interconnect.

GF previously also received up to $1.5 billion in direct funding under the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act's commercial manufacturing program, for the construction, expansion, and modernization of fabs in New York State and Vermont. The related projects are expected to drive approximately $13 billion in U.S. domestic investment over the next 10 years or more.