GlobalFoundries (GF) signed a technology licensing agreement with TSMC covering 650V and 80V Gallium Nitride (GaN) technologies, positioning GF to accelerate the development of its next-generation power device portfolio for datacenter, industrial, and automotive markets. The deal expands U.S.-based GaN capacity and advances GF’s roadmap for high-efficiency, high-power applications that exceed the limits of traditional silicon CMOS.
GF plans to qualify the licensed technology at its Burlington, Vermont fab, leveraging its existing GaN-on-silicon manufacturing expertise. The company expects initial development to begin in early 2026, followed by volume production later in the year. GaN power devices are a critical enabler for electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, data center power delivery, and ultra-fast charging systems — areas that demand higher power density and conversion efficiency.
The licensing partnership marks one of the most significant cross-foundry collaborations in power semiconductors, reflecting growing momentum to strengthen U.S. domestic manufacturing for critical components. GF aims to deliver a comprehensive GaN portfolio with robust reliability across process, device, and system integration to serve global customers requiring mission-critical power solutions.
• GF will license 650V and 80V GaN technologies from TSMC.
• Development begins in early 2026; volume production later that year.
• Burlington, Vermont fab to serve as the primary manufacturing site.
• Target markets include data centers, EVs, industrial automation, and renewable energy.
• GaN provides superior efficiency and compactness over conventional silicon CMOS.
• The deal strengthens U.S. capacity for advanced GaN power devices.
• GF emphasizes holistic reliability across device and application integration.
• Aligns with U.S. initiatives to localize advanced semiconductor production.
• Reinforces GF’s focus on differentiated, high-value power and RF technologies.
• Extends GF’s long-term collaboration history with major global foundries.
“With the addition of this proven GaN technology, we will accelerate the development of our next-generation GaN chips and deliver differentiated solutions that address critical power gaps for mission-critical applications from the datacenter to the car and to the factory floor,” said Téa Williams, senior vice president of GF’s power business.
🌐 Analysis: This partnership underscores the strategic convergence between GF’s U.S. manufacturing base and TSMC’s mature GaN process portfolio. It reflects growing demand for wide-bandgap materials in power conversion — especially for AI-driven data centers and electrified transport. The move also positions GF alongside onsemi, Infineon, and Wolfspeed in the race to supply scalable GaN-on-silicon devices for next-generation energy and compute infrastructure.
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