GlobalFoundries (GF) completed its acquisition of Singapore-based Advanced Micro Foundry (AMF), positioning the company as the largest pure-play silicon photonics foundry by revenue. The deal expands GF’s global manufacturing footprint and accelerates its strategy to support the rapidly growing optical-communication requirements of AI datacenters. AMF adds a mature 200mm photonics platform, an extensive IP portfolio, and a skilled engineering team, with plans to scale to 300mm production as demand grows.
The acquisition strengthens GF’s photonics capabilities across long-haul communications, datacenter interconnects, LiDAR, and sensing. GF now operates silicon photonics development in both the U.S. and Singapore, enhancing supply-chain resilience for customers building pluggable optics, co-packaged optics, and emerging optical compute modules. GF also plans to establish a new R&D Center of Excellence in Singapore with A*STAR focused on next-generation materials for ultra-fast optical links targeting 400Gbps speeds.
As copper interconnects approach their physical limits, the expanded portfolio positions GF to deliver integrated photonics solutions for AI workloads that require extreme bandwidth and power efficiency. The combined roadmap strengthens GF’s ability to support cloud providers, telecom operators, automotive OEMs, and emerging quantum-networking initiatives.
• GF becomes the largest pure-play silicon photonics foundry by revenue
• AMF adds 15+ years of photonics manufacturing expertise and a 200mm platform, with 300mm scaling planned
• Expanded support for pluggable transceivers, co-packaged optics, LiDAR, sensing, and quantum applications
• New Singapore R&D Center of Excellence with A*STAR targeting 400Gbps-class photonics materials and platforms
• Strengthened global supply for AI datacenters and optical-communication networks
“Silicon photonics technology is essential for AI infrastructure… Acquiring AMF enables GF to deliver an expanded, and differentiated, decade-long roadmap for pluggable transceivers and co-packaged optics,” said Tim Breen, CEO of GlobalFoundries.
🌐 Analysis
GF has steadily expanded its photonics manufacturing portfolio through prior partnerships with Cisco, Ayar Labs, Lightmatter, and major transceiver vendors. Acquiring AMF gives GF tighter control of photonics IP, PDKs, and production capacity at a time when hyperscalers are ramping investment in 800G/1.6T optics, LPO, and next-generation CPO. Competitors—such as Intel, Tower Semiconductor, TSMC, and POET—are offering their own silicon photonics platforms, but GF’s combined U.S.–Singapore footprint and diversified process portfolio position it well for long-term AI-datacenter demand.
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