Recently, Soitec announced that it will supply GlobalFoundries (GF) with a 300mm RF-SOI substrate that supports GF's advanced RF-SOI technology platform, including its cutting-edge 9SW RF solution. The initiative builds on the long-standing relationship between the two companies to secure the supply of advanced RF-SOI engineering substrates for RF front-end (RFFE) modules for 5G, 5G-Advanced, Wi-Fi, and other smart mobile devices.
RF-SOI semiconductor is a silicon-based semiconductor process material with a unique structure, and its full name is Radio Frequency-Silicon-On-Insulator, that is, silicon on RF insulating substrates. This material achieves full dielectric isolation between the device and the substrate by introducing an insulating buried layer, typically SiO2. RF-SOI has a unique three-layer structure of silicon/insulation/silicon. This structure makes the RF-SOI device superior in terms of performance because it effectively isolates parasitic capacitance and interference between the device and the substrate. In addition, RF-SOI significantly improves device linearity and reduces insertion loss through dielectric isolation through insulating buried layers. With the popularization of 5G technology and the development of the Internet of Things, the market demand for RF-SOI semiconductors is growing. It is expected that in the next few years, the proportion of RF-SOI in the RF front-end chip market will continue to increase.
GF's 9SW RF-SOI platform, combined with the latest 300mm RF-SOI substrate from Soitec, optimizes RF performance, power efficiency, and scalability, significantly improving the performance of high-end smartphones. This platform lays the foundation for the development of more efficient, low-power switches, low-noise amplifiers (LNAs), and logic processing units that dramatically improve the user experience, especially in high-end devices, ensuring excellent connectivity.
Figure: Soitec partners with GlobalFoundries to produce high-performance RF-SOI semiconductors
Soitec's latest 300mm RF-SOI substrate brings some important advancements, including optimizing silicon thickness to reduce turn-off capacitance, enhancing oxide for power efficiency, and delivering superior RF performance through Soitec's cutting-edge RFeSI™ technology family. In addition, the substrate offers significant improvements in power, size, and efficiency. The new platform reduces standby and active power consumption, is 10 percent smaller than previous solutions, and improves efficiency by more than 20 percent by reducing the figure of merit for on-resistance and shutdown capacitance.
Faisal Saleem, Senior Vice President of End Markets at GlobalFoundries, emphasized, "GF is committed to delivering differentiated, leading-edge technologies that address a wide range of needs, including 5G, IoT, infrastructure, and automotive applications. "This collaboration with Soitec demonstrates our commitment to the continued supply of high-performance RF-SOI solutions to meet the growing needs of our customers." ”
Jean-Marc Le Meil, Executive Vice President of Mobile Communications at Soitec, added: "Soitec has established world-leading production capabilities to meet the global demand for RF-SOI substrates for smartphone 5G, Wi-Fi technology, and future AR-VR and IoT devices. "We are excited to extend our long-standing relationship with GlobalFoundries to drive innovation in the next generation of 300mm RF-SOI technology." As we transition from 5G to 5G-Advanced, and eventually to 6G, the need for performance, energy efficiency, and compactness for devices will continue to increase, and our technology will continue to support them.”
This collaboration not only drives innovation in RF front-end technology, but also heralds a major step forward for 5G and more advanced wireless communication standards. As technology continues to advance, the collaboration between Soitec and GF will provide a more robust and efficient solution for the global market, supporting a wider range of use cases.
