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GlobalFoundries: Clients Are Migrating to Sub-10nm Faster Than Expected
y Anton Shilov on February 14, 2024 6:30 PM EST - Posted in - Semiconductors - GlobalFoundries - FinFET - 12nm - 12LP When GlobalFoundries abandoned development of its 7 nm-class process technology in 2018 and refocused on specialty process technologies, it ceased pathfinding, research, and development of all technologies related to bleeding-edge sub-10nm nodes. At the time, this was the correct (and arguably only) move for the company, which was bleeding money and trailing behind both TSMC and Samsung in the bleeding-edge node race.
"Our communications infrastructure and data center segment continued to show weakness through 2023, partly due to the prolonged channel digestion of wireless and wired infrastructure inventory levels across our customers, as well as the accelerated node migration of data center, and digital-centric customers to single-digit nanometers," said Tom Caulfield, chief executive of GlobalFoundries, at the company's earnings call with financial analysts and investors (via SeekingAlpha). Assuming that TSMC or Samsung Foundry offer competitive prices for their 7 nm-class nodes, at least some of 12LP+ customers are probably inclined to use 7 nm fabrication technologies instead, which is what GlobalFoundries confirms. "We are actively [watching] these industry trends and executing opportunities to remake some of our excess capacity to serve this demand in more durable and growing segments such as automotive, and smart mobile devices," Caulfield said.
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