GlobalFoundries and Silicon Labs Collaborate on Wi-Fi 6 Chips for IoT Connectivity Using 40LP Platform

GlobalFoundries announced at its Technology Summit in Santa Clara, California, a partnership with Silicon Labs, marking the shipment of over 10 million Silicon Labs Wi-Fi units built on GF’s 40nm low-power (40LP) process technology. The collaboration focuses on producing wireless system-on-chips (SoCs), including Silicon Labs’ SiWX917 Wi-Fi 6 chip, for consumer IoT devices.

GF’s 40LP platform, part of its CMOS portfolio, supports low leakage in standby mode for power-efficient, always-on devices and provides a high signal-to-noise ratio for accurate data capture in sensing applications. The SiWX917 chip addresses battery life and secure connectivity challenges for IoT devices, integrating Wi-Fi 6 to support persistent connections.

Kamal Khouri, senior vice president of GF’s feature-rich CMOS product line, stated that the platform enables Silicon Labs to deliver cost-effective, high-performance solutions for IoT markets. Irvind Ghai, vice president of Silicon Labs, noted that the partnership supports secure, reliable Wi-Fi connectivity, simplifying device onboarding and enhancing user experience while accelerating market delivery.

The collaboration aims to scale production of energy-efficient, high-performance IoT devices, leveraging GF’s manufacturing capabilities and Silicon Labs’ wireless technology to meet consumer ...