GlobalFoundries acquires AMF to expand silicon photonics leadership in Singapore

GlobalFoundries (GF), one of the world’s leading contract semiconductor manufacturers, has expanded its footprint in Singapore with the acquisition of Advanced Micro Foundry (AMF) and a new research partnership with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).

The acquisition and accompanying Master Research Collaboration Agreement (MRCA) will accelerate the development of silicon photonics technologies, positioning Singapore as a global centre for innovation in AI infrastructure and advanced telecommunications.

Silicon photonics is a breakthrough technology that integrates optical and electronic components on a single silicon chip. It enables ultra-fast and energy-efficient data transfer using light instead of electrical signals, making it essential for high-performance computing, AI, quantum applications, and next-generation telecom systems.

According to A*STAR, which spun off AMF in 2017, the acquisition marks the next phase in the foundry’s journey, expanding its world-class innovations to global markets under GF’s stewardship. The US-based chipmaker said it will build a Centre of Excellence (COE) for silicon photonics R&D in Singapore to support its long-term innovation roadmap.

The COE will focus on advancing materials and platform capabilities to enable data transfer speeds of 400Gbps and beyond. These improvements will support the development of pluggable transceivers, co-packaged optics, and emerging applications in automotive sensing, LiDAR, quantum computing, and medical imaging.

The MRCA formalises and deepens the ongoing collaboration between GF and A*STAR. It also signals Singapore’s continued prioritisation of semiconductor research. More than S$1 billion has been committed to semiconductor R&D and commercialisation, with a focus on photonics, advanced packaging, piezo-MEMS, silicon carbide, and flat optics.

“The MRCA, together with our acquisition of AMF, underscores GF’s commitment to advancing our innovation roadmap and leadership in silicon photonics,” said Gregg Bartlett, Chief Technology Officer at GlobalFoundries. “Singapore’s strong semiconductor ecosystem, along with our collaboration with the government and partners like A*STAR, makes it an ideal location to grow our platform and deliver secure, high-performance solutions globally.”

A*STAR noted that Singapore’s investments in photonics date back nearly two decades. Its Institute of Microelectronics (IME) launched the national silicon photonics research programme in 2007. In 2015, the National Research Foundation supported the creation of the Lux Photonics Consortium to bring together academia, industry, and research institutions in developing photonics applications.

ASTAR’s chief executive Beh Kian Teik said, “Impactful innovation is about how ideas take shape in ASTAR’s labs and scale to meet real industry needs. Our collaboration with GF builds on nearly two decades of national investment and capability development. It reflects strong confidence in Singapore’s translational R&D strengths.”

AMF, which claims to be the world’s first dedicated silicon photonics foundry, has developed an extensive intellectual property portfolio and a global customer base. Its expertise will now be integrated into GF’s global manufacturing and R&D network, which spans the US, Europe, and Asia.

GF chief executive Tim Breen said the acquisition expands the company’s photonics capabilities and positions it to meet growing demand for high-speed, energy-efficient solutions across AI data centres, advanced telecom networks, and quantum technologies.

“As data move faster and workloads grow more complex, the ability to move information with greater speed, precision and power efficiency is now fundamental to AI infrastructure,” he said.

The Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), which played a role in facilitating GF’s expansion, described the move as a strategic boost for the local ecosystem.

“GlobalFoundries is a key pillar of Singapore’s semiconductor sector, with extensive manufacturing, R&D, and regional headquarters operations that create skilled jobs and deepen partnerships with the local ecosystem,” said Jermaine Loy, Managing Director of EDB.

The MRCA is expected to deliver a scalable innovation pipeline that can meet both regional and global demands, while anchoring Singapore’s position as a trusted node in the international semiconductor supply chain.

GF said it will leverage AMF’s manufacturing platform in Singapore to expand production capacity and scale operations as market demand grows.

This includes addressing needs in long-haul optical communications, high-performance computing, and advanced sensing applications.