US chipmaker GlobalFoundries announced on Monday its acquisition of Advanced Micro Foundry (AMF), a Singapore-based company specializing in silicon photonics. The technology is crucial for AI data centers, quantum computing, and high-speed optical networking.
Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed. Silicon photonics allows data to move using light pulses, combining traditional computing chips with optical networking. The field is growing rapidly, with companies like Nvidia working with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing to integrate optical connections into their chips.
GlobalFoundries is already a major player in silicon photonics. The company supports startups such as PsiQuantum, which is building a quantum computer in Chicago. With the acquisition of AMF, GlobalFoundries aims to become the world’s largest manufacturer of silicon photonics chips.
Several Silicon Valley startups, including Ayar Labs, Celestial AI, and Lightmatter, are also developing optical chip connections. Many rely on GlobalFoundries for manufacturing, showing the firm’s growing influence in the sector.
In addition, GlobalFoundries is setting up a new research center in Singapore with the Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR). Tim Breen, CEO of GlobalFoundries, said, “As data moves faster and workloads grow more complex, moving information with speed, precision, and efficiency is fundamental to AI data centers and advanced telecom networks.”
AMF, which spun off from ASTAR in 2017, will now help bring Singapore-developed silicon photonics innovations to global markets. ASTAR will also start a master research collaboration with GlobalFoundries to advance silicon photonics technologies further.
Silicon photonics enables ultra-fast, energy-efficient data transfer, essential for next-generation AI systems. A*STAR CEO Beh Kian Teik expressed excitement about the partnership, emphasizing new economic opportunities for Singapore. AMF CEO Jagadish CV highlighted a shared vision with GlobalFoundries, stating, “With complementary technologies, we look forward to advancing silicon photonics for a broader range of markets and customers.”
This acquisition solidifies GlobalFoundries’ position as a leader in the fast-growing field of silicon photonics while expanding its R&D and manufacturing footprint in Asia.
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