GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS today announced the extension of their long-term collaboration, focusing on 40nm and 28nm processes. GLOBALFOUNDRIES will also join the European Multi Product Wafer (MPW) Program EUROPRACTICE.

Through the collaboration GLOBALFOUNDRIES will offer its leading-edge foundry capabilities to Fraunhofer IIS as an aggregator, and Fraunhofer will enable the academic network in Europe to get access to GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ process technologies and Process Design Kits (PDK) via EUROPRACTICE.

“As one of the largest foundries worldwide and the largest wafer manufacturer in Europe we are proud to enter this prestigious program,” said Karl Lange, GLOBALFOUNDRIES Vice President of Sales for Europe. “With Fraunhofer as channel partner, combined with our broad technology portfolio and process know-how, we will add significant value to EUROPRACTICE.”

“The offer of GLOBALFOUNDRIES technologies down to 28nm to Europe’s universities and research institutes is an important step for EUROPRACTICE and will stimulate education and research in IC design,” said Josef Sauerer, Head of the Integrated Circuits and Systems Department at Fraunhofer IIS. “Also, our contract research with industries will benefit from GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ advanced technology portfolio”

Fraunhofer IIS and GLOBALFOUNDRIES started their collaboration in 2004 with the successful launch of 180nm and later 55nm programs. The extended collaboration will introduce technology nodes down to 28nm in the European Wafer Shuttle Program, helping European academia and research institutes to get access and support for CAD tools and ASIC prototyping at reduced costs.