GlobalFoundries and IBM have settled their lawsuit over IP and say they are looking at ways to co-operate in the future.
The case, which has been going on since April 2023, arose from IBM’s transfer of its semiconductor unit to GloFo in 2015 and IBM’s subsequent transfer of technology to Rapidus and Intel.
IBM’s deal with Rapidus was to build a 2nm process, collaborate on developing a market for Rapidus’ chips and for researchers from both companies to work together at the Albany NanoTech Complex. Later it was extended to include chiplet technology.
GlofFo’s lawsuit alleged that the IP and trade secrets it shared with Rapidus were illegally transferred. It also alleged that IBM had tried to attract 
technical staff employed at Albany.
In the case of Intel, GloFo alleged that IBM unlawfully disclosed confidential IP and trade secrets related to chip manufacturing technology to Intel which was collaboratively developed by GlobalFoundries and IBM at Albany.
GloFo said it had received exclusive rights to license and disclose this technology after acquiring IBM’s microelectronics business in 2015.
The lawsuit also claimed that IBM was unjustly receiving potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in licensing income and other benefits from these disclosures.
In announcing the settlement of the dispute, the CEOs of IBM and GloFo – Arvind Krishna (pictured left)and Tom Caulfield (pictured right) – expressed hope about upcoming cooperation ventures.
