[News] GlobalFoundries Sues Tower Semiconductor Over 11 Patents, Seeks Profit Damages and Import Ban
As TSMC, Intel, and Samsung Electronics race toward 2nm-class nodes, competitive tensions are also flaring in the mature-node segment—albeit in a more unexpected, legal battleground. In a March 26 statement, U.S.-based foundry GlobalFoundries revealed it has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against its Israeli peer Tower Semiconductor, alleging infringement of 11 U.S. patents.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the cases span both the U.S. International Trade Commission and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. Reuters, citing GlobalFoundries, notes that its ITC action is aimed at securing an import ban on semiconductors produced by Tower that allegedly utilize technologies covered by the disputed patents.
Meanwhile, GlobalFoundries is also pursuing damages tied to lost profits, alongside injunctive relief aimed at blocking the importation and sale of any infringing products, the reports add.
According to GlobalFoundries, the company has accumulated a robust portfolio of more than 8,000 patents, built over decades of sustained innovation, deep process engineering expertise, and proprietary know-how, whereas Tower Semiconductor holds fewer than 500 patents.
In response, Tower Semiconductor said, in a statement cited by Reuters, that it firmly rejects the claims and will vigorously defend its intellectual property and technological leadership. Notably, Tower also highlighted its long-standing commitment to innovation, noting that sustained R&D investment across the U.S. and globally is supported by its two U.S.-based fabs and leading-edge research centers, according to Reuters.
As noted by Reuters, while industry heavyweights such as TSMC and Intel prioritize leading-edge logic, GlobalFoundries and Tower operate as specialty foundries, targeting niche segments including RF chips and silicon photonics.
According to TrendForce, GlobalFoundries secured the No. 5 position in 2025 foundry sales, capturing a 3.87% market share, buoyed by stronger demand for data center peripheral chips, with both wafer shipments and average selling prices (ASP) trending upward.
Meanwhile, Tower Semiconductor ranked seventh, accounting for a 0.89% share of the market.
Close Links with U.S. Chip Players
It is worth noting that Tower Semiconductor maintains deep ties with U.S. tech players. As reported by EE News Europe, the company said in February 2026 that its silicon photonics (SiPho) technology had been selected for 1.6T data center optical modules built on NVIDIA networking protocols.
Separately, it previously entered a 2023 manufacturing partnership with Intel, under which the chip giant was set to produce 300mm wafers for Tower’s customers at its New Mexico facility—although the collaboration has since been discontinued, according to CTech.
Read more
- [News] GlobalFoundries Moves on GaN: TSMC and Navitas Ties Position U.S. as New GaN Production Hub
- [News] Intel Reportedly Backs Out of 300mm Wafer Deal With Tower; Production Could Move to Japan
(Photo credit: GlobalFoundries)
