GlobalFoundries filed multiple patent‑infringement lawsuits against Tower Semiconductor on March 26, 2026, alleging that Tower’s manufacturing methods violate 11 GlobalFoundries patents that cover processes used in smartphones and other electronic devices. The filings were made in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas and with the U.S. International Trade Commission.
The lawsuits seek injunctive relief to block the importation and sale of infringing products in the United States and compensation for lost profits. Tower Semiconductor has responded by firmly rejecting the allegations and stating it will vigorously defend its intellectual‑property and technology leadership.
GlobalFoundries maintains a portfolio of more than 8,000 patents, while Tower’s portfolio is smaller, with fewer than 500 patents. Gregg Bartlett, GlobalFoundries’ CTO, said: "Semiconductor manufacturing is one of the most complex and capital‑intensive industries in the world. There is no shortcut to real innovation. Companies that attempt to extract value from patented process technologies without authorization or investment undermine fair competition and the integrity of the semiconductor ecosystem. Our actions are necessary to defend our intellectual property, protect the innovation that underpins it, and ensure that competitors play by the same rules."
The lawsuit could lead to litigation costs, potential injunctions, and damages, and may affect Tower’s product roadmap and cost structure. For GlobalFoundries, the action is intended to protect its intellectual‑property rights and reinforce its market position in the specialty foundry space.
The filing underscores the intensifying competition among specialty chipmakers, particularly in radio‑frequency chips and silicon photonics, and reflects a broader trend of intellectual‑property litigation in the semiconductor industry.
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