FD-SOI differs from traditional CMOS by adding a fully insulating layer beneath the transistor channel, extending substrate isolation further than usual. GlobalFoundries says this enables specialised capabilities, including ultra-low-power in-memory computing, seamless integration of embedded non-volatile memory such as eMRAM, and highly efficient dense logic designs.

The move marks a notable reversal. In 2018, with node design costs climbing into the multi-billion-dollar range and yield difficulties widespread, GlobalFoundries indefinitely halted its 7 nm development, leaving TSMC and Samsung as the leading-edge contract manufacturers while it pursued solutions that did not chase smaller transistors.