Silicon wafer shipments reach record highs

Worldwide silicon wafer shipments reached a record high in the third quarter according to a SEMI report.

By SEMI November 16, 2021
Image courtesy: Brett Sayles

Worldwide silicon wafer shipments increased 3.3% to 3,649 million square inches in the third quarter of 2021 compared to the previous quarter, a new industry record, the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) reported in its quarterly analysis of the silicon wafer industry. Third-quarter 2021 silicon wafer shipments grew 16.4% from the 3,135 million square inches recorded during the same quarter last year.

“Silicon wafer shipments reached a new high in third quarter, with higher shipments in all diameters, which support the large variety of semiconductor devices needed for the modern economy,” said Neil Weaver, Chairman of SEMI SMG and Vice President of Product Development and Applications Engineering at Shin Etsu Handotai America. “Silicon wafer demand is expected to remain high, as many new fabs will ramp up in the next several years.”

Data cited in this release include polished silicon wafers such as virgin test and epitaxial silicon wafers, as well as non-polished silicon wafers shipped to end users.

Silicon wafers are the fundamental building material for the majority of semiconductors, which are vital components of all electronics including computers, telecommunications products, and consumer devices. The highly engineered thin disks are produced in diameters of up to 12 inches and serve as the substrate material on which most semiconductor devices, or chips, are fabricated.

– Edited from a SEMI press release by CFE Media. SEMI is a CFE Media content partner.

Original content can be found at Control Engineering.