Silicon wafer shipments grow in Q3-09

SAN JOSE, USA: Worldwide silicon wafer area shipments increased significantly during the third quarter 2009 when compared to the second quarter 2009 area shipments according to the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) in its quarterly analysis of the silicon wafer industry.

Total silicon wafer area shipments were 1,972 million square inches during the most recent quarter, a 17 percent increase from the 1,686 million square inches shipped during the previous quarter. The new quarterly total area shipments are 13 percent below third quarter 2008 shipments.

"Silicon wafer shipments continue their recovery from the low levels reported in the first quarter,” said Nobuo Katsuoka, chairman of SEMI SMG and director, SOI process Engineering Department for Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd. ”Nevertheless, while shipments are improving, 2009 silicon area shipments are still expected to be significantly lower than 2008 levels.”

Quarterly Silicon Area Shipment Trends
Semiconductor Silicon Shipments* - Millions of Square Inches*Shipments are for semiconductor applications only and do not include solar applications.
Source: SEMI

Silicon wafers are the fundamental building material for semiconductors, which in turn, are vital components of virtually all electronics goods, including computers, telecommunications products, and consumer electronics. The highly engineered thin round disks are produced in various diameters (from one inch to 12 inches) and serve as the substrate material on which most semiconductor devices or "chips" are fabricated.

All data cited in this release is inclusive of polished silicon wafers, including virgin test wafers, epitaxial silicon wafers, and non-polished silicon wafers shipped by the wafer manufacturers to the end-users.

The Silicon Manufacturers Group acts as an independent special interest group within the SEMI structure and is open to SEMI members involved in manufacturing polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon or silicon wafers (e.g., as cut, polished, epi, etc.). The purpose of the group is to facilitate collective efforts on issues related to the silicon industry including the development of market information and statistics about the silicon industry and the semiconductor market.

Source: SEMI, USA