Worldwide silicon wafer area shipments increased during the first quarter 2014 when compared to fourth quarter 2013 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 2,364 million square inches during the most recent quarter, a 7.1 percent increase from the 2,208 million square inches shipped during the previous quarter. New quarterly total area shipments are 11.1 percent higher than first quarter 2013 shipments.
“Total silicon shipment volumes registered first quarter growth, with volumes also up relative to the same quarter last year,” said Hiroshi Sumiya, chairman of SEMI SMG and general manager of the Corporate Planning Department of Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd. “This growth at the start of the year is in-line with other semiconductor industry data showing improved conditions compared to the start of 2013.”
Quarterly Silicon Area Shipment Trends
|
Millions Square Inches |
|||
|
Q1 2013 |
Q4 2013 |
Q1 2014 |
|
| Total |
2,128 |
2,208 |
2,364 |
Semiconductor Silicon Shipments* — Millions of Square Inches
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.