Reaching their highest recorded quarterly level ever on robust demand, worldwide silicon wafer area shipments rose 2.5 percent in the second quarter of 2018 to 3,160 million square inches from 3,084 million square inches the previous quarter, according to the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) in its quarterly analysis of the silicon wafer industry. New quarterly total area shipments are 6.1 percent higher than second quarter 2017 shipments.
“The second calendar quarter of the year typically enjoys a volume increase over the first quarter,” said Neil Weaver, chairman SEMI SMG and Director, Product Development and Applications Engineering of Shin Etsu Handotai America. “This quarter is no exception. Continued solid demand is driving record wafer volume shipments.”
Silicon* Area Shipment Trends
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Millions of Square Inches
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1Q2017
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2Q2017
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3Q2017
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4Q2017
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1Q2018
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2Q2018
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|
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Total
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2,858
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2,978
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2,997
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2,977
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3,084
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3,160
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*Semiconductor applications only
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Source: SEMI, (www.semi.org), July
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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 includes polished silicon wafers, including virgin test wafers and epitaxial silicon wafers, as well as non-polished silicon wafers shipped by the wafer manufacturers to end users.