KUALA LUMPUR (July 29): Global silicon wafer area shipments in the second quarter of 2022 surpassed the previous record high set in the first quarter of the year, edging up 1% quarter-over-quarter to 3,704 million square inches, according to the US-based Semiconductor Equipment & Materials International (SEMI).

Silicon wafers are the fundamental building material for the majority of semiconductors, which are vital components of all electronic devices.

The highly engineered thin disks are produced in diameters of up to 12 inches and serve as the substrate material on which most semiconductors are fabricated.

In its SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) quarterly report of the silicon wafer industry released on Thursday (July 28), the group said second-quarter silicon wafer shipments saw 5% growth from the 3,534 million square inches reported during the same quarter last year.

SEMI SMG chairman and chief commercial officer at Okmetic Anna-Riikka Vuorikari-Antikainen said silicon shipments and demand remain robust driven by a strong semiconductor market.

“Inflation, as in the case of other wafer fabrication materials, continues to place upward pricing pressures on silicon.

“Wafer supply, in the face of continuing semiconductor fab expansions, remains constrained,” she said.

Silicon area shipment trends — semiconductor applications only 

Source: SEMI (www.semi.org), July 2022