Silicon wafer shipments increase in second quarter 2006
Worldwide silicon wafer area shipments increased 4 percent during the second quarter 2006 when compared to the first quarter 2006 areas shipments according to the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) in its quarterly analysis of the silicon wafer industry.
Total silicon wafer area shipments were 1,966 million square inches during the most recent quarter, an increase from the 1,884 million square inches shipped during the previous quarter. The new quarterly total area shipments are about 22 percent above second quarter 2005 shipments.
"Silicon wafer shipments continue to remain strong for all wafer sizes during the second quarter" said Tatsuhiko Shigematsu, chairman SEMI SMG and technology officer of SUMCO Corporation. "Continuing demand for semiconductors is driving strong growth for silicon wafers."
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 here 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.
