News Article
Less wafers this year?
Silicon wafer shipments flatten in first quarter 2008 although fairly stable worldwide
Worldwide silicon wafer area shipments remained essentially stable in the first quarter of 2008, marginally declining 1 percent when compared to fourth quarter 2007 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 2,163 million square inches in the first quarter, compared to 2,185 million square inches shipped during the fourth quarter. Compared to the 2007 first quarter, total area shipments increased by three percent.
"Consistent with the conservative industry sentiment, overall silicon shipments declined slightly during the most recent quarter," said Kazuyo Heinink, chairwoman of SEMI SMG and vice president, New Product Marketing for MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc. "However, 300 mm wafer shipments continued to grow."
Quarterly Silicon Area Shipment Trends:
Semiconductor Silicon Shipments for semiconductor applications and do not include solar applications.
Millions of Square Inches:
Q1 2007-2,100, Q4 2007-2,185, Q1 2008-2,163
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.
