Up 2.7% from the fourth quarter of last year


As demand for electronic products increased due to COVID-19, silicon wafer shipments also rose slightly compared to the fourth quarter of last year.

The Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) announced on the 6th that global silicon wafer shipments in the first quarter of 2020 totaled 2.92 billion square inches, up 2.7% from 2.844 billion square inches in the fourth quarter of 2019. This figure represents a 4.3% decrease compared to the same period last year.

Silicon wafers are a core material for semiconductor manufacturing and an essential component of all electronic products. Precision-machined silicon discs are produced in various diameters ranging from 1 inch to 12 inches and are used as substrate materials on which most semiconductor chips are manufactured.

Neal Weaver, Chairman of SEMI Silicon Manufacturing Group (SMG) and Director of Product Development and Applications for the Americas at Shin-Etsu Handotai, said, “Global silicon wafer shipments rebounded slightly this quarter, but market uncertainty remains prevalent due to COVID-19.”

In the first quarter, the impact of COVID-19 was limited to the Asian region, but starting in the second quarter, it is expected to spread globally, potentially leading to further damage. It is fortunate, at least, that the market size for “untact” electronic devices is growing due to the spread of non-face-to-face culture.