Global silicon wafer shipments turned upward in the second quarter of 2023.

According to the latest announcement from SEMI, an industry association representing the global electronics industry supply chain, global silicon wafer shipments in the second quarter of 2023 increased 2.0% from the previous quarter to 3.331 billion square inches.

Silicon wafer shipments continued to decline since the third quarter of 2022, but rebounded in the second quarter of this year.

“The semiconductor industry is still working to destock, and fabs cannot operate at high utilization rates,” said Anna-Rika Vuorikari-Antikainen, Chief Commercial Officer of Oakmatic and Chair of SEMI’s Silicon Manufacturers Group (SEMI SMG). As a result, silicon wafer shipments have fallen from their peaks in Q3 2022, but have rebounded in Q2 of this year. “In particular, 300mm wafer shipments are showing a stable trend,” he said.

This data includes polished silicon wafers, such as virgin test and epitaxial silicon wafers, and non-polished silicon wafers.

Silicon wafers are a key material for semiconductor manufacturing, making them an essential component of virtually all electronic products, including computers, telecommunications products, and consumer electronics. These precisely machined silicon disks are produced in diameters ranging from one inch to twelve inches and serve as the substrate upon which most semiconductor chips are manufactured.