Silicon wafer area shipments in the first quarter totaled 2.538 billion square inches, an increase of 1.3% from 2.504 billion square inches in the fourth quarter of last year, but a decrease of 3.8% from the first quarter of last year (2.637 billion).

▲ Quarterly Silicon Wafer Area Shipments (Unit: Million Square Inches, Solar Applications Not Included)



Volker Braetsch, Chair of the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) and VP of Siltronic, stated, "The increase in shipments in the recent quarter is encouraging following six months of sluggish silicon wafer shipments," adding, "We are looking forward to surpassing the silicon wafer shipment volume set last year...""We'll have to wait and see if they can break the rock," he said.

Silicon wafers are the fundamental material for semiconductors and are core components of almost all electronic devices, including computers, telecommunications products, and consumer electronics. These thin, circular disc-shaped silicon wafers, which require advanced technology, are manufactured in various sizes (diameters ranging from 1 inch to 12 inches) and are used as substrate materials for the fabrication of most semiconductor devices and chips.