Global silicon wafer shipments to remain soft in 2024
Global shipments of silicon wafers are projected to decline 2% in 2024 to 12,174 million square inches (MSI) with a strong rebound of 10% delayed until 2025 to reach 13,328 MSI as wafer demand continues to recover from the downcycle, SEMI reports.
Strong silicon wafer shipment growth is expected to continue through 2027 to meet increasing demand related to AI and advanced processing, driving improved fab utilisation rate for global semiconductor production capacity. Moreover, new applications in advanced packaging and high-bandwidth memory (HBM) production, which require additional wafers, are contributing to the rising need for silicon wafers. Such applications include temporary or permanent carrier wafers, interposers, device separation into chiplets, and memory/logic array separation.
*Total electronic grade silicon slices – excludes non-polished and reclaimed wafers; shipments are for semiconductor applications only and do not include solar applications. © SEMI
Silicon wafers are the fundamental building material for the majority of semiconductors, which are vital components of all electronic devices. The highly engineered thin disks, produced in diameters of up to 300 mm, serve as the substrate material on which most semiconductor devices, or chips, are fabricated.
