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Silicon wafer shipments up 3 percent |
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May 16, 2006 at 01:37 PM |
 Data supplied by the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) show an increase in shipments of silicon based wafers of 3 percent in the 1Q06 compared to the 4Q05 time frame.
"Silicon wafer shipments remained strong for all wafer sizes during the first quarter" said Tatsuhiko Shigematsu, chairman SEMI SMG and director of technology of SUMCO Corporation. "Availability of polycrystalline silicon, the starting materials for silicon wafers, may become a major constraint in meeting the future wafer demands."
Polysilicon supply has been tight almost throughout 2005 and is expected to remain so through 2006 as new manufacturing facilities are being built by wafer suppliers that typically take two years or more to build and start production.
Demand from 300mm fabs and the solar wafer market are responsible for the continuing shortage, though no chip manufacturer has yet stated that production ramps are being hindered by silicon shortages.
WACKER's polysilicon division noted that sales had increased 7 percent in 1Q06. Currently, the division is expanding capacity by an additional 1,000 metric tons that will come on stream by the end of 2006. The company is also in the process of building a dedicated solar-grade silicon plant that will provide 3,500 metric tons of polysilicon annually from the start of 2008.
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