According to the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers’ Group (SMG), worldwide silicon wafer area shipments declined 1 percent in 1Q08 compared to 4Q07. Total silicon wafer area shipments were 2,163 million square inches in the first quarter, compared to 2,185 million square inches shipped during the fourth quarter. Compared to the 2007 first quarter, total area shipments increased by 3 percent. 

A collaboration between IBM and Matheson Tri-Gas, a subsidiary of Taiyo Nippon Sanso, Japan, has been signed to develop high purity gas molecules and new delivery systems for the 32nm node and below using atomic level deposition (ALD) techniques. 

KMG Electronic Chemicals is set to raise its prices for a range of high-purity process chemicals for the North American market by between 5 and 18 percent. KMG said that the price hikes were due to the ongoing increases in raw material prices as well as transportation costs due to the increases in the cost of fuel. 

Rohm and Haas Electronics Materials’ CMP Technologies business, in conjunction with Nitta Haas, Inc., has received Hitachi Semiconductor Singapore’s Supplier Excellence Award for 2008. Rohm and Haas was named best in the Direct Material Seller category for the second year in a row. 

MEMC Electronic Materials has said that a production problem at its Pasadena, Texas facility had impacted its utilization rate by approximately 20 percent. The lower than anticipated output would also impact revenues in the quarter. 

Praxair has followed Air Liquide in raising silane (monosilane, SiH₄) prices by between 20 and 30 percent, effective immediately, the company announced.