Global silicon wafer shipments are projected to increase 4.8% year-over-year in 2022 to a record high of nearly 14,700 millions of square inches (MSI), SEMI reported today in its annual silicon shipment forecast for the semiconductor industry.
The growth is expected to temper in 2023 due to challenging macroeconomic conditions but is forecast to rebound in the years that follow on strong demand for semiconductors used in data center, automotive and industrial applications.
2022 Silicon* Shipment Forecast (MSI)
|
Actual
|
Forecast
|
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|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
2023
|
2024
|
2025
|
|
|
MSI
|
12,290
|
14,017
|
14,694
|
14,600
|
15,555
|
16,490
|
|
Annual Growth
|
5.3%
|
14.1%
|
4.8%
|
-0.6%
|
6.5%
|
6.0%
|
|
*Total Electronic Grade Silicon Disks – Excludes Non-Polished and Reclaimed Wafers
*Shipments are for semiconductor applications only and do not include solar applications Source: SEMI (www.semi.org), November 2022 |
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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 are produced in diameters of up to 12 inches and serve as the substrate material on which most semiconductor devices, or chips, are fabricated.
All data cited in this release is inclusive of polished silicon wafers and epitaxial silicon wafers shipped by wafer manufacturers to end users. The data does not include non-polished or reclaimed wafers.