Semiconductor providers are the first step in the production chain of the most influential industries today, including Gallium, GaAs, or silicon wafer manufacturers. Smartphones, electric cars, radiofrequency antennas, and even military or aerospace technologies depend on wafers.
To prove this point, here are some interesting facts about wafer manufacturing and the behind-the-scenes of this industry that has become crucial to world trade.
Developing a wafer from raw silicon is a complex production process that can take up to 14 weeks in total.
Different industries have different requirements for the conditions in which their products need to be fabricated. Wafer manufacturers are very strict, requiring cleanroom class 1 conditions for production to be carried out.
Picture it like this: on every cubic foot of a normal ambient room, there are 100,000 particles in the air. When manufacturing semiconductors, there must be no more than one particle weighing half a microgram in every cubic foot of air.
According to the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics, 469 billion dollars’ worth of semiconductors were sold worldwide in 2018, an increase of around 15% over 2017.
Memory chips make up the largest market share in the Wafer industry, at 40 billion dollars.
Experts predict that the semiconductor share in smartphones, tablet computers, PCs, and TVs will stagnate over the coming years. However, a new player has emerged: vehicles.
As a result of increasing electrification, automation, and connectivity, electric vehicles can become the future top buyers of wafer manufacturers.
Wafer manufacturing is a complex but crucial art. Here at Wafer World, we’re passionate about what we do and enjoy sharing it with others.
So, if you want to learn more about semiconductors, give us a call!
