Demand for blank 12-inch silicon wafers is set to increase to 1.1-1.3 million pieces per month in China in 2018, up from the current 500,000 units, according to local media.

With China pushing for self-sufficiency in semiconductors, the country is aware of its heavy reliance on imported 12-inch silicon wafers. As domestic demand for 12-inch silicon wafers is set to hike, China will have its first homegrown 12-inch silicon wafer supplier ready to enter volume production at the end of 2017, according to the local media reports.

Shanghai Xinsheng Semiconductor Technology was founded by Richard Zhang, founder and former CEO of China's largest pure-play foundry Semiconductor Manufacturing International (SMIC). Shanghai Xinsheng is scheduled to come online at the end of 2017 with monthly capacity of 150,000 12-inch wafers in the first phase, and the monthly capacity will double to 300,000 units by 2020, the reports said.

Demand for blank 8-inch silicon wafers is also expected to surge reaching 7.5-8 million units in 2020, up from the current 800,000, the reports indicated.

There are already companies based in China engaged in the production of 8-inch silicon wafer materials, including QL Electronics, Kunshan Sino Silicon Technology, Grinm Semiconductor Materials, Hebei Poshing Electronics Technology, Nanjing Guosheng Electronic, the 46th Research Institute of CETC and Shanghai Simgui Technology. Combined production capacity of 8-inch silicon wafers in China has reached 233,000 units, according to the reports.

By: DocMemory
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