SEMI's Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) reported that worldwide silicon wafer shipments rose 13.4% year-on-year to 3,756 million square inches in Q3 2026. Shipments were 3,313 million square inches in Q3 2025 and increased 5.1% from the 3,573 million square inches recorded in Q2 2026.
Masatsugu Miura, chairman of SEMI SMG and general manager of Sales & Marketing Department of Sales & Marketing Division at SUMCO Corporation, said: “Silicon wafer shipments increased in the third quarter, supported by strong AI-related demand and improving industrial demand. AI-related demand continued to broaden beyond advanced logic and memory to include power devices and photonics. Industrial demand strengthened, supported by robotics, AI server power supplies and improving demand for general-purpose industrial semiconductors. Bonding and advanced packaging applications also continued to support demand for 300mm polished wafers.”
Silicon wafers are the fundamental building material for most semiconductors. These engineered disks, produced in diameters of up to 300 mm, serve as the substrate material on which most semiconductors are fabricated.
