Top Silicon Wafer Manufacturing Companies in the World
A semiconductor company can either manufacture silicon wafers or design chips manufactured by some other company.
What is a semiconductor?
A Semiconductor can be defined as a material that has the characteristics and ability to conduct a small amount of electrical current in a controlled manner. Semiconductors have much lower resistance to the flow of electrical current in one direction than in another. Diodes, transistors, and many photovoltaic cells contain semiconductive material. The electrical conductivity of a semiconductor can be controlled over a wide range, either permanently or dynamically.
Material Used to Manufacture Semiconductors
There are several materials that are used to make a semiconductor. The basic requirement of a semiconductor material is that it should not be a very good conductor of electricity, nor should it be a very bad conductor of electricity. Its properties can be changed by adding or removing atoms. Silicon is the most widely used semiconductor material. Few other materials used in making semiconductor are germanium, gallium arsenide, and silicon carbide.
What is a Silicon Wafer?
A wafer is a thin piece of semiconductor material, normally silicon crystal. These wafers are used to fabricate integrated circuits (ICs) and other microdevices. Silicon wafers are available in a variety of sizes ranging from 25.4 mm (1 inch) to 300 mm (11.8 inches).
Top Silicon Wafer Manufacturing Companies in the World
Silicon Wafer
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Elkem: Elkem Silicon Materials is on of the world’s leading suppliers of metallurgical silicon with three production plants in Norway.
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MEMC Electronic Materials: A global pioneer in wafer technologies. Designs and develops wafer technologies to meet the needs of the electronics industry.
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Okmetic: A technology company manufacturing and further processing high-quality silicon wafers for the semiconductor and sensor industries.
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PV Crystalox Solar: Produces multicrystalline silicon ingots and wafers for use in solar power generation systems.
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Shin-Etsu Chemical: Manufacturer and supplier of semiconductor materials, semiconductor silicon, synthetic quartz glass and PCV.
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Siltronic: Hyperpure silicon wafers and a partner to many top-tier chip manufacturers.
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Mitsubishi / Sumitomo Sumco Silicon (Sumitomo Metal Industries): Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd. And Mitsubishi Materials Corporation merged and integrated their silicon wafers business, including 300mm wafers and wafer-related quartz product.
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LDK Solar: Manufacturer of multicrystalline solar wafers.
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Renesola: Manufacturer of solar power products including virgin polysilicon, monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar wafers, and photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules.
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Renewable Energy Corporation: Manufacturer and supplier of silicon materials, wafers and solar solutions.
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M. Satek: Manufacturers and suppliers of polysilicon, single crystal silicon wafers, ingots(P-type and N-type) and solar modules.
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Tokuyama: Various products used in the electronics field, electronic components, ion exchange membranes and related equipment.
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Topsil: Silicon crystal wafers and ingots.
Conclusion
While there are several silicon wafer manufacturing companies in the world, the above list highlights only the top and the best of such companies based on quality, production and sales.
