SUMCO at a Glance
What is silicon wafer?
The basis of electronic equipment of all kinds
A silicon wafer is a material essential for manufacturing semiconductors, which are found in all kinds of electronic devices that enrich our lives.
Few of us have a chance to encounter an actual silicon wafer in daily life. This ultra-flat disk is polished to a mirror-like surface, and made as free as possible of tiny surface irregularities, making it the flattest object in the world. It is also ultra-clean, virtually free of microparticles and other impurities. These qualities are necessary so it can be used as the substrate material of today's state-of-the-art semiconductors.
Flow from silicon wafer fabrication to electronic product completion
Advances in semiconductors and silicon wafers are driven by the demands of diverse electronic products
Nearly all the electronic equipment around us uses semiconductor devices. That includes information devices like smartphones, PCs, tablets, and wearable computers; home appliances such as TVs and air conditioners; and means of transportation from cars to trains.
Now the Internet of Things (IoT) age is upon us, when everything from smartphones to cars and industrial machinery will be Internet-connected.
Demand for semiconductors is seen as likely to continue growing. Among the demand drivers are memory and logic devices for storing and processing huge volumes of data in the IoT and big data era; the various sensors needed for safe driving assistance and self-driving cars; and power management devices necessary for reducing energy consumption.
In daily life we hardly ever see a silicon wafer, but they are used in every sort of electronic device and are indispensable in our lives.
All sorts of technological innovation have enabled the evolutionary development of electronic devices, which have added immeasurably to our lives and greatly facilitated cultural progress.
Some products have consequentially become smaller, and others larger; some lighter, some stronger, some faster.
Engineers are carrying on the battles of their predecessors, and are going beyond the achievements of those persons, creating revolutionary change.
The continued evolution of the silicon wafer is a precondition for taking up this battle.
SUMCO sees itself as being engaged in this battle, as a corporation dedicated to contributing to all sorts of technological innovation on behalf of the advancement of society and the development of humanity.