What Is a 300mm Wafer in Semiconductors?

A 300mm wafer is a basic material used to manufacture integrated circuits, which is typically made of silicon material with a diameter of about 300mm. It is widely used in the semiconductor manufacturing industry and can improve chip production efficiency and performance.

Compared to 200mm and 150mm wafers, a 300mm wafer has a larger surface area, allowing it to produce more chips in the same amount of time and reduce production costs. In addition, a 300mm wafer can also support more chip designs and higher integration, therefore providing better performance and reliability.

With the continuous improvement of wafer manufacturing technology and the increasing market demand, the competition in the 300mm wafer market is becoming increasingly fierce. Leading wafer manufacturers are improving their market share through technology upgrades and cost control. Companies such as TSMC, Samsung, Intel, and UMC are all leading enterprises in the global 300mm wafer manufacturing industry.

Meanwhile, GlobalFoundries has emerged as a major player. According to Statista data, from 2020 to 2022, the global shipment of GlobalFoundries' 300mm equivalent wafers increased by 4%, rising from 2.37 million in 2021 to 2.47 million in 2022. GlobalFoundries is one of the world's leading semiconductor manufacturers.

With the rapid development of 5G, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and other technologies, the demand for high-performance chips will continue to grow, which will further promote the application and development of 300mm wafers.