Prices for 12-inch blank wafers are likely to rise by more than 15% in the third quarter of 2011, prompted by concerns over supply constraints stemming from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan, the Chinese-language Commercial Times cited Daiwa Capital Markets analyst Eric Chen as reporting on March 29.
Japan-based Shin-Etsu Handotai (SEH), which has a 15-20% global market share of 12-inch blank wafers, was forced to shut down its plant in Fukushima Prefecture, Chen was quoted as saying. In addition, interruptions of supplies of fiber glass materials, polishing slurries and other materials may also create uncertainties in the semiconductor industry supply chain, Chen indicated.