Wafer, which may sound strange, plays a vital role in our daily life. As the soul of the semiconductor industry, the wafer is a highly pure elemental or multi-element solid sheet, the most commonly used material is silicon. According to the different elements contained, wafers are mainly divided into two categories: silicon-based wafers and compound semiconductor wafers. The former is widely used because of its low cost and mature processing technology; the latter is commonly used in the manufacture of high-end electronic products such as LEDs and lasers due to its special photoelectric properties. Whether it is the heart of a smartphone-the processor chip, or the brain of an electric car-the control unit, it is inseparable from the support of the wafer. It can be said that without wafers, there would be no colorful digital life today.

The birth of wafers began with one of the most common substances in nature-sand. After a series of complex and precise processes, it is finally transformed into high value-added semiconductor materials. First, ultra-high-purity silica needs to be extracted from natural quartz sand and converted into polysilicon by methods such as chemical vapor deposition. Subsequently, the polycrystalline silicon is crystallized by a CZorax method or a zone melt method to form a single crystal silicon rod having a diameter of up to 300mm or more. This step requires extremely high temperature control accuracy and a dust-free environment, and any tiny impurities will affect product quality. Next, the single crystal silicon rod is cut into thin slices with a thickness of only a few hundred microns, which is what we call a wafer. Finally, a series of treatments, such as grinding and cleaning, need to be carried out on the surface to ensure that each inch of area can reach a nanometer level of flatness, so that the subsequent circuit pattern etching process can be carried out smoothly.

Although the mention of the wafer, many people think of the first time is the smart phone. But in fact, it is found in almost all electronic devices. For example, in the automotive industry, with the continuous improvement of intelligence, more and more functions rely on the support of embedded systems, which makes the demand for automotive-grade wafers growing. In addition, in the field of medical health, portable monitoring devices also need high-performance miniature sensors, and behind this is also the shadow of wafer technology. Not only that, various smart wearable devices that have emerged in recent years, such as sports bracelets and smart watches, are also the products brought about by the advancement of wafer technology. In short, wafers are changing the way of life and the face of society in an unprecedented way.

With the acceleration of the global informatization process, especially the rapid development of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, the wafer industry has ushered in unprecedented development opportunities. On the one hand, manufacturers continue to pursue higher density, lower power integrated circuit design solutions, driving Moore's Law to continue to move forward. On the other hand, the research and development of new materials is also in full swing. The third generation wide band gap semiconductor materials such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride have received extensive attention due to their excellent electrical properties, and are expected to be used on a large scale in the next few years. Key areas such as power conversion and radio frequency communication. Faced with such a broad development prospects, major companies have increased R & D investment, and strive to occupy a favorable position in the fierce market competition.

For those investors who are optimistic about the long-term development potential of the semiconductor industry, wafers are undoubtedly a value depression worth exploring. However, it is not easy to succeed in this uncertain market. First of all, the high initial investment is an unavoidable fact, and an advanced production line often requires billions of dollars in investment. Secondly, the speed of technological upgrading is fast, and if you are not careful, you may be eliminated by the market. Therefore, investors must be fully prepared for research, not only to pay attention to the financial situation of enterprises, R & D strength and other factors, but also to closely track the changes in policy orientation, international situation and other aspects, in order to make corresponding strategic adjustments in a timely manner.

In order to allow more friends to easily approach the world of wafers, here is a concise and clear explanation of terms, hoping to help everyone:
wafer (Wafer): semiconductor element base material, usually refers to the circular silicon wafer.
Polycrystalline silicon (Polysilicon): Discontinuous crystalline silicon composed of many small grains.
Single crystal silicon (Monocrystalline Silicon): The entire sample has only one lattice orientation of silicon material.
Chemical vapor deposition (CVD, Chemical Vapor Deposition): Under high temperature conditions, a technology that deposits a thin film on the surface of a substrate through a gas reaction.
Czochralski method (Czochralski Process): one of the main methods for producing large diameter monocrystalline silicon.
Zone melting method (Float-Zone Process): a method in which a single crystal is obtained by heating a raw material in a melting area by electromagnetic induction.
Moore's Law : The number of transistors on an integrated circuit will double about every two years.

In order to present more three-dimensional and comprehensive content to readers, we specially invited several industry leaders from well-known research institutions and enterprises at home and abroad to conduct in-depth exchanges on the latest developments, challenges and future development directions of wafer technology. The following is part of the wonderful