Accelerating the Localization of 12-Inch Large Silicon Wafers: Construction Begins on the Xi'an Yisiwei Silicon Industry Base Expansion Project

On June 14, the expansion project of the Xi'an Yiswei Silicon Industry Base commenced construction in the High-tech Zone of Xi'an. Currently, the Yiswei Silicon Industry Base operates a 12-inch silicon wafer factory with a monthly production capacity of 500,000 wafers, which went into operation in July 2020 and has been supplying polished wafers and epitaxial wafers to numerous domestic and international wafer manufacturers. After the completion of this expansion project, China's semiconductor silicon industry will further enhance its technological capabilities and strengthen the overall competitiveness of its integrated circuit industry chain.

Over the past two years, influenced by multiple factors, the integrated circuit industry has experienced tight capacity, driving a continuous surge in demand for large silicon wafers—the upstream raw material. However, China’s integrated circuit industry is still in the early stages of developing key raw materials, and its silicon wafer production capacity is largely concentrated on small-size wafers. The self-sufficiency rate for large-size wafers remains low; more than 95% of mainstream 12-inch silicon wafers are still reliant on imports, leaving a significant gap in domestic production capacity. The larger the silicon wafer size, the greater the manufacturing challenges, and the stricter the requirements become for technical specifications such as raw material purity, wafer flatness, surface particle count, and residual metal content.

It is understood that Xi'an Yisiwei’s silicon wafer technology team boasts extensive experience in the semiconductor industry. The factory is equipped with world-class production and testing equipment, as well as advanced facilities and power systems. Its process technologies have reached the global leading tier.

According to reliable sources, the expansion project of the Xi'an Yisiwei Silicon Industry Base, which has now been signed and is set to commence construction, is positioned for high-end products and will undergo upgrades in multiple areas including product development, technology innovation, and equipment. The project will increase investment in core product R&D to further diversify its product portfolio; adopt more advanced semiconductor technology pathways, introduce cutting-edge manufacturing processes and technologies, and optimize product manufacturing procedures; and thoroughly refine equipment design and selection, fully implementing automated production equipment, thereby significantly improving both efficiency and yield rates.

Industry insiders analyze that once the Yiswei Silicon Industry Base reaches full production capacity, its shipment volume is expected to become the largest in China and rank among the top six globally. This will effectively alleviate the current shortage of 12-inch silicon wafers in China, further enhance the technological level of China’s semiconductor silicon materials industry, and boost the competitiveness of China’s integrated circuit industry chain.

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