SUMCO to Expands 300mm Wafer Output to 550,000 units by October 2007

Japanese major silicone wafer maker, SUMCO keeps around 60 billion yen of capital expenditure in fiscal 2006 starting April 2006. The firm focuses on wafer with 300 millimeters diameter to meet the growing demand. The firm expands the output capacity by 50% to 550,000 units per month by October 2007 for around 104 billion yen from the capacity in September 2005. The firm also improves the technology advantage by strengthening the high-valued products including silicon on insulator wafers. The firm expanded the 300 mm wafer output capacity at Kyushu plant after the commission in October 2001. The firm expanded the capacity to 350,000 units per month by September 2005 for total 110 billion yen. President Kenjiro Shigematsu said the firm cannot meet all of the order under the higher demand even at the full capacity operation. The firm focuses on the expansion of the 300 mm wafer capacity. The firm expands the capacity to 450,000 units by October 2006 and to 550,000 units by October 2007 from current around 400,000 units. The firm will expand the capacity to 700,000 units at Kyushu and Yonezawa plants in April 2009. The firm also strengthens the silicon on insulator wafers, which has oxide film with higher electric insulation in the wafer. The firm develops the products as high-valued wafer, with which devices has higher intensity, lower electricity consumption, higher speed and better reliability. The firm has 2 types of products including direct bonded wafers, which is made by putting oxygen film between 2 wafers, and separation by implanted oxygen, which is made by imputing oxygen ion to make oxide film between wafers. The firm produces the separation by implanted oxygen at Noda plant and will introduce the making facilities at Yonezawa plant in 2006 to make the product at several thousands units per month.