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Chips dip

The electronics industry is being threatened by yet another period of scarcity, with reports that the demand for polycrystalline silicon is outstripping supply (The Electronics and Wireless World, June, 1995).

Fears about the supply of polycrystalline silicon - the raw material for monocrystalline ingot production - are growing as the continuing boom in chip sales spurs semiconductor manufacturers to step-up their demand for wafers. The world demand for polycrystalline silicon this year is estimated to be 13,500 tonnes (t), whereas total production is not likely to exceed 12,000 t.

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