Chips, also known as semiconductors or integrated circuits, are integral components of all modern electronics. From computers and smartphones to cars and appliances, chips power the devices we rely on daily. However, the process of manufacturing chips requires significant amounts of resources, especially water. This article will explore how much water is used to produce a single chip.
The production of semiconductors is an incredibly water-intensive process. It takes thousands of gallons of ultra-pure water to manufacture a typical chip. With chips becoming smaller and more powerful, and demand skyrocketing, the semiconductor industry’s impact on local water supplies is receiving increased scrutiny. Understanding how much water chips require provides important context on the strain chip manufacturing places on global water resources.
Stages of Chip Manufacturing
Chip production involves hundreds of complex steps, many of which need abundant amounts of high-quality water. Below are some of the most water-consuming aspects of making a chip:
– Cleaning the silicon wafer – This preparatory step removes impurities from the wafer surface. It utilizes heavy amounts of ultrapure water, which is filtered and purified extensively.
– Photolithography – This process, which etches circuit patterns onto wafers, rinses the wafers with water repeatedly. Immersion lithography tools submerge wafers in water to create smaller features.
– Chemical mechanical polishing – CMP smoothes the wafer surface with slurry solutions. It consumes water for the slurry itself and rinsing the slurries off post-process.
– Wet etching and cleaning – These processes use liquid chemicals and rinse water to selectively remove wafer materials.
– Cooling – Water cools the tools used in fabrication facilities, preventing overheating.
– Reclaiming and reusing water – Advanced filtration and purification processes allow recycled water to be suitable for ultra-pure applications.
So water is integrated throughout the chip manufacturing process from start to finish. Next, we’ll look at how much water is consumed in total.
Estimating Total Water Usage
It’s challenging to pin down an exact figure, but estimates give an idea of the large volumes of water needed per chip:
– By some estimates, it takes **1800-2700 gallons of water to produce a single 200mm silicon wafer.** More advanced 300 mm wafers require even more water, up to **7,500 gallons per wafer.**
– The process of making one 2 gigabyte DRAM chip is estimated to require **1500-2000 gallons of water.**
– Leading-edge logic chips require **around 4000 gallons of water each.**
– Older estimates stated that a typical ****semiconductor fabrication plant**** used about **3-4 million gallons of water per day.** New plants utilize water recycling and conservation methods to use less.
– In 2015, the World Semiconductor Council estimated the industry required **150-200 gallons to process each square inch of silicon wafer.**
– A 2021 IC Insights report estimated that producing a **typical 300mm wafer requires 11,000 gallons** of water in total.
So in summary, manufacturing a single modern chip generally requires thousands of gallons of water. High-capacity memory and logic chips use more water, while simpler integrated circuits may use less during production.
Geographic Impacts on Water Usage
Semiconductor facilities are located across the globe, with a significant concentration in Asia. The local climate and water availability where chip fabrication plants are located impact how much water is consumed.
Some key geographical factors include:
– **Taiwan** – TSMC and UMC, two of the largest chip manufacturers, are located in the drought-prone nation. Water shortages limit production.
– **Singapore** – The tropical climate increases cooling demands at facilities, requiring more water.
– **Israel** – Chip makers reuse 85% of water in its desert climate, but production still salinizes groundwater.
– **United States** – The arid American southwest has growing water constraints for chip production.
– **Korea** – Samsung’s fabrication facilities place demands on Korea’s limited freshwater.
Water conservation strategies like recycling and capturing rainwater mitigate the volumes required in these regions. But chip production still taps heavily into local water supplies, which becomes riskier with droughts.
Water Usage Comparisons
To put the amount of water needed for chip manufacturing into perspective:
– Producing a smartphone requires about **50 gallons of water**, i.e. just a few chips worth. But millions of phones get manufactured.
– It takes about **100 gallons of water to produce $1 of revenue** for chipmakers. Many other industries are far less water intensive.
– **1300 gallons of water** are required to grow 1lb of rice. 1lb of beef requires ~**1800 gallons.** So a chip uses similar volumes to these foods.
– The average person uses **80-100 gallons of water per day** total for drinking, washing, cleaning, etc. A single chip may use over 10 times that amount during fabrication.
– **100 billion gallons of water** are used globally **each day** just for fabricating electronics, including chips.
So while chips require thousands of gallons per unit, their small size makes the consumption seem modest compared to other water uses like agriculture. But the sheer scale of chip production contributes significantly to local water stresses around fabrication plants.
Recent Trends in Water Usage
Chip manufacturers have made improvements in water efficiency as demands grow and supplies tighten.
Some trends in semiconductor water usage include:
– Increased use of recycled and reclaimed water. Many plants recirculate 25-85% of their water now.
– Adoption of “zero liquid discharge” policies to eliminate wastewater at some fabs.
– Lower-quality water suffices for many fab processes, reducing reliance on ultrapure sources.
– Automated sensors reduce cooling system demands by optimizing water flow.
– Shift to 300mm wafers cuts water use per chip produced by ~35%.
– New immersion lithography tools save water by recycling fluid.
| Year | Est. Gallons per 300mm Wafer |
|-|-|
| 1999 | 7,800 |
| 2010 | 4,000 |
| 2021 | 2,200 |
Table 1 – Declining water usage trend per 300mm wafer (Source: IC Insights)
As shown in Table 1, water use per wafer declined 72% from 1999 to 2021. So while chip manufacturing still requires thousands of gallons of water, technology and process improvements have significantly reduced the volumes needed per chip produced.
Outlook on Semiconductor Water Usage
There are several key factors that will influence chip manufacturing’s impact on water resources going forward:
– **Rising chip demand** – As uses like smartphones, AI, and IoT grow, overall wafer production will rise, increasing total water needs.
– **New fabs in water-stressed locations** – Building plants in hot and arid regions exacerbates local water supply constraints.
– **Climate change** – Droughts and weather extremes may disrupt production or require more water for cooling.
– **Transition to larger wafers** – Larger wafer sizes increase yields but require more water per wafer.
– **Technological improvements** – Continued gains in conservation and recycling will help offset increased demand.
While chipmakers have made laudable progress in water efficiency, semiconductor manufacturing will remain water intensive. With demand booming, further efforts are essential to reduce the industry’s water footprint and reliance on vulnerable water supplies.
Conclusion
In conclusion, fabricating a modern semiconductor chip requires thousands of gallons of ultrapure water. Manufacturing just one chip can utilize over 4000 gallons of water for leading-edge designs. Billions of chips get produced annually, translating to trillions of gallons of water demand concentrated in semiconductor fabrication facilities.
Chipmakers have made huge strides in water efficiency, such as recycling and utilizing alternative sources. However, rising production volumes offset some of these savings. Areas facing droughts and climate change feel the most strain from chip fabrication’s thirst. Continued focus by chip producers and local governments is necessary to develop sustainable water management strategies. That will enable the semiconductor industry to slake its thirst while reducing future impacts to local environments and communities.