Capacity push for 300 mm silicon, GlobalWafers GESK wafers target AI and power chips

GlobalWafers is expanding its 300 mm GESK silicon wafer line as chipmakers ramp capacity for AI data centers, power devices and advanced logic. The specialty wafers sit near the start of the semiconductor supply chain and are tailored for demanding high-voltage and high-current applications.

Edited by ad hoc news New Releases & Launches Desk. Reviewed before publication on 06/16/2026 at 10:05 AM ET. Details in the imprint.

GlobalWafers is sharpening its focus on larger-diameter substrates for demanding applications, highlighting its 300 mm GESK silicon wafers as customers race to add capacity for power electronics and high-performance compute chips. The Taiwanese wafer maker positions these 12-inch wafers as a platform for power devices and advanced logic at nodes where cost, yield and high-voltage robustness must line up for electric vehicles, industrial drives and data center infrastructure.

What GlobalWafers GESK 300 mm wafers are built to deliver

The GESK product family covers 300 mm Czochralski-grown silicon wafers engineered for power and logic processes, with specifications including tailored resistivity ranges, low defect densities and tight flatness control for high-yield fabrication. According to the GlobalWafers product overview, the company offers 300 mm wafers with options such as Czochralski (CZ) and epitaxial structures, orientation (100) or (111), and resistivity bands designed for power MOSFETs, insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) and related devices, along with standard surface finishes including polished and epitaxial top layers. The official GESK product page describes the 300 mm series as supporting power and logic applications with multiple conductivity types and resistivity ranges. These wafers are typically used as starting substrates in 200 mm and 300 mm fabs that serve automotive, industrial and information-technology markets, where power efficiency and thermal management have become critical design parameters.

While 300 mm logic wafers for leading-edge nodes are concentrated with a few mega-suppliers, GlobalWafers focuses its GESK line on segments where performance and reliability must be balanced with cost, such as power-management ICs, automotive power switches and server power stages. Industry reports on wafer supply note that 300 mm power and specialty wafers are in strong demand as electric vehicle penetration rises and data centers deploy more power-hungry GPUs and accelerators, driving a need for robust, high-quality substrates that can handle higher voltages and currents over long lifetimes. A recent Nikkei Asia report on upstream capacity pointed to GlobalWafers among suppliers adding 300 mm capabilities to support the power and specialty chip boom, highlighting expansions in Taiwan and abroad aimed at meeting orders for automotive and industrial chips.

For chipmakers, the appeal of a 300 mm platform like GESK lies in the combination of larger wafer area and mature process compatibility. By moving suitable devices from 200 mm to 300 mm lines, manufacturers can spread fixed costs over more dies per wafer, provided that substrate quality meets tight specifications for warp, total thickness variation and microdefects. GlobalWafers states in its technical literature that it works with customers on parameters such as oxygen content, carbon levels and crystal defect control to align the wafer characteristics with downstream process windows, which is particularly important for high-voltage devices that must avoid premature breakdown or leakage.

Beyond the product itself, GlobalWafers is backing the GESK line with significant capital spending. In 2023 the company announced a major greenfield 300 mm wafer plant in Sherman, Texas, citing surging demand from automotive, industrial and data center customers in North America. According to coverage from Nikkei Asia, the planned Texas facility is expected to add tens of thousands of 300 mm wafer starts per month in phases and is supported by US federal and state incentives aimed at strengthening the domestic semiconductor supply chain. Nikkei Asia reported that the project could reach around $5 billion in investment when fully built out, with capacity geared toward 300 mm wafers for power and logic applications. This expansion underpins the company’s ability to support long-term GESK supply for US-based chip fabs and outsourced foundries.

Demand-side dynamics also favor a ramp in specialty 300 mm wafers. As cloud operators deploy more AI accelerators, the associated power-conversion and distribution hardware increasingly relies on efficient power semiconductors, from high-voltage MOSFETs to fast diodes and drivers, many of which can be fabricated on 300 mm substrates. Similarly, automakers are shifting more powertrain and safety functions to silicon-based and wide-bandgap devices that often share production lines or front-end infrastructure with silicon power technologies, making stable wafer supply a strategic concern for Tier 1 suppliers and IDMs. In this environment, a diversified wafer source like GlobalWafers that can offer GESK 300 mm wafers with customer-specific parameters becomes part of risk mitigation strategies for critical system programs.

Within GlobalWafers’ portfolio, the GESK line complements smaller-diameter wafers and specialty materials, helping the company address both legacy and growth segments of the semiconductor market. The emphasis on 300 mm power and logic substrates aligns with trends in automotive and infrastructure electronics, where component qualification cycles are long, and customers value continuity of supply across product generations. GlobalWafers notes in its investor communication that investments in 300 mm capacity are a key pillar of its medium-term growth strategy, alongside niche products such as engineered substrates and compound materials, as it aims to capture more value from electrification and data center buildouts. The company’s latest results presentation highlights increasing revenue contributions from 300 mm wafers and power-related products, signaling that lines such as GESK now sit close to the core of its business model. Shares of GlobalWafers (TW0006488000) closed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange at TWD 845 on 06/16/2026.

GlobalWafers GESK 300 mm wafers in brief

• Product: GESK 300 mm silicon wafers
• Manufacturer: Globalwafers Co., Ltd.
• Category: New Release / Launch - semiconductor wafer platform
• Launch date: Gradual introduction as part of GlobalWafers’ 300 mm portfolio; highlighted in recent product materials
• MSRP / Price: Not publicly disclosed; pricing typically via long-term supply agreements
• Availability: Supplied directly to semiconductor manufacturers and foundries worldwide
• Target audience: Integrated device manufacturers, foundries and IDMs producing power devices and logic ICs on 300 mm lines
• Key differentiator / USP: 300 mm CZ-based silicon wafers optimized for power and logic applications, with customizable resistivity, orientation and surface specifications to support high-yield, high-voltage processes.

This article was a.i.-assisted and editorially reviewed. Product information without warranty; prices and availability may change at short notice. Not investment advice and not a buy or sell recommendation. Trading involves risk up to and including the total loss of invested capital.