The construction of semiconductor devices relies on a variety of high-purity raw materials. This section categorizes these materials based on their primary countries of supply.

• Silicon (from sand to polished wafers): The foundation of most semiconductor devices is silicon, which is extracted from silica-rich sand and refined into ultra-pure monocrystalline silicon ingots. These ingots are then sliced and polished to create silicon wafers. Major manufacturers of polished silicon wafers include WaferPro (USA, Japan), SUMCO (Japan, with global operations), Shin-Etsu (Japan, with global operations), SK Siltron (South Korea, with operations in China and the USA), and Siltronic AG (Germany, with operations in the USA and Asia). Japan, the USA, South Korea, and Germany are the primary countries for the supply of polished silicon wafers, the fundamental raw material for semiconductor manufacturing. This highlights the reliance on these regions for the base substrate.  

• Photoresists and related chemicals: These light-sensitive materials are crucial for the lithography process, where circuit patterns are transferred onto the wafer. Several companies around the world produce resist for semiconductor manufacturing, such as Fujifilm Electronics Materials, The Dow Chemical Company and JSR Corporation.

• Etchants and cleaning solutions: Various chemical solutions and gases are used to selectively remove materials during the etching and cleaning stages of semiconductor manufacturing. However, the global presence of Technics suggests that the USA, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and China are potential sources for these chemicals.  Dry etching uses gases to define the exposed pattern on the wafer. Wet etching uses chemical baths to wash the wafer. Companies such as Lam Research, Oxford Instruments and SEMES develop semiconductor etching systems.

• Dopants (e.g., Boron, Phosphorus, Arsenic): These impurities are intentionally introduced into the silicon wafer to modify its electrical conductivity. 

• Process Gases: Various gases are used in different stages of semiconductor fabrication, including deposition and etching processes. 

• Metals for Interconnects (e.g., Copper, Aluminum): Metals like copper and aluminum are used to create the conductive pathways that connect the various components on a semiconductor chip. 

• Packaging Materials (substrates, molding compounds, lead frames): A variety of materials are used in the IC packaging process, including substrates to mount the die, molding compounds for protection, and lead frames for external connections. The global operations of Amkor Technology and the presence of iNPACK in South Korea suggest that the USA, South Korea, Japan, China, Malaysia, Philippines, and Portugal are potential sources. Wiliot, Ayar Labs, SPTS Technologies, Applied Materials: these are just some of the names in the microchip packaging business, but there are many more.

Further research is needed for a comprehensive understanding of this aspect of the supply chain.