Semiconductor silicon wafer prices could see another 15-30% hike in the third quarter, after already rising 5% and 10-20% in the first and second quarters, respectively, according to industry sources.

Both IC foundries and DRAM chipmakers continue running at full capacity, but major silicon wafer suppliers in Japan remain conservative about expanding capacities, the sources indicated. The wafer producers have not even resumed full-scale production, the sources added.

The upward price trend is an indication that suppliers may want to raise prices back to their previous levels, the sources said. Prices for 12-inch wafers once plunged to about US$90 during the first half of 2009.

In addition to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC), second-tier foundry chipmaker Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS) is also seeing tight capacity at its two 8-inch fabs, the sources revealed.

VIS chairman Chang Ching-chu was quoted in a recent report commenting that the foundry's production for LCD driver ICs and power management chips would continue to lag behind demand in the second half of 2010, buoyed by brisk demand for PCs and LCD TVs.