Die per Wafer Calculator

Die Per Wafer (DPW) Calculator

150 mm (6 inch) 200 mm (8 inch) 300 mm (12 inch) 450 mm (18 inch)

Results

Estimated Gross Die:

0

Total Wafer Area:

0 mm²

Individual Die Area:

0 mm²

Area Utilization:

0%

function calculateDPW() { var d = parseFloat(document.getElementById('waferDiameter').value); var ee = parseFloat(document.getElementById('edgeExclusion').value); var w = parseFloat(document.getElementById('dieWidth').value); var h = parseFloat(document.getElementById('dieHeight').value); if (!d || !w || !h || isNaN(ee)) { alert("Please fill in all fields with valid numbers."); return; } var effectiveDiameter = d – (2 * ee); var dieArea = w * h; var waferArea = Math.PI * Math.pow(d / 2, 2); // Using the De Vries formula for better estimation of die per wafer // DPW = [pi * (d-2*ee)^2 / (4*S)] – [pi * (d-2*ee) / sqrt(2*S)] var term1 = (Math.PI * Math.pow(effectiveDiameter, 2)) / (4 * dieArea); var term2 = (Math.PI * effectiveDiameter) / Math.sqrt(2 * dieArea); var grossDie = Math.floor(term1 – term2); if (grossDie < 0) grossDie = 0; var efficiency = ((grossDie * dieArea) / waferArea) * 100; document.getElementById('resGrossDie').innerText = grossDie.toLocaleString(); document.getElementById('resWaferArea').innerText = waferArea.toFixed(2).toLocaleString() + " mm²"; document.getElementById('resDieArea').innerText = dieArea.toFixed(2) + " mm²"; document.getElementById('resEfficiency').innerText = efficiency.toFixed(2) + "%"; document.getElementById('dpwResult').style.display = 'block'; }

Understanding Die Per Wafer (DPW)

In semiconductor manufacturing, Die Per Wafer (DPW) is a critical metric that determines the number of individual integrated circuits (dies) that can be produced from a single silicon wafer. Calculating this accurately is essential for cost estimation, capacity planning, and yield management.

The Calculation Methodology

A simple division of wafer area by die area is insufficient because wafers are circular while dies are rectangular. This leads to "edge loss" where partial dies cannot be used. Our calculator uses an industry-standard geometric approximation:

• Wafer Area: The total surface available on the silicon disk.
• Edge Exclusion: A narrow ring around the perimeter (usually 2-5mm) where manufacturing processes are unstable or where wafer handling tools grip the disk.
• Effective Area: The central portion of the wafer usable for printing dies.

Example Calculation

If you are using a 300mm wafer with a 3mm edge exclusion and a die size of 10mm x 10mm (100 mm²):

1. The total wafer area is approximately 70,685 mm².
2. The effective diameter becomes 294mm (300 – 6).
3. Using geometric adjustments for circular loss, the calculator estimates roughly 610 gross dies per wafer.

Why Does Wafer Size Matter?

Moving from 200mm to 300mm wafers more than doubles the available surface area (from ~31,415 mm² to ~70,685 mm²). Because the edge loss ratio decreases as the diameter increases, the Area Utilization efficiency typically improves, significantly lowering the cost per die in high-volume manufacturing.

Note: This calculator provides the Gross Die count. To find the Net Die (functional chips), you must multiply the result by your expected Fab Yield percentage (e.g., Gross Die × 0.90 for a 90% yield).