The Evolution of Sustainability Research in the Semiconductor Industry: Trends, Knowledge Structures, and Future Research Directions

Unofficial AI-generated summary based on the public title and abstract. Not an official translation.

🔬研究者:Provides a structured overview of sustainability research in semiconductors, identifying key themes and gaps for future studies.

🏢実務担当者:Helps identify emerging sustainability topics (e.g., circular economy, renewable energy) that can inform corporate R&D and ESG strategies.

🏛政策担当者:Highlights the need for international collaboration and interdisciplinary research to support sustainable semiconductor manufacturing.

<title>Abstract</title> <p> <bold>Purpose</bold> – The semiconductor industry faces increasing pressure to balance technological advancement with environmental sustainability. This study aims to examine the evolution of sustainability research in the semiconductor industry and identify its intellectual, conceptual, and social knowledge structures. <bold>Design/methodology/approach</bold> – A bibliometric study was performed by using 734 publications indexed in Scopus during 2000–2026. BiblioShiny and VOSviewer were used for performance analysis and science mapping techniques like co-authorship analysis, co-citation analysis, citation analysis, and keyword analysis. <bold>Findings</bold> The results reveal a substantial growth in research output over the study period, with China, India, and the United States emerging as major contributors. Keyword and density analyses indicate that sustainability, semiconductor manufacturing, sustainable development, recycling, and environmental management constitute the core research themes. Co-authorship and co-citation analyses suggested need for international collaboration and interdisciplinary knowledge exchange. Furthermore, topics related to circular economy, supply chain management, renewable energy applications, and resource efficiency suggest promising directions for future sustainability research in the semiconductor industry. <bold>Research limitations/implications</bold> – The study is limited to Scopus-indexed publications and selected subject areas, which may exclude relevant studies from other databases. <bold>Practical implications</bold> – The findings provide valuable insights for researchers, industry practitioners, and policymakers by identifying key sustainability themes and emerging areas that can support sustainable transformation within the semiconductor industry. <bold>Originality/value</bold> – This study offers a comprehensive bibliometric overview of sustainability research in the semiconductor industry by integrating performance, social, intellectual, and conceptual structure analyses, thereby providing a foundation for future research and policy development. </p>

• Research Square https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-10295266/v1first seen 2026-07-13 04:37:08