Maybe it’s about the stuff that’s added to the silicon.
Comment on Anon discovers magic and its uses
NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 2 months ago
What’s extremely rare about silicon?
00L10@feddit.org 2 months ago
topherclay@lemmy.world 2 months ago
“Extremely rare rocks” is not the same thing as “extremely rare minerals” and is definitely not the same thing as “extremely rare elements.”
AllHailZorglub@sh.itjust.works 2 months ago
Silicon itself is certainly not rare (even if the purification process is somewhat exigent on the feedstock), but modern chips uses a lot of rare-ish elements in their makeup (hafnium for mosfet gates, gold for chip/package connexion, etc…).
olosta@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Purity is a concern.
techspot.com/…/102377-two-mines-north-carolina-ke…
Thorry84@feddit.nl 2 months ago
But that’s more of an economic issue than it is a technical one. It’s possible to process the less pure stuff, but it’s cheaper to just get the good stuff to start with.