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With high conductivity and corrosion resistance, ruthenium is emerging as the successor to copper in chip manufacturing. But there is a problem (a big one!): it is extremely scarce, representing only 0,0000002% of the Earth's crust. Could this be the new gold of technology?
For a long time, copper was the absolute king of semiconductors. It's there, in practically every chip, ensuring that the connections between transistors work properly. But, like all royalty, it seems that its reign may be numbered with the arrival of ruthenium.
It has everything it needs to replace copper, as it conducts electricity just as well and also has incredible corrosion resistance. There's just one detail: it's extremely rare. And this can make it much more difficult to adopt on a large scale..
The crucial role of copper in the semiconductor industry
Copper was not chosen for nothing. It is excellent at conducting electricity and heat, is easy to shape and, to top it off, resists corrosion well. All of this has made it one of the most important materials in the manufacture of semiconductors.
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Copper has a nasty problem called diffusion in silicon. Basically, it can end up infiltrating where it shouldn't and compromising the functioning of the chips. To solve this, back in 1998, IBM found a way to coat the copper connections, preventing it from messing with the silicon structure. It worked so well that this solution is still used today.
But chips have become more complex, smaller and faster. And now the industry needs something even better. Guess what the experts are targeting? Ruthenium.
Why is ruthenium attracting attention as a substitute for copper?
Looking at the characteristics of ruthenium, you can even understand why it became the darling of the industry. It is extremely conductive, resists corrosion like few other metals and is also less susceptible to electromigration, the process that wears down chip materials over time.
The problem is that ruthenium is incredibly rare. To give you an idea, it only represents 0,0000002% of the Earth's crust. In other words, finding and extracting this metal in sufficient quantities to replace copper is not easy at all.
Its main reserves are in South Africa, Russia, Zimbabwe, Canada and the USA. And if demand for ruthenium increases, you can bet that the major powers will start to fight over every available gram.
Technological warfare and the search for new materials
Speaking of disputes… It’s clear that strategic materials are at the center of a dispute between the US and China. This is already happening with gallium, germanium and antimony, which have been used as bargaining chips in this trade war.
Now imagine if ruthenium, an even rarer and more essential metal, actually came into play. The impact would be gigantic. With few reserves in the world, controlling this material can mean economic and technological advantage. If copper falls, ruthenium could become one of the industry's most coveted resources.
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