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With High Conductivity and Corrosion Resistance, Ruthenium Emerges as the Successor to Copper in Chip Manufacturing. But It Has a Problem (And a Big One!): It Is Extremely Rare, Representing Just 0.0000002% of the Earth’s Crust. Will This Be the New Gold of Technology?
For a long time, copper has been the absolute king of semiconductors. It is present in almost all chips, ensuring that the connections between transistors work properly. But, like any royalty, it seems that its reign may be numbered with the arrival of ruthenium.
Ruthenium has everything it takes to replace copper, as it conducts electricity just as well and also has incredible corrosion resistance. There’s one catch, though: it is extremely rare. And that could complicate its large-scale adoption significantly.
The Crucial Role of Copper in the Semiconductor Industry
Copper was not chosen by chance. It is excellent for conducting electricity and heat, easy to shape, and also resists corrosion well. All of this made it one of the most important materials in semiconductor manufacturing.
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Copper has an annoying little 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, IBM discovered back in 1998 a way to coat copper connections, preventing it from messing up 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 who is catching the experts’ attention? Ruthenium.
Why Is Ruthenium Catching Attention as a Substitute for Copper?
Looking at the characteristics of ruthenium, it’s easy to see why it has become the darling of the industry. It is extremely conductive, resists corrosion like few metals, and is less affected by electromigration, the process that wears out chip materials over time.
The problem is that ruthenium is absurdly rare. To give you an idea, it represents only 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.
The main reserves are located in South Africa, Russia, Zimbabwe, Canada, and the USA. And if the demand for ruthenium increases, you can bet that major powers will start competing for every gram available.
The Technological War and the Search for New Materials
Speaking of disputes… It’s already clear that strategic materials are at the center of a fight between the USA 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 essential metal, really enters the game. The impact would be gigantic. With few reserves in the world, controlling this material could mean economic and technological advantage. If copper falls, ruthenium could become one of the most sought-after resources in the industry.
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