Constructing a semiconductor chip
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The devastating impact of Hurricane Helene, the deadliest hurricane to hit the US since Katrina, has brought to light potential disruptions in the tech industry. The destruction caused by the storm threatens the supply chain of a North Carolina mining town, essential for manufacturing the chips used in smartphones and data centers globally.
Spruce Pine, a key mining town, is among the many communities affected by Hurricane Helene, which unleashed havoc across states, leaving over 200 dead and displacing thousands. The storm made its way inland from Florida, causing extensive flooding in areas such as the Blue Ridge mountains where Spruce Pine’s quartz mines are situated.
The critical role of high-purity quartz, essential for making fused-quartz crucibles used in chip manufacturing, has come into focus due to the hurricane’s impact. The process involves withstanding extreme temperatures to melt silicon and create silicon wafers, vital for modern computer chips.
While the hurricane has disrupted quartz mining operations in Spruce Pine, major semiconductor manufacturers have assured minimal disruptions to their operations. Companies are exploring alternative sources of high-purity quartz to avoid any supply shortages in the industry.
Vocabulary List:
- Disruption /dɪsˈrʌpʃən/ (noun): A disturbance that interrupts an event activity or process.
- Manufacturing /ˌmæn.jəˈfæk.tʃər.ɪŋ/ (noun): The process of making products especially with machinery.
- Critical /ˈkrɪt.ɪ.kəl/ (adjective): Of great importance or significance.
- Essential /ɪˈsenʃəl/ (adjective): Absolutely necessary; extremely important.
- Displacing /dɪsˈpleɪsɪŋ/ (verb): Causing someone to be removed from their usual position or location.
- Quartz /kwɔːrts/ (noun): A hard crystalline mineral composed of silicon and oxygen atoms used in various industrial applications.
How much do you know?
What is the devastating impact mentioned in the article?
Where is Spruce Pine located?
What material is essential for making fused-quartz crucibles mentioned in the article?
What is the role of high-purity quartz in chip manufacturing?
What are companies doing to avoid supply shortages of high-purity quartz?
Which major semiconductor manufacturing companies are mentioned in the article?
Hurricane Helene is the deadliest hurricane in US history.
Spruce Pine is located in Florida.
The hurricane caused minimal disruptions to semiconductor operations.
High-purity quartz is used for cooling computer chips.
Major semiconductor manufacturers are not concerned about supply shortages of high-purity quartz.
The hurricane impacted only a few communities in the affected states.
Hurricane Helene caused over deaths.
Fused-quartz crucibles are used in chip manufacturing for extreme temperatures.
The hurricane disrupted quartz mining operations in Spruce Pine, a key mining town in .
Companies are exploring alternative sources of high-purity quartz to avoid any supply shortages in the .
Hurricane Helene made its way inland from .
The process of making silicon wafers involves melting silicon at temperatures.