Ask any PC enthusiast to make a list of all the materials that chip makers need to make the latest processors, GPUs, DRAM and flash modules, and you'll probably be given a pretty good breakdown of everything required. However, they might not expect helium to be so critical to it all, and it turns out that the current situation in the Middle East is likely to seriously impact the crucial supply of it.
This comes from Jukan on X, an analyst at Citrini, who has reported that major chip manufacturers, such as Samsung and SK hynix, are having to look at other ways of sourcing helium. This gas is used to flush out any other gases inside the wafer fabrication systems, and naturally, it needs to be extremely pure.
