High Costs Now, Greater Affordability Ahead
Bypassing Earth’s limitations, space-based microfabrication is emerging to redefine semiconductor production. What offers the advantage despite challenges in materials and processes?
What if semiconductors were manufactured in outer space? This process, also known as microfabrication, involves creating miniature structures on the scale of micrometres or smaller. This technique is crucial for producing integrated circuits (ICs) at the heart of modern electronics.
But microfabrication on Earth has its own set of hurdles. Despite the abundance of raw materials, countries often struggle to establish their self-sufficiency in this field and seek outsourcing. Besides government aid, skilled labour, and competition in the industry, Earth’s gravity and environmental challenges persist.
In that case, what difference will space make? Initially, the cost of transporting raw materials to space will be high, making the process expensive. However, the aim is to improve the capabilities of these specialised sectors, ultimately driving costs down and making it more affordable in the long run. But how?
Manufacturing semiconductors in orbit offers significant potential, opening up opportunities across multiple industries. With its low gravity and vacuum environment, space provides a unique setting that could lead to the production of high-quality, ultra-efficient chips—levels of precision and quality that are simply unattainable on this earth. Given these advantages, it is not surprising that we may see many factories in space soon.
Space factories seem to be on the rise
This might sound like something straight out of a science fiction novel, but a British company is already planning to make it a reality. This year, Space Forge, a UK-based firm, eyes to launch small, washing machine-sized modules into low Earth orbit, approximately 500-800km above the surface, where gravity is weaker, but retrieval remains feasible. This environment could simplify the production of raw materials for semiconductor computer chips, benefiting manufacturing processes such as 3D printing.
Semiconductor production in space yields incredibly pure crystal structures. The space effectively allows the crystals to combine better with fewer pollutants. Higher crystal purity means the chips will produce less waste heat. This saves millions of rupees when operated. Further energy usage can be reduced by up to 60%.
Space Forge is exploring alternative materials, such as gallium nitride (GaN). The entire chip will not be made in space; only the raw material will be made. But how much feasible is this process?
Why space?
Present standard terrestrial fabrication techniques are difficult to adapt to the microgravity and vacuum environment of space, as they are optimised for the resources available on Earth—water, power, air pressure, and gravity. To address this, an alternative microfabrication process has been developed that utilises a vacuum environment, which can replace the wet processes typically used on Earth. This approach not only saves on equipment size and consumables but also reduces cycle times.
Research has shown that by developing new, dry processes that are compatible with a vacuum, it is both technically and economically feasible to fabricate semiconductor devices in orbit. This combined effort holds the potential to deliver commercial semiconductor structures. Space itself is considered an ideal environment for many semiconductor processes, such as semiconductor joining by atomic adhesion, fabrication of thin films of diamond and amorphous silicon alloys, CVD processes, production of super-minute grains, light element analysis through secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), and anti-proton generation using laser accelerators.
Advantages that unlock spaces’ potential
Environment friendliness! Manufacturing semiconductors in space will help reduce carbon emissions while producing high-quality chips, as the ultra-low ambient pressure in space—10 trillion times lower than on Earth—removes contamination issues and eliminates the need for multi-stage pumps. This technology also brings considerable cost savings to applications like 5G phone masts, radar systems, and electric car charging. For instance, many chips in 5G towers currently operate at just eight per cent efficiency, but replacing them with space-made chips could triple their performance. Additionally, the process allows for the growth of large-diameter crystals and the creation of nano-flat ribbon structures. With zero carbon emissions, no water use, and no toxic chemicals, space-based microfabrication holds exciting potential. Radiators facing the cold of space can also achieve temperatures near absolute zero, enabling ultra-fast curing without cryogenic processes.
Redefining technology
The applications of space-based semiconductor manufacturing are vast and include materials like GaN, GaN on diamond, gallium arsenide (GaAs), and silicon carbide (SiC). These technologies have significant potential for use in space-based microsensors, solar cells, and radiation detectors, among other advanced applications.
But the challenges…
However, there are several limitations too. The cost of sending equipment to orbit is substantial, making the initial investment high. Additionally, setting up and maintaining a manufacturing facility in space presents significant logistical challenges, requiring complex planning and resources. The harsh conditions of space, such as the lack of atmosphere and exposure to intense radiation, also pose risks to equipment, necessitating advanced safety measures and shielding to protect the technology.
Besides, significant complexities persist in semiconductor production, particularly in crystal growth, wafer processing, epitaxial growth, and circuit patterning. Furthermore, developing next-generation carbon composite materials, such as nanocarbon-infused metals and alloys, in low Earth orbit (LEO) using an electro-co-deposition method to improve the International Space Station’s (ISS) capabilities presents additional hurdles.
Final thoughts
The prospect of manufacturing chips in space represents a paradigm shift in the tech industry, with the potential to redefine the capabilities of electronic devices. Space Forge’s pioneering efforts in this field are poised to open new frontiers in semiconductor technology, offering unparalleled performance and reliability. As the technology continues to evolve, the impact of space-based chip manufacturing on various industries is expected to be transformative, ushering in a new era of innovation and progress.