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EPISODE · Nov 24, 2025 · 15 MIN

The Wire That Broke the Future: Inside the Hidden Crisis of Modern Chips

from The Deep Dive Lab: Unraveling Materials Science · host Son Hoang

For decades, faster transistors powered our technological world. But today, the biggest threat to computing isn’t the transistor—it’s the microscopic copper wires connecting them. In this episode, we explore the rise of RC delay, the collapse of copper at nanoscale, and the radical innovations—3D stacking, backside power delivery, and topological semimetals—that could save the future of computing.Source:“Addressing interconnect challenges for enhanced computing performance.” Science, 2024, Vol 386, Issue 6727.

For decades, faster transistors powered our technological world. But today, the biggest threat to computing isn’t the transistor—it’s the microscopic copper wires connecting them. In this episode, we explore the rise of RC delay, the collapse of copper at nanoscale, and the radical innovations—3D stacking, backside power delivery, and topological semimetals—that could save the future of computing.Source:“Addressing interconnect challenges for enhanced computing performance.” Science, 2024, Vol 386, Issue 6727.

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The Wire That Broke the Future: Inside the Hidden Crisis of Modern Chips

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This episode was published on November 24, 2025.

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For decades, faster transistors powered our technological world. But today, the biggest threat to computing isn’t the transistor—it’s the microscopic copper wires connecting them. In this episode, we explore the rise of RC delay, the collapse of...

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