# The Helium Beneath the Photoresist Crunch

- slug: the-helium-beneath-the-photoresist-crunch
- date: 2026-04-24
- category: Space & Aerospace

Ras Laffan attacks knocked offline 30pct of global semiconductor helium supply. Repairs: 3-5 years. Helium cools EUV optics that print advanced chips; TSMC fabs consume 500k cubic feet/year. Photoresist shortages ease when Hormuz reopens. The helium constraint does not.

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