fabrication

Neodymium and dysprosium, for example, allow the fabrication of almost permanent, super-strong magnets that require little maintenance -- making viable the placement of ocean wind turbines to generate electricity far from the coastline.

It is less clear that China will be able to replicate the entire supply chain to create the most advanced semiconductors, which would require creating domestic versions of cutting-edge chip design and fabrication equipment.

The scientists say their technique is especially interesting for the fabrication of advanced 3D architectures that must be simultaneously strong, lightweight, and complex, like sensors, biomedical devices, or devices for energy conversion and storage.

To tell a story, writes Mr. Johnson, is to “fire it in the kiln of real life, resulting not in a fabrication, but a reality hard enough, sharp enough, to draw blood.”

Ultimately, he said Intel’s own execution around its fabrication plants “remains key to any sustainable turnaround.”