STEP 1: The manufacture of chips involves building millions of transistors on a little square piece of silicon called a die. This die is so small that you can easily hold it on the end of your fingertip.

Silicon is used because it is a very good semiconductor conductor. It is extracted from sand and is then purified into ingots. The ingots are sliced into thin circular wafers which are 300 mm in diameter for the Fab 24 plant.

Staff work in an ultraclean environment that is 1,000 times cleaner than a hospital operating ward. They must wear gowns.