Which phrase logically completes the passage below?
Answer:Over the past decade, several major semiconductor manufacturers transitioned from 28nm to 7nm lithography processes, expecting dramatic reductions in unit production costs. However, while 7nm chips offer superior power efficiency and transistor density, the capital expenditure required for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment and cleanroom upgrades increased exponentially rather than linearly with smaller node sizes. Consequently, unless a semiconductor manufacturer operates at an exceptionally high production volume capable of amortizing these massive upfront equipment investments, transitioning to 7nm lithography will 【result in higher per-unit costs overall than remaining on older fabrication nodes】.
Answer
The transition to 7nm lithography will result in higher per-unit production costs overall than remaining on older fabrication nodes.
The passage establishes that transitioning to 7nm lithography involves exponentially higher upfront capital costs. These high fixed costs must be amortized over a high volume of units to reduce average cost per unit. Therefore, without exceptionally high volume, the amortized fixed costs per unit will outweigh operational savings, resulting in higher per-unit costs compared to older nodes.
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Completing the Passage Logically