1991 Starting from the core

Zheng Zhenchuan's eyes flashed a few times.

After spending so long with Yuanxin's team, if he still couldn't figure out Yuanxin's ambitions and Su Yuanshan's vision, then his decades of life would have been in vain.

Obviously, Su Yuanshan was thinking and sighing just now, naturally he was dissatisfied with the current model and future expectations.

But Zheng Zhenchuan also knew that Su Yuanshan was enthusiastic and even persistent about the localization of lithography machines - at least the localization of technology - otherwise he would not have rushed over immediately after hearing that the lithography machines were successfully installed. Huajing's engineers were invited over with just one phone call.

After pondering for a long time, Zheng Zhenchuan looked at Su Yuanshan: "Xiao Su, please tell me your predictions for the lithography machine market."

Su Yuanshan nodded, stared at Zheng Zhenchuan and said: "In the 1960s and 1970s, Fairchild and IBM were able to develop contact lithography equipment by tinkering, and it has only been twenty or thirty years since then. During this period, contact lithography equipment Lithography machines have been eliminated, and technology continues to innovate and become more complex. In the past few years, established lithography machine companies such as GCA and Ultratech have withdrawn from the market, and Nikon and Canon have emerged because of their mastery of lens technology."

"But in the long run, I'm not optimistic about either of them."

"Why?" It was Li Mingliu who asked.

"Because they are a national company, because they were abandoned by their father, and because the closer they are to the high end, the more they will segment the industry." Su Yuanshan glanced at Li Mingliu and said softly.

"From the perspective of the semiconductor industry, photolithography machines are only a part of the chip production line, which seems to be segmented enough. But we can foresee that in the future, photolithography opportunities will become more and more complex and sophisticated, and will increasingly restrict high-end chips. Therefore, it will definitely be divided into two areas: parts and technology.”

Su Yuanshan paused and tried to explain the importance of "integrated technology" by bypassing the later EUV alliance.

“The photolithography machine technology we are talking about now includes parts manufacturing on the one hand, and component integration on the other. In the context of simple machinery, we have a perception that as long as it is a machine, it can be disassembled. Copy and restore. If you can’t, then the parts are not up to standard.”

"We can't say that this perception is wrong now, but as the mechanical structure becomes more and more complex, especially after adding anti-disassembly technology? Even if it can be disassembled and reassembled, how long will it take to assemble it? Can it be put into the market after it is assembled? ? Are you afraid that others will sue you? - We are now actively applying to join the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade."

Zheng Zhenchuan stared at Su Yuanshan and said: "So in the new report, our goal is to research complete equipment with independent intellectual property rights based on existing technology accumulation."

"Yes, independent intellectual property rights are important. But... now we have to rely on special methods to obtain certain core parts. Uncle Zheng, have you considered this?"

Zheng Zhenchuan fell silent.

Su Yuanshan sighed again: "I remember saying before that the most advanced lithography machines in the future must be made by Wanguo - you see, there are no lithography machine manufacturers in the Star Flag Country. But they don't care, because they can Buy it.”

Zheng Zhenchuan looked at him: "You mean, it's impossible just by relying on our Institute of Optics and Mechanics and the telecore?"

"If we continue to cooperate in the current form, the best result is that because we cannot obtain parts from 'IWC', we can only create products that are one or two generations behind. Under the winner-take-all rule, To fall behind means to be cannon fodder.”

At this time, Xi Xiaoding asked: "What's the solution?"

Su Yuanshan looked back at Xi Xiaoding and said with a half-smile: "The simplest way is to go to Xiangjiang and use the advantages of the Xiangjiang Free Port to obtain the necessary parts and components and complete the technical upgrade at the same time."

Today's Xiangjiang is far less cowardly than that of later generations. As early as 8 years ago, the Fourth Ministry of Machinery, the Seventh Ministry of Machinery, and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation had already "lurked" into Xiangjiang, saving the country through curves, and established Huake, Xinghua, and Xianke. These were the most advanced fabs in the country at the time.

Su Yuanshan thought of Lin Benjian, who started his own business in Silicon Valley just this year - he would not return to Semiconductor Manufacturing Company until eight years later, and then proposed immersion technology and cooperated with ASML to break through the immersion lithography with a wavelength of 193 nanometers. Since then, Nikon and Canon have been defeated. .

At that time, ASML had no choice but to choose the Stud immersion lithography machine, and then made a comeback. Semiconductor Manufacturing Company is also the first to break through the 130nm process, directly leaving UMC behind.

Of course, in the long run, Nikon and Canon's defeat is also doomed, because from the beginning of the two semiconductor agreements to the EUV alliance abandoning Niguo, we know that the United States has abandoned them.

This is true for Nikon and Canon, not to mention domestic photolithography machines.

But now with Su Yuanshan, he knows the future development direction. He knows that immersion technology is the only way to go, he also knows that EUV is related to the future, and he also knows about FinFET - this is one of the reasons why he chose applied physics.

After Su Yuanshan finished speaking, Zheng Zhenchuan smiled helplessly: "Is there anything more difficult? You can't get through just the confidentiality issue."

It was easy to talk about Xiangjiang before, but as 91 approaches, all kinds of spies are everywhere. As a secret-related unit, the Institute of Optics and Mechanics is impossible to think about.

Su Yuanshan smiled: "The difficult thing is easy to say, which is the comprehensive upgrade of the entire domestic industrial system, from raw materials to parts, from light sources to lenses, from bearings to motors, all to catch up with the international advanced level."

There was a long silence in the conference room.

This is no longer a question of whether it is difficult, but a question of whether you dare to think about it.

Even the most confident and optimistic people would not think that this is a task that can be achieved in the short term.

The conference room fell into a brief silence.

Bang!

Li Mingliu lightly hammered the table and said angrily: "Then what a fool we are!"

"That's the problem. Even if we can only make a mess, we have to keep doing it."

Su Yuanshan looked at Zheng Zhenchuan calmly: "Uncle Zheng, my determination to support the localization of lithography machine technology will not change. So, please persist. If possible, your team can even station in Yuanxin Technology Park, we We will invest nearly 500 million in scientific research next year."

"At the same time, this photolithography machine can also enter Yuanxin's clean room to carry out scientific research tasks. Of course, when the results are divided, Yuanxin will definitely strive to maximize benefits." Su Yuanshan paused as he said: "This This is the path we are currently taking, targeting the secondary market and abandoning the high-end market.”

But there was one thing Su Yuanshan didn't say.

That is, Yuanxin will rely on its cooperation with Chengguang Institute to develop the immersion technology in advance and then authorize it to all photolithography machine companies. At the same time, money is poured into a certain area of ​​the lithography machine, such as the light source, no matter the cost.

Since the future of lithography machines must be made by IWC, China will abandon the high-end complete machine market and become a technology provider like Star Flag.

At that time, if the opponent really wants to lift a big stick, the country will not be unable to lift a stick.