Reinventing the Millennium

On the second day of March, it rained lightly in Shanghai.

The atmosphere of the Spring Festival is still there, the Lantern Festival has not yet arrived, the temperature is only four or five degrees at night, and there is a cold wind and drizzle hitting the face, which will inevitably make people feel chilly.

But Zhang Rujing didn't feel this way at all. He hurriedly walked from one conference room to another. What was going on in his mind was the current situation, including the problems faced by the industry environment and the practical problems he encountered in front of him. .

boom!

The door was pushed open, and the cold air flowed into the office, making everyone frown unconsciously.

Zhang Rujing strode in and asked in a hoarse voice: "How is it going? How is the discussion going now?"

No one answered, only secondhand smoke filled the air again.

Zhang Rujing didn't sit down at the desk when he arrived. He pressed the desk with one hand and leaned forward and said again: "I'm not asking you to do EUV photoresist, nor am I asking you to finish ArF immediately. Do it while building it. That's it. Difficult?"

He came to Shanghai this time mainly for the research and development of ArF photoresist. Just like the large silicon wafers he previously worked on in Qindao, high-end photoresist is also a relatively lacking part in China.

Although this has not yet been affected, ice core is on the list, and more stringent measures are likely to be added in the future.

Core Materials Company is a technology research company jointly established by Big Fund, Ice Core, Nanda Optoelectronics, Jingrui Electric Materials and other companies. Its main goal is to achieve a breakthrough in ArF photoresist.

However, anything that needs to be broken through is difficult. ArF photoresist is the most high-end precision chemical material before the EVU solution has been commercialized. Domestic manufacturers in this area currently have little sign of success.

Core Materials was established in 2012, and it took a lot of effort at that time. The companies in this link have a competitive relationship, and there is a problem of profit distribution in joint research and development.

Zhang Rujing asked about the relevant situation before coming here, and learned from the secretary-general in charge of the wafer manufacturing alliance that Bingxin's attitude was a little tough at that time to promote this cooperation.

Bingxin has considerable dominance in the mainland semiconductor industry. This is not only its own technical level, but also the help of the wafer manufacturing alliance after the financial crisis.

Regardless of Nanda Optoelectronics or Jingrui Electric Materials, they cannot bypass ice cores in the mainland.

In addition, Mr. Fang carried out a de facto partial "One Qi Lianzhi" integration in July 2011, and Bingxin plus SMIC are unavoidable existences for mainland semiconductor companies.

Based on this situation, the "core material" was born.

From 2012 to now in 2015, Core Materials has focused on the research of ArF photoresist. The progress is pretty good. Small-scale experiments have been conducted many times. The adjusted formula ratio has also significantly improved the photochemical reaction performance. .

However, this improvement has not yet reached the ideal state. When it goes out of the laboratory and expands to pilot scale, problems will arise in the evaluation of the industrial adaptability of the process.

This makes it impossible to move forward in a big way. Moreover, there are many hurdles behind. To conduct long-term storage stability and batch-to-batch consistency testing, and to verify wafer factory compatibility, photoresist must be ensured. To seamlessly integrate with the ice core production process, a large number of repeatability and reliability tests are required.

In the end, a stable production process must be established to ensure consistent photoresist performance for each batch of large-scale production.

“Core is on the right track.”

This is the evaluation from the Wafer Manufacturing Alliance.

Unfortunately, the current situation is a bit urgent.

The pressure of Aramco's strict selection has been exerted, and follow-up additional measures are also vaguely visible. In view of this situation, Bingxin hopes that "Core Materials" can invest in and build the factory first. As long as ArF produces results, it will be fine if the initial cost is higher. .

However, companies involved in R\u0026D such as Nanda Optoelectronics and Jingrui Electrical Materials are reluctant to agree to such rash advances.

"Mr. Zhang, the conclusion of our last test has come out. The existing process is not suitable for large-scale production. The most important thing now is to find out the problem and see how to finely adjust the proportion of each component in the formula, otherwise it will not be able to remain the same. The chemical properties and photolithographic properties... At this time, we can’t talk about whether to build a factory or not..." Li Yalei, the R\u0026D team leader of NTU Optoelectronics' core materials, said hesitantly, "It's not appropriate."

Zhang Rujing frowned and heard the voice of Wu Yanjie, the head of another company, Jingrui Electrical Materials, before he could refute.

"Yes, Mr. Zhang, ours is not suitable for big things and fast things. There are always unknowns in the subsequent verification process. I understand Bingxin's eagerness, but it can't rush this matter!" Wu Yanjie said earnestly.

Zhang Rujing heard what these two people said and saw that other people in the office were silent. He said slowly: "Building the factory will not delay you in finding problems and adjusting the formula. You are doing what you are doing. Now it is a joint venture to build the factory, two lines. "

Seeing the old man's stubbornness, Wu Yanjie said helplessly: "Mr. Zhang, this is not your SMIC. You can't make it big and fast. If you can't make suitable products, the factory won't be profitable. You have a lot of money, but we can't."

SMIC developed very fast back then and developed a strategy of expanding its presence in multiple locations. Later, after losing the lawsuit with Taiwanese journalists and encountering the financial crisis, it had to cut back its operations.

Zhang Rujing was not angry and said patiently: "The situation is different. We have been working on core materials for more than two years. The Wafer Manufacturing Alliance helped find resources, and Ice Core and big funds followed suit. We could do it slowly at that time, but not now." You know when you will get tripped up, not just you, but other alternative companies as well. I know how you feel, and I also know that your respective companies have their own ideas, but I still have to say that the situation is different. "

Wu Yanjie said nothing. The ArF currently being developed is mainly needed for ice cores. His main business is making g-line and i-line photoresists. Although ArF is advanced, he must do well in his own business before he can continue to look forward to the future.

Seeing that no one expressed his position, Zhang Rujing said slowly again: "If no one agrees with the idea of ​​building factories in parallel, it probably means that joint research and development like 'core material' won't work. I'm not forcing you. If it doesn't work, I will go back to Lu tomorrow." If the state is restored, this must be done by Bingxin itself. I don’t believe it. They have already developed 16nm and are number one in the world. They can’t handle this material!”

He couldn't help but get angry as he spoke.

"Hey, hey, Mr. Zhang, sit down, sit down, let's study together." Li Yalei from Nanda Optoelectronics heard Mr. Zhang's statement and advised him, "Mr. Zhang, that's not what I meant anyway, I just think You don’t have to be so anxious, it may not be useful to be anxious. Even if Ice Core buys back the ‘core material’, can it make everything? This is still a matter for everyone to do together.”

"Whatever Ice Core can do, it will do. If it can do one, then make one." Zhang Rujing said with a cold face, "If it doesn't work, don't join, just change to direct operation."

Li Yalei rolled his eyes, this statement was quite vivid.

He gave a slightly stronger statement: "Mr. Zhang, I will call again now and talk to the company about this matter. Where to build it, how to build it, how to divide R\u0026D and production...it's all a matter."

There was a burst of cheers in the office, it was all about something, it was all about something.

Zhang Rujing acquiesced to this attitude, which was correct to a certain extent.

However, when he ended the discussion in the office and called Mr. Fang, he was still inevitably disappointed: "Here at Core Materials... everyone has their own little ideas! It's almost as if Bingxin was on the list, wasn't it? They’re on the list!”

"Hey, Mr. Zhang, look at you, you are trying to catch a gentleman." Fang Zhuo was not angry at what he reported, but smiled, "Before your call, I received calls from many manufacturers. Tell me that we will advance and retreat together with Bingxin this time.”

Zhang Rujing immediately asked: "Who is there?"

Fang Zhuo named several manufacturers and then said with a smile: "They are very excited. This is an opportunity. The ice core is limited, so the spare tire must be turned into a regular one. There are many opportunities for everyone."

Zhang Rujing sighed after hearing such words: "You are not much better, and you are not a gentleman."