Chapter 1093
If photolithography is seen as the second most difficult problem on modern integrated circuit devices, then absolutely no other technology dares to claim the first. What photolithography does is to project the shape of a photolithographic plate onto a photoresist of only a dozen nanometres or even more precision, thus replicating the circuit structure onto a silicon wafer, which, of course, Li Linfei has decided to replace with a tin wafer.
The chip process is what is commonly known as the planar printing process, which in layman's terms is the same as printing, which is why the chip is produced in large quantities, the larger the quantity the cheaper it is.
As interference and diffraction have a huge impact on the graphical projection, the requirements for light sources and lenses are extremely high, so it can be said that the photolithography machine is the most critical and difficult equipment in the semiconductor chip production process.
The unit price of a high-end lithography machine is already 100 million euros sky-high, but also have to queue to buy, and China is even queuing to spend money people still do not sell.
This is due to the restrictions of the old U.S.-led agreement on what tile what, high-end lithography machine basically will not be exported to the Chinese, can only buy ASML's low-end products, the price is even higher can not buy the most advanced.
For example, Intel, Samsung and TSMC were able to buy ASML 10nm lithography in 15 years, while China was only able to buy ASML 32nm lithography.
5 years for the semiconductor industry, has been enough to make the market update more than 3 times, plus Intel squeeze toothpaste do.
Until now, China can only buy 12nm lithography, while in fact the most advanced lithography has already reached the 5nm level, still three or even four generations behind.
ASML was supposed to deliver a 7nm EUV lithography machine in FY18, but a very unexpected fire spoiled the deal.
This year, it was going to be delivered, and now there is such a thing, I am afraid that this thing is to cool the rhythm, 7nm class lithography is not much fantasy.
In contrast, the best lithography manufacturer in China, Shanghai Microelectronics Equipment (SMEE) has already mass-produced lithography, the best performance process can only reach 90nm, equivalent to the level of the Pentium IV CPUs listed in 2004, while abroad, due to the emergence of PHC, Intel has already shelled out 5nm-class chips.
This gap is not a star and a half, and because of this, the domestic fabs need high-end lithography machine completely dependent on imports, but also have to look at the face of foreigners, good mood to give, bad mood to drag, very bad mood directly do not give, fragile friendship boat is really said to turn over to you.
This time, Microelectronics also joined the Semiconductor Industry Alliance to become a member of the CSAC system, if ASML's lithography level is a king level, then SMEE is a silver level, at best a gold level can not be higher.
In fact, Li Linfei's team, in addition to a few, such as Haise, dozens of others, basically belong to the paddling mix, just waiting for the gods to take the lie, and then take off.
The team is not good, for Li Linfei there is no better way, otherwise what else can be done.
The actual fact is that you can't get a lot of money from the company.
The team is not good at leading ah. It can be said that Li Linfei's team is only one king, plus three masters, two of them are also water masters, as for the rest are a group of gold and silver level.
It is no wonder that the outside world is not very optimistic when it comes to bringing such a team to PK ...... against a team of all kings.
But for having a BUG Li Linfei is not all bad, there are still good things, teammates are too dish, at least know they dish, will listen to the words of the great gods.
......
This side of the breeze to engage in research, the other side of the old U.S. on the strike.
Huaxin International headquarters, conference room.
"ASML has given a definite reply over there, the 7nm EUV lithography is out of the question, not only is this out of the question, we are about to face a total blockade."
"We have just concluded negotiations with the old US, and the other side demands that our company must withdraw from the future technology-led semiconductor industry alliance, otherwise all international cooperation will be interrupted and a total blockade will be imposed." A senior executive of Huaxin International said in a gruff voice.
The seven or eight executives in charge here were all gruff. The Americans were playing rogue without any disguise, blocking you if you didn't listen to him, blocking you if they said so.
And the reason is also very simple and brutal, the old U.S. held the future technology group with a reputation of injustice, follow the future technology group is tantamount to aiding and abetting the enemy, almost on this also means, also on such a reason to block you.
"The hand is too harsh, if the Americans really say what they mean, my company's business will fall at least 75%, it is sure to usher in a massive wave of layoffs, whether it can last 3 years is not easy to say."
"Chairman, how about retiring, the company is in a state of mind."
"The price of retiring is also heavy, the few patents are equal to giving up."
"What about other friendly companies?"
"Probably about the same, judging by the intensity of the reaction over there, they are determined to break up the team and most likely all face the same dilemma as we do."
"Is it really worth it for us to be buried along with Future Tech like this?"
"It's not that easy, if we back out now we won't be able to get in later, whether we choose to compromise or choose to go along with FutureTech, it could be a crossroads that will decide our fate."
"I think compromising the Americans will ironically be scorned in the future for not being able to lift their heads, but whichever side you choose you face a huge risk."
"What about Hayes?"
"Others may retreat, Hath is definitely not, this I dare to guarantee, behind Hath stands the behemoth of scratch for, also sanctioned and already has antibodies."
The executives at the meeting discussed fiercely with you and me, their opinions were never unified, on the one hand the threat of blocking by the old US, on the other hand the tempting promises of Li Linfei, but he did not have a 100% guarantee that the watermelon would ripen smoothly.
This is undoubtedly a dilemma.
Chapter 1094
At this point the boss of Huaxin International said to the executives in attendance, "Reply to the Americans, Huaxin International will not voluntarily withdraw from the system."
The crowd was stunned while the old boss continued, "The fact that the old US is so impatient to dismember this semiconductor club shows that they have really felt threatened and are in fear, and doesn't the opposite prove the future of this semiconductor alliance? Wouldn't retreating be a loss with the future?"
With the old president's saying so, the crowd basically knew. At this time, the old chief of Huaxin's mobile phone rang, and after picking up the phone, for a moment, he suddenly stood in shock: "What did you say? Are you sure? There's already a breakthrough so soon? Yes, yes, yes, yes! Great, got it!"
The executives present were slightly confused and looked at each other, but it must be good to see the old boss so uplifted.
After hanging up the phone, the boss of Huaxin International looked around the crowd with a ruthless face and said, "From now on, whoever dares to mention any words about wanting to hug the American's thighs and withdraw from the group in the future, I'll make him roll up and leave on the spot."
"Er ...... Chairman, what exactly is the good news?" One of the executives couldn't help but ask with an itchy heart.
At once, the old boss's ruthless face immediately broke into a smile and said, "Let's put it this way, we won't have to wait long, we'll soon have the backbone to turn the table on the Americans in the high-end integrated circuit field, ASML even if they ship their 7nm class lithography over now."
"I'd have to return them too expensive and too cheap to be behind, because, soon, we'll have our own domestically produced 5nm-class lithography, hahaha."
"What?" Everyone was stunned dumbfounded.
"Cover your mouths to death about this." The old boss said sternly, but the smile on his face could not be tucked away, this time he had really bet on the right thing, it could even be said that it was the most successful decision since the establishment of Huaxin International, and other semiconductor friends were probably the same.
"This time the Americans are going to get hit hard, having messed with a monster level opponent, haha. None of the other members of this system that the old US wants to turn against will be able to do so."
Indeed, when Old America was looking for Huaxin International to negotiate privately, other members of the semiconductor alliance such as Ziguang, Microelectronics and Changjiang Storage all went there, with the same conditions and threats, that stance was determined to break up this semiconductor team that Ye Hua had built.
The company's main goal is to provide the best possible service to its customers.
......
A week later, the SIA international conference was urgently held in California, and the world's semiconductor giants were not left behind, all present.
The old American local ones included familiar industry giants such as AMD, Intel, IBM, Nvidia, etc. International members included ARM, Infineon, SAMSUNG, SK-hynix (Hynix) ASML and so on for a total of 48 industry giants.
"Why? Can anyone say why? Why did they all sternly refuse and why did all those 76 Chinese IC manufacturers defy the threat of a total blockade? What makes them so united? And what gave them such courage?"
The president of the SIA Association broke the quiet atmosphere of the conference hall, but he did not speak in a loud tone, as there were bigwigs here.
The bigwigs in the room still remain silent, a week has passed, basically they have spoken privately to 76 companies that are members of Li Linfei's team, Li Linfei is the boss of Intel called over to talk, the result is well ...... broken up!
The other 75 companies that have close cooperation with the company sent the person in charge to talk, without exception, all the talks collapsed, all of them are oil and salt, talk to each other to talk to you, but when it comes to asking the Chinese side of the semiconductor company to withdraw from that ICT club system, no talk.
Hi Si is Qualcomm and Cisco have sent people to talk, the results are not unexpected, this old rival they know too well, naturally the talks collapsed, did not drive them out even if it is good.
But the other 75 companies all collapsed, which was totally unexpected, and they expected to dismember about a third of their alliance system.
As long as 15 of them withdrew, Li Linfei's team would be inherently flawed, and with subsequent pressure and promotion, he could basically kill the ICT industry club alliance in its cradle.
But now the situation is a family did not handle, of course, the old United States is furious, the key is also a little false, CSAC members of the more so determined to let them a time a little uncertain, the biggest variables and let them the most pinched uncertainty is Li Linfei and the future of technology group.
On the one hand, the semiconductor is one of the old U.S.'s best skills, the bottom of the box of technology, if you really want to be so easily by the Chinese breakthrough why do we need to today?
But on the other hand, the emergence of a Li Linfei and the future of technology group, his rise and to bring the world's shock is self-evident.
This led to the attitude of the United States on this matter is both confident and a bit false such a contradictory mentality, the Americans on their mastery of semiconductor technology confident is needless to say, but also not blindly confident, after all, Li Linfei's future technology group's scientific strength is not ignored, otherwise it is lying to themselves.
"Things have come to a head there is no turning back, absolutely cannot allow this new force of CSAC to challenge and threaten the community of interest that is ASIA, even though the Future Technology Group can bring huge profits to all of you here, in the long term interests this is drinking hemlock, give up the illusion of this biggest customer."
"Agreed!"
"Agreed!"
"Agreed!"
......
"Industry earthquake! The Semiconductor Industry Association of North America, SIA, regrets to announce that it has had to discontinue its cooperation with 76 of the most representative semiconductor companies in the country, as well as partners of the Future Technology Group, of which Delineate for Hesi is listed." --Today's Headlines
"Another round of massive blocking, immediately pinched off at the first hint, the IC business is on thin ice!" --SINA.com
"The old U.S. semiconductor industry accounts for 49.8% of the global market share; it is the fourth largest export of the old U.S., after aircraft, refined oil products and automobiles, with one-fifth of the industry's revenue invested in R&D and ICs being one of the most invested in of all industries." --The New Economy