20 years of restarting life

Chapter 3668 So it all comes down to money
To be honest, Zhao Chang'an was a bit confused at this point. He had previously used some methods to greatly change Dr. Lin's life trajectory, hoping to take this idea for himself, and then expose the truth so that ASML would be amazed and beg him to invest and cooperate.

Only then did he realize that he had actually been misled by too much acting.

The refractive index of air is n~1, while the refractive index of water is n=1.44. By changing this medium, the wavelength can be compressed. This idea might not be immediately apparent to a group of people after hearing the MIT report, but a large group of world-class physics elites and countless technical elites in this industry around the world are paying attention to this matter. Replacing air with a fluid medium with a higher refractive index to compress the wavelength is something no one could have imagined.

Zhao Chang'an took a deep breath, somewhat speechless, and said to Xiao Yangming, "Getting stuck for a moment, that's really something!"

Then, still puzzled, he asked, "Since we have this direction, what's the point of arguing about it?"

"If you have a hundred nesting dolls in front of you, and each doll has a lock, but you only have ninety-nine keys, do you think it would be meaningful to try to open all the locks with the keys you have?"

Zhao Chang'an understood what Xiao Yangming meant.

ASML currently faces at least six paths: 157nm dry lithography, 157nm immersion lithography, 193nm immersion optical compression lithography, XPL, electron beam lithography, and ion projection lithography.

Every path seems worth exploring, but the problem is that everything ahead is dark, and no one knows which path will lead to success or which path is ultimately unsolvable with current technology.

To put it more practically, it's about money.

As long as you have unlimited ammunition, you can pursue six paths simultaneously without any problem. However, the financial requirements involved are something no fool would be willing to try.

So now, with limited funds, they are clamoring to choose only one path to take.

Having figured all this out, Zhao Chang'an felt a surge of energy. He realized that he had been trapped in a misconception, thinking that ASML was incredibly powerful, that everyone coveted it, that it was a world-class high-tech star company, and that it even controlled the progress of human technology in a short period of time.

As a result, he has always harbored deep-seated fear and apprehension towards this company. Only now, with RIM under his control, does he dare to come and discuss cooperation, attempting to gain a foothold.

However, if we look at it with a normal perspective now, ASML is actually a very ordinary lithography machine company. Before it officially acquired Silicon Valley Group last year, its only product on sale was the PAS5500.

Before the PAS5500 was launched in 89, ASML had a market share of only 6% in the global lithography machine market, ranking second to last in the world, through the PAS2000 and 2500.

Although the PAS5500 enabled it to turn the tide, before acquiring Silicon Valley Group, ASML, which claimed to be the third largest in the market, had an annual lithography machine sales revenue that was only half that of Canon, which ranked second.

It was only after acquiring Silicon Valley Group, which was then ranked fourth in the world, that ASML acquired the manufacturing capability of 193nm lithography machines, and its total sales capacity barely surpassed Canon, ranking second in the world.

If it weren't for supporting ASML, in terms of technology, patents, and holdings, Silicon Valley's R&D capabilities would definitely be greater than ASML's. It's just that American high-tech companies like Intel, Motorola, and AMD chose ASML because they needed the participation of European companies, since Japanese companies refused to participate.

In other words, the products currently manufactured by ASML's Dutch plant are still the continuously iterated PAS5500, and its research and cutting-edge manufacturing capabilities are still inferior to those of the SVG, which it acquired in North America.

Another issue here is that Zhao Chang'an has so many misconceptions because he is in the darkest corner of the world. For example, the problem of lithography machines that will plague China for some time to come is never a problem in countries like Europe, America, Japan, and South Korea.

No single country in the world has the capability to independently manufacture an EUV lithography machine. This requires the collaboration of leading companies in various specialized fields around the world, including nanometer-level chip manufacturing, wafers, photoresist, lenses, and even a small probe inside the machine. Any disruption to the entire chain can cause it to break down.

In that instant, Zhao Chang'an understood everything, and his mind cleared as if the clouds had parted and the sun was shining. He said to Xiao Yangming, "So, we haven't completely decided which direction to choose yet?"

Xiao Yangming said, "Actually, the choice has already been made, because whoever pays the money has the final say."

This statement is simply impeccable in its simplicity.

He also revealed the real answer: 193nm immersion lithography.

Because it's companies like Intel, Motorola, and AMD that are providing the funding, and they tend to favor this research and development direction.

Looking back from the future is also a correct direction.

However, it seems that Zhao Chang'an has nothing to do with this. The only way he can get involved is by throwing money at it, rather than relying on his brilliant ideas or brainstorming.

Fortunately, his assets have increased by more than 3 billion US dollars since last September, and he has established the North American headquarters of OneNano in Los Angeles, completely isolated from OneNano Pearl in China.

Even if you have money, it doesn't mean the other party will agree to let you join them for a meal, or that you have other value besides them.

The value of OneNano North America lies in the fact that, like Intel and other major EUV-LLC alliance investors, it is a North American company, and it also holds RIM, a cutting-edge global mobile communications high-tech company.

Otherwise, he really wouldn't be qualified to get this ticket.

"Since that's the case, why don't you continue arguing?"

With nothing else to do, Zhao Chang'an wanted to learn more, because knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory.

"Because these companies make a lot of noise, but when it comes to actually getting paid, they all wilted. Currently, they are only willing to put up $200 million to test the waters. And even with just $200 million, Intel, Motorola, and AMD are still arguing with each other. In the past two years, Motorola and AMD have been affected by the global internet winter and are not doing well, so they all want Intel to take the lion's share."

Two hundred million US dollars?

Zhao Chang'an clicked his tongue in amazement. He really wanted to immediately get a full set of gold dog chains and gold thumb rings, and then arrogantly tell ASML, "Stop arguing, all of you, and stand aside. I'll give you a billion dollars to test the waters first."

Of course, this enviable and amazing scene is just a thought. Just as ASML launched the world's first TWINSCAN AT:1150i immersion lithography machine in 03, Nikon and Canon also launched their 157nm light source dry lithography machines one after another.

The problem was that at that time, Intel and Motorola, AMD, along with Apple, Samsung, and TSMC, were all members of the EUV-LLC alliance, completely excluding Nikon and Canon's 157nm light source dry lithography machines from their procurement orders.

These two Japanese companies spent years, gathered a large number of high-tech talents, and invested billions of dollars, only to see their efforts go down the drain.

This battle severely damaged Nikon and Canon, turning them back into ASML and Silicon Valley Group, which were ranked third and fourth respectively back then. ASML was far ahead, while Nikon and Canon followed behind as two insignificant little subsidiaries.