Riding the wind of rebirth

"Have you already obtained Professor Hu Zhengming's technology?" Hu Changfeng asked.

"We at AXA's Technology Intelligence Division have been closely monitoring Professor Hu and his technical expertise," Zhou Zhi said. "He was born in Beijing in 47, graduated from the Department of Electrical Engineering at National Taiwan University in 68, went to the University of California, Berkeley for further studies in 1969, and obtained his master's and doctoral degrees. After graduating with his doctorate in 73, he became an assistant professor at MIT. In 76, he returned to the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at UC Berkeley to teach."

"Professor Hu first came to the mainland in 1985. At the invitation of Academician Yan Dongsheng, Hu Zhengming and two other American scientists put forward important strategic advice to the national ministries and commissions on the development of microelectronics science and technology."

In 1990, Hu Zhengming established five graduate scholarships at Peking University and Tsinghua University and encouraged Chinese students studying abroad to return to China to develop the semiconductor industry. At the same time, he served as the chairman of the board of directors of the East Bay Chinese School in San Francisco. Together with his father, Mr. Hu Suhong, and his younger brother, Dr. Hu Zhengda, he established the Hu Family Scholarship Fund at Jintan No. 1 Middle School to reward outstanding high school graduates from poor families who aspire to attend university.

"Last year, Hu Zhengming's theory matured, and he founded Siwei Electronics Co., Ltd., where he also serves as chairman."

"Our group started paying attention to him technically in 95. At that time, he led the research on BSIM, which deduced a new mathematical model from the complex physics of actual MOSFET transistors." Zhou Zhi glanced at Mai Xiaomiao: "At Xiaomiao's reminder, we noticed that this mathematical model could become the standard for chip design and belonged to a completely new structure. Once it was proven to be reliable, we could use the physical mechanism of hot electron failure to develop a method to quickly predict device lifetime using impact ionization current, and propose a physical mechanism for thin oxide layer failure and a method to quickly predict thin oxide layer lifetime using high voltage."

“Based on these two methods, we can deduce and verify a variety of new structural devices,” Zhou Zhi said. “FinFET is just one of them.”

"One of them?" Hearing Zhou Zhi say this, Hu Changfeng was even more shocked than when he first heard that the fin field-effect transistor could theoretically be developed to a 5-nanometer process.

"Yes, there is also a forward-looking structure that evolved from FinFET, which we call the fully enclosed FET structure. Future chip designs using processes below 5 nanometers may require this technology to complete."

"How did you manage to handle him?" Hu Changfeng was extremely surprised.

“Because Professor Hu needs to verify his theory,” Zhou Zhi said with a smile. “But to complete this verification in the real world, it would require a huge investment to build a completely new production line. Design, lithography, and packaging would all require huge investments to upgrade and innovate before we could finally produce chips based on Professor Hu’s model structure to prove its correctness.”

"This investment is in the billions of dollars. Professor Hu contacted Microsoft, Intel, and IBM, but none of them were willing to make such a huge investment for a model whose outcome was unknown."

"So Clover has decided to invest?" Hu Changfeng asked.

"No, we don't have the guts to burn that much money," Zhou Zhi laughed. "But since it was Xiao Miao who reminded us of this plan, then we should let the one who tied the knot untie it!"

"That's it! A supercomputing matrix! Just like with a five-axis nonlinear CNC machine tool, we can use Xiao Zhi to create one for him in the virtual world!" Hu Changfeng slapped his thigh: "Isn't that right?!"

“Haha, you can’t hide it from Professor Hu, that’s right,” Zhou Zhi laughed. “Xiao Miao contacted Professor Hu and told him that we can use supercomputing power to achieve computer numerical simulation of IC reliability based on the physical reliability of the device, and build a complex simulation system that can be connected to mathematical models and EDA, so as to simulate and verify the physical characteristics of the new model structure of the VLSI in Xiao Zhi’s supercomputing core.”

"Does he know about Xiao Zhi?" Hu Changfeng asked quickly. "He doesn't know yet. We provide a computing black box, just like the fluid cavitation simulation at the Ship Power Research Institute. He runs the model in the black box," Zhou Zhi said. "Professor Hu provides the model and only cares about the calculation results. He doesn't know that the results were calculated by Xiao Zhi."

"That's why he also believes that we have spent a lot of time and effort on his mathematical model, and that we should have used at least the resources of Galaxy-3 or Dawn 2000, which has not yet been officially announced to the public. He expressed his deepest gratitude for our support."

"The result of expressing gratitude is..." Hu Changfeng asked tentatively.

"The result is that the simulation tool proved the effectiveness of computer numerical simulation of IC reliability, thus proving the effectiveness of the physical mechanism of hot electron failure, further proving the effectiveness of the method of rapidly predicting device lifetime using impact ionization current, and the effectiveness of the physical mechanism of thin oxide layer failure and the method of rapidly predicting thin oxide layer lifetime using high voltage."

"Most encouragingly, Xiaozhi not only proved the effectiveness of the fin field-effect transistor's technical implementation route through nonlinear calculations, but also optimized Professor Hu's initial fin semiconductor channel structure into a forked 3D gate architecture that wraps around the channel structure. He even calculated that the next technical direction should be the all-around gate direction."

"Xiao Zhi... calculate the next technological roadmap for the industry?" Hu Changfeng was at a loss for words to describe Zhou Zhi's incredible expression.

"Yes, that's why Professor Hu believes this technology is not his contribution alone, and therefore agreed to co-hold the fin field-effect transistor technology patent with us, Clover."

"We are now preparing to organize a transistor model council, with the participation of 38 major international companies, under the name of AXA Fund, to review the chip design. This is very likely to become the first international standard for VLSI chip design!"

"We have extended another invitation to him, inviting him to conduct collaborative research and give academic lectures at universities such as the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, the Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Fudan University, and Zhejiang University. The next step will be to assist in promoting the holding of many international conferences in China."

"Good!" Hu Changfeng exclaimed, "You've accomplished so much ahead of time, and now you know exactly how to implement the national strategy of listing the electronics and information industry as a pillar industry! This is a grand strategy! Hahahaha..."

"Mr. Hu, does the government intend to transfer you back to a ministry?" Zhou Zhi asked tentatively.

"That's not necessarily true." Hu Changfeng waved his hand. "Even without me, Zhang the butcher, the country can still eat this hairy pig. You have to trust the competence of our ministry!"

“I was really confident before that I could still do a good job after returning to the ministry,” Hu Changfeng said. “But after listening to all this, I’m a little hesitant now.”

"I have even more confidence in the country's development of this industry, but I'm a little apprehensive about my own abilities and skills," Hu Changfeng said with a smile. "The information industry's technology iterates and upgrades too quickly, requiring continuous investment and learning."

"People are like this, and so are industries. This industry needs continuous and huge profits and continuous and huge investments. Once there is technological stagnation, it will be immediately abandoned by the times. It's tough..." (End of this chapter)