From a university student to a chief academician

Chapter 221 ASML's conspiracy

Xiaxin International, Lithography Research Institute!
To study carbon-based chips, Ye Fei's idea is to study the lithography machine first, which is the most important thing in the manufacture of chips.

Without a lithography machine, it is certainly impossible to manufacture chips.

There are more than 3000 researchers in the Lithography Research Institute. After knowing that Ye Fei led them to do research, they were very excited and motivated.

It seems that a lithography machine capable of producing high-quality chips can be developed tomorrow.

Who doesn't know what Ye Fei wants to study, and he hasn't failed yet.

Therefore, they are also full of confidence in Ye Fei for the research on lithography machines.

In the research of lithography machines, the theory must first be worked out, and then the applied research will be carried out.

Of course, due to Xia Guo's research on lithography machines for many years, great progress has been made.

Therefore, Ye Fei's team collected existing technologies and conducted research on them.

The study of lithography machines is called lithography.

Its core technologies are photoresist, contact and non-contact lithography technology, exposure system, lithography machine adjustment system and random error control.

meeting room!
Ye Fei sat in the first seat, and below were ten researchers, all of whom were team leaders and deputy team leaders.

Ye Feidao: "Now foreign countries will not sell photoresist to us, so we can only manufacture our own photoresist."

Photoresist, also known as photoresist, is the most important material in photolithography.

It is a light-sensitive mixed liquid composed of three main components: photosensitive resin, sensitizer and solvent.

The characteristics of the photoresist have a great influence on the performance of the photolithography machine, so it is very important to choose a suitable photoresist.

Ye Feidao: "Besides, we are researching carbon-based chips, so we need to manufacture a lithography machine suitable for carbon-based chips."

"So, for photoresist, we also need to develop a photoresist suitable for carbon-based chips."

"The photoresist research team, I want you to travel all over the world, and also to develop me a photoresist suitable for carbon-based chips. Are you confident?"

The two researchers stood up and said loudly, "Yes!"

The research on photoresist seems to be just a kind of glue, but the principles used in it are very complicated.

Knowledge of physics, chemistry, materials science, mechanical engineering and electronic engineering is required to develop photoresists.

Researching a chip is a very large project, and it is more difficult than an atomic bomb. It needs the strength of many people to develop it.

The research on photoresist alone will consume a lot of manpower, material resources and financial resources.

To travel all over the world to find a lot of materials, theories and techniques.

Only by digging talents from all over the world can it be possible to develop photoresists.

Ye Fei nodded and said, "Sit down!"

"Contact and non-contact photolithography requires the use of photoresists."

"So, contact group, you have to join forces with the photoresist group."

Contact lithography refers to the technology in which the photoresist is in contact with the mask and then irradiated with photolithography light.

The non-contact photolithography technology is to perform photolithography after the air or vacuum is separated between the photoresist and the mask.

"Yes, Dean!" The two researchers of the contact group stood up and said.

Ye Fei nodded and said, "Sit down!"

Ye Feidao: "I learned that Focuslight Technology developed a technology some time ago, which is very suitable for the exposure system."

"Light field homogenizer, light exposure system team, you can contact people from Focuslight Technology to see if we can cooperate in research."

"Yes, Dean!" The two leaders of the exposure team said.

"Photoresist, contact and non-contact lithography technology, and exposure system, these three researches are all centered on photoresist research."

"The most difficult thing about lithography machines is the error. Our country has studied lithography machines for so many years, and it is no longer difficult in theory and technology."

"I heard that there was once a college student in China who built a lithography machine in the university dormitory."

"Although the manufacturing accuracy of this lithography machine has not reached the level of high-level process technology."

"However, it can be seen from this that it is not a fantasy to manufacture lithography machines in our country."

"But the reason why our country can't make a lithography machine is because of the error."

When everyone heard this, they nodded in their hearts.

Indeed, the improvement of equipment and technology in the entire semiconductor industry chain is actually continuously reducing manufacturing errors.

Chips made by a good lithography machine and chips made by a bad lithography machine.

In appearance, the difference is not big.

However, upon careful observation, there are still some differences in their transistor arrangement.

It is these differences that make the quality of the chips vary greatly.

After all, a nanoscale chip, a chip the size of a fingernail, has tens of billions of transistors.

How to make these transistors complete and present according to the design on the chip design drawings.

This requires high-precision control of the manufacturing process.

Ye Feidao: "So, the adjustment system and random error control of the lithography machine are the most difficult part of the lithography machine, and it is also the core part."

"These two studies, I will join in and study together."

The two team leaders of the adjustment system team and the random error control team felt a little relieved when they heard this.

With Ye Fei joining in, I believe their research will be much easier.

"Let's adjourn the meeting, each go back to prepare and start researching."

After speaking, Ye Fei walked out of the meeting room.

"Dean Ye!" Ye Fei was about to enter his office when Qu Guangfu came from behind him.

Ye Fei turned to look at Qu Guangfu and asked, "Director Qu, what's the matter?"

With that said, Ye Fei pushed open the door of the office and said, "Let's go in and talk about something!"

"Good!" Qu Guangfu said.

After speaking, the two walked into the office.

After Qu Guangfu entered, he glanced at the office and said, "Dean Ye, are you satisfied with the office?"

The office area is relatively large, more than 50 square meters, and the decoration presents a simple style.

A desk, a bookshelf, a sofa, a coffee table, and a small tree in each corner.

Sunlight shines in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the windows in the office are clear and clean.

This office was renovated before Ye Fei came, and all the decorations were new.

The decoration style is also specially designed by Qu Guangfu after consulting some designers.

Qu Guangfu said: "If you feel dissatisfied, I will immediately ask someone to change it."

"No need!" Ye Fei quickly shook his head and said, "I'm very satisfied."

Ye Fei doesn't have high requirements for food and accommodation, as long as he can eat and live, and the office can be used.

After speaking, the two sat on the sofa, and Ye Fei asked his assistant to bring them tea.

Ye Fei asked, "Director Qu, what's the matter?"

Qu Guangfu said: "Because you joined our company to research chips."

"The higher-ups talked to me. At that time, they also talked with research institutes such as the Academy of Sciences and Mizuki University, and lithography equipment manufacturers such as Modu Microelectronics and Kyoto Guowang Photolithography."

"The higher authorities hope that they will assist us, and we can raise any difficulties we have."

Xiaxin International may not be regarded as a private company, but it is a private company controlled by a state-owned enterprise.

Therefore, strictly speaking, it is also considered half a state-owned enterprise.

"This time, the higher authorities are very determined to develop chips."

"They hope to develop the chip as soon as possible."

"After all, as the world's largest chip consumer, we can't always be chipless!"

Ye Fei nodded and said, "That's true, I will definitely develop the chip as soon as possible."

Qu Guangfu said: "Yesterday, ASML suddenly submitted a large amount of lithography machine technology to Xia Guo with more than 3000 lithography technology patents."

Ye Fei frowned slightly and said, "What are they doing?"

Of course, Ye Fei does not think that ASML is an act of good faith.

ASML is a Dutch lithography company and one of the world's largest semiconductor equipment manufacturers.

The world's best lithography machine technology is in the hands of ASML.

Qu Guangfu said with a smile: "Of course we want to use their technology when we develop lithography machines, so that they can also participate in our research."

"After all, the lithography machine is a very complicated and difficult research."

"It is impossible to completely localize, and some foreign lithography technology will definitely be used."

Ye Fei sneered and said, "They are talking nonsense."

"I'm still completely localized."

Ye Fei thought of complete localization at the beginning of his research on lithography machines.

If the things he has researched have foreign technology, then foreign countries can also enjoy it.

This is equivalent to giving benefits to foreign countries for free.

Qu Guangfu said: "Not only that, they are also planning to invest in some top chip manufacturing companies in my country to help them develop lithography machines."

"This can slow down your research considerably."

"After all, if you think about it, everyone wants to develop a high-end lithography machine."

"Then, they will focus more on themselves and not on helping other companies."

"In this way, when we study lithography machines, we go to other companies for help, and they will push back and forth."

Qu Guangfu shook his head and said with emotion: "These Westerners also learned from our ancestors."

"Cultivate the plank road brightly, cross the Chencang secretly!"

"However, they are plots and we cannot stop them."

Ye Fei sighed inwardly, feeling very helpless.

But Ye Fei can also understand, if Xia Guo really develops a high-end lithography machine.

Then ASML's high-end lithography machine can no longer be sold to Xia Guo, and it will be very difficult to do business with Xia Guo in the future.

Therefore, if you can stop Ye Fei from developing a lithography machine at this time, then you must stop it.

Qu Guangfu said: "But please don't worry, the higher authorities have already contacted many companies to help us in this situation."

Ye Fei nodded and said with a smile: "Even if ASML prevents it, it may cause us some difficulties, but we still have to develop our own lithography machine."

Qu Guangfu nodded and said: "That's right, no matter how many obstacles there are, we can't stop us from having a lithography machine that belongs to Xia Guo."

Netherlands, ASML headquarters, chairman's office!
The director of ASML said: "Sean, do you think it is useful for us to do this? Can it really stop Ye Fei from developing a lithography machine?"

Sean is the chairman of ASML.

Sean said: "I don't know if it will be useful, but there must be some obstacles."

"Don't forget, we submitted more than 3000 lithography machine patents to Xia Guo."

"Even if we can't stop Ye Fei from developing a lithography machine."

"But Ye Fei will definitely use our technology to develop a lithography machine."

"As long as our technology is used, then we can benefit from its lithography machine research."

Sean shook his head and smiled, "Whether Ye Fei develops a lithography machine or not, we can benefit from it."

"The inability to develop a lithography machine is the biggest benefit for ASML."

"The development of a lithography machine is also beneficial to ASML."

The director said worriedly: "What if Ye Fei is completely localized?"

Sean froze for a moment, then shook his head and laughed, "Do you think the lithography machine is as simple as making jack-o-lanterns?"

"It is more difficult to manufacture than an atomic bomb. How can it be completely localized?"

"Even ASML cannot be fully localized."

"In the face of lithography machines, no country in the world can achieve complete localization."

The director thought for a while. Indeed, a lithography machine is not a jack-o-lantern, and it is impossible to research it so easily.

There is no lithography machine developed by any country in the world that is completely localized.

Thinking of this, the director feels much relieved.

The director nodded and smiled: "Indeed!"

Sean said: "But we can't relax our vigilance. If Ye Fei develops quantum chips, then we will develop photonic chips."

Carbon-based chips are one of the core technologies for next-generation supercomputers.

A supercomputer is a quantum computer.

Therefore, carbon-based chips are also called quantum chips.

Photonic chips are generally used in mobile phones, and their performance is much stronger than that of 5nm silicon-based chips.

While carbon-based chips are generally used in computers, they can also be used in mobile phones.

However, it is mainly used on computers, and its performance on mobile phones is far inferior to that on computers, which is similar to that of photonic chips.

However, carbon-based chips are much more difficult than photonic chips.

Sean said: "Photonic chips have always been our main research field."

"If we can develop photonic chips, then even Ye Fei can develop quantum chips."

"We can also fight him in the mobile phone market."

"Maybe the quantum chip he developed is not as good as our photonic chip!"

The director's eyes brightened and said: "That's right!"

The director asked: "What progress has our photonic chip research made?"

Sean said: "It will be developed in half a year. I think our photonic chip has been developed, and Ye Fei's quantum chip has not been developed yet!"

Sean smiled and said: "Speaking of which, we may still have the upper hand."

"After all, quantum chips are not so easy to develop."

"By the time Ye Fei develops a quantum chip, our photonic chip has already taken the lead in the mobile phone market."

"Ye Fei's quantum chip wants to fight us, but it is already at a disadvantage."

The director smiled and said, "That's right!"

Sean shook his head and said regretfully: "Unfortunately, we can't mass-produce carbon nanotubes, otherwise we can also develop quantum chips."

"This is the core technology of quantum computers!"

"The future world must be the era of quantum computers."

"If Ye Fei develops a quantum chip, it will definitely kill the world in the future."

The director frowned and asked, "Beili has not yet developed a mass production method for carbon nanotubes?"

"No!" Sean shook his head and said, "The mass production method of carbon nanotubes is a worldwide problem, and only Ye Fei has developed it so far. I don't know when Beili will be able to develop the mass production method of carbon nanotubes! "

Bei Liguo, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Institute of Nanomaterials!

Boyi asked anxiously: "Lucas, when will you be able to develop a mass production method for carbon nanotubes?"

"The higher-ups are very anxious about this matter, and Ye Fei has started to develop carbon-based chips."

"If we don't have mass-manufacturing methods for carbon nanotubes, we don't have carbon-based chips, we can't develop carbon-based chips."

Lucas said helplessly: "What's the use of urging me, can the research be urged?"

Boyi was anxious and helpless, he found that since he met Ye Fei, everything was not going his way.

Ye Fei developed Web 3.0, and he dug V God to Beili Country, but he still hasn't developed Web 3.0.

After that, Ye Fei went to research and develop fullerenes, but discovered C72 fullerenes.

Then Ye Fei discovered high-purity graphene, which allowed Xia Guo to produce the highest-purity graphene in the world.

You know, in the past, the highest purity graphene in the world was in North Li country.

Then, Ye Fei developed a mass-manufacturing method for carbon nanotubes. Unexpectedly, it took only half a year for Ye Fei to successfully develop it.

After possessing high-purity graphene and carbon nanotube batch manufacturing method.

Ye Fei finally made his move on the chip.

Moreover, the research and development is still a carbon-based chip.

In all countries in the world, except for Xia, no country is qualified to develop carbon-based chips.

Boyi was in despair: "If Ye Fei is allowed to develop a carbon-based chip, the higher-ups will be furious, and I won't be able to sit in this position."

"Why did someone like Ye Fei appear in the Xia Congress?"

"And my country, Beili, is the world's strongest technological country and the strongest educational country."

"But no talent like Ye Fei has been cultivated."

"Boss!" At this time, a young man walked up to Boyi and said excitedly, "Kangxing Blockchain Research Institute just sent a message that their Web3.0 research and development has been successful."

(End of this chapter)