Reborn since 1993

Chapter 1077 Those who wish take the bait

For Dongxin's lithography machine department, it still needs to wait for the opportunity, as long as it survives, it is enough.

Li Dongling did not expect that it could surpass Nikon, Canon, ASML and the like immediately. The more Dongxin jumped around, the more America would notice it.

Now that America is cleaning up Japan's semiconductor industry, what Dongxin Lithography Machine needs to do is to build high walls, store up food, and slowly become the king!
As long as we take advantage of the fierce battle between America and Nippon Semiconductor and the entire lithography machine manufacturer is stuck at the 193-nanometer level, we can just focus on development!
Dongxin's current lithography machines are two generations behind Nikon and Canon's 193-nanometer lithography machines, but there is still time for Dongxin.

"The lithography department is stepping up the development of the second-generation 365-nanometer lithography machine.

Dongxin No. 1 should reduce the cost as soon as possible and start marketing it!"

Li Dongling said to Zhou Shi that he did not make any special demands on the Dongxin lithography machine department, but just let Zhou Shi lead the lithography machine R&D team to focus on research and development.

After finishing speaking, Li Dongling looked around at the executives of Dongxin Semiconductor in the conference room, and then asked Tan Minghua, "Manager Tan, what is the current status of Dongling Hi-Tech's mobile phone project chip?"

This year, Dongling Hi-Tech and its subsidiaries will release a total of four new products. In addition to the Feiyan MP3 that has already been released, there are also the second-generation Shenzhou computer, Shenzhou all-in-one computer, and the GSM mobile phone project that will allow Dongling Hi-Tech to return to the mobile phone industry!

It is difficult to say which of these projects is more important to Dongling Hi-Tech, but the mobile phone project is the top priority!
Similarly, the chips for the mobile phone project are also developed by Doxin Semiconductor.

When asked by Li Dongling, Tan Minghua immediately sat up straight.

Tan Minghua, who is in his thirties this year, is from the same school as Li Dongling. He is also a graduate student of Wuhan Jiaotong University and a disciple of Liu Youguo.

When he was a graduate student at Wuhan Jiaotong University, Tan Minghua followed Liu Youguo to join the Wuhan-Xi'an Joint Laboratory, so he can be said to be a "pure" member of the team.

After graduating from Hanxi Jiaotong University, Tan Minghua naturally joined Dongling Hi-Tech, which is a common thing in the Hanxi Joint Laboratory.

It's not just Tan Minghua. People from Hanxi University of Technology and Harbin Institute of Technology have joined the Hanxi Joint Laboratory and cooperated with Dongling Hi-Tech. As long as one has the ability, choosing to join Dongling Hi-Tech is just a change of identity.

This is also another function of the Hanxi Joint Laboratory, helping Dongling Hi-Tech to screen talents!
Ni Guangnan and Huang Lingyi led a team to develop computer chips, and the task of developing mobile phone chips fell on Tan Minghua.

"For the mobile phone project chips, Dongxin is currently jointly developing them with the communications technology team led by Luo Zheng, manager of Dongling High-Tech's technical department.

The chip developed for Dongling Hi-Tech mobile phones is a baseband mobile phone chip using a 350-nanometer process.

At present, the application processor, microcontroller, power manager, memory chip, etc. have been initially developed, and the external RF transceiver, the key is the baseband processor, which has encountered some problems! "

Tan Minghua reported to Li Dongling that when he was in the joint laboratory, he was actually managing the team on behalf of Liu Youguo, so he has been able to handle the mobile phone chip project with ease.

But what worries Tan Minghua is the baseband processor. If he only develops mobile phone chips, Tan Minghua would already have some ideas.

Although both are 350-nanometer processes, today's mobile phone chip processes are much easier than computer chip processes because their uses are different.

The main task of mobile phone chips now is to make calls and meet some functional requirements of the 2G era. They can receive emails, surf the Internet, play some mobile games, etc. The functions are much less than those of computers, so the requirements for mobile phone chips are naturally low.

This actually allowed Tan Minghua's mobile phone chip research and development team to progress much faster than Ni Guangnan and Huang Lingyi.

But what bothered Tan Minghua was that the mobile phone chip was stuck at the baseband processor, which made Tan Minghua feel overwhelmed.

If it is not a baseband chip, but a separate mobile phone chip, then Tan Minghua may be able to announce in a month or two that he has developed the first domestically-made mobile phone chip.

But what Li Dongling asked for was a baseband chip, which made Tan Minghua a little embarrassed, not to mention that there was no such chip in China.

Even overseas, only Qualcomm is currently playing this game. Texas Instruments, the world's leading mobile phone chip company, is using Infineon's baseband.

Today’s mainstream chip manufacturers all offer chips plus external basebands, which are not technically difficult. After all, they can be used as is, so why go through so much effort? The cost is high and there is no benefit.

"In the current mobile phone chip industry, Qualcomm is the only company that produces baseband chips, while the rest, including Texas Instruments, produce external baseband chips.

It is indeed technically difficult for Dongxin to develop mobile phone baseband chips, and the cost is too high. Even if it is developed and mass-produced, the cost of mobile phone chips is estimated to be higher than that of Texas Instruments!"

Tan Minghua also told Li Dongling the truth.

“No matter how much it costs, the baseband chip must be developed!”

Li Dongling moved his finger and spoke to Tan Minghua.

The cost of developing a baseband integrated chip is high now, but at least there is still a chance to develop it. In a few years, when Qualcomm builds a patent wall, there will be no chance to develop it! Texas Instruments, the dominant player in mobile phones, was defeated by Qualcomm, which gave away chips with the purchase of basebands, and withdrew from the mobile phone chip market.

Apple spent a lot of money on developing baseband chips, but in the end it was still unsuccessful. At that time, even if it had money, it couldn't do this.

"If necessary, for the mobile phone baseband chip project, we can invite the technical teams of ZTE and Juhua Factory to join us and help with the research and development.

Qualcomm can also pay royalties to purchase patents. This baseband chip must be developed!"

The baseband processor tests the technology of the communications industry, and Dongling Hi-Tech does have weaknesses in this regard.

But if you can’t beat the lottery, will you be able to use money? !
As for whether ZTE and Chrysanthemum Factory are willing to help Dongxin develop baseband chips, then ask them whether they still want the base station orders from Gangcheng Telecom? !

Hong Kong City Telecom is rapidly building 2G base stations in Hong Kong City and will enter the Southeast Asian telecommunications market in the future. It has also obtained a license to enter the mainland telecommunications market. So I would like to ask them if they want the orders from Hong Kong City Telecom?
Dongling Hi-Tech has bargaining chips in its hands. It can exchange base station orders for technology. Believe it or not, Ericsson is willing to help Dongxin with research and development!

As for Qualcomm, it is not invincible yet. Its chips still cannot sell as well as Texas Instruments. However, there is a chance to get them by buying some of its patents and technologies.

Hearing that Li Dongling was willing to pay such a high price and cost for the baseband chip, Tan Minghua immediately understood Li Dongling's determination.

After dealing with matters at Doxin Semiconductor, Li Dongling walked out of the conference room. He was originally planning to leave, go to Oriental Optoelectronics and Shenzhou Memory, and then go home.

But Wu Xinyi followed him. When Li Dongling saw Wu Xinyi, he immediately understood that he probably had something to discuss.

"what's up?"

After arriving at the office of Doxin Semiconductor, Li Dongling asked Wu Xinyi directly.

"Two things!"

Wu Xinyi rubbed his hands, with a little hope on his face, "First of all, there is news from the American SVG Lithography Company that SVG's president, Papuken, is interested in going to Hanxi!"

"Papken is willing to come?"

When Li Dongling heard this, he was surprised at first, and then he couldn't help but smile.

Dongxin approached SVG to purchase a batch of lithography machines in advance for the chip production plant to be built next year.

The lithography machines produced by Dongxin itself can only be considered low-end lithography machines. Once the chip factory is built, it will have to purchase several mid-range or even high-end lithography machines.

The manufacturer that Dongxin approached was the SVG lithography machine manufacturer that was on the verge of bankruptcy.

The reason for looking for SVG, in addition to purchasing a lithography machine, is most importantly to use the strategy of using luggage as a substitute for a peach dead.

If Dongxin Semiconductor wants to act in an upright manner and not be suppressed and targeted by America like Nippon Semiconductor, it must put on a tiger skin. What skin is better than the skin of SVG, an American lithography machine manufacturer?

For SVG, which is on the verge of collapse, the order from Dongxin Hanxi Chip Factory may be its life-saving straw.

As long as SVG takes the order for lithography machines, it will be a willing bait. Dongxin can also use SVG to get rid of the Wassenaar Arrangement set by America and become one of America's "own people" through SVG!
In this way, Doxin can bypass the many obstacles set up by America and does not have to be constantly suppressed like Japanese semiconductor manufacturers.

This is a trick of stealing the situation and changing the day. It is hard to say whether it can succeed or not, but if it can go according to Mr. Li's expectations, there is a good chance that Dongxin will break out of the encirclement!
Seeing Wu Xinyi nod, Li Dongling thought for a moment and said, "Tell Papken that Dongxin welcomes him to visit Hanxi at any time. He will always be Dongxin's VIP guest!"

"Besides the SVG matter, is there anything else?" Li Dongling asked.

Wu Xinyi said, "Another thing is related to the MIPS architecture."

Dongxin is currently using the MIPS architecture, which is one of the only architectures in the current chip industry besides Intel's X86.

Seeing Li Dongling's inquiring look, Wu Xinyi's tone was filled with anticipation, yet also some trepidation.

"There is news that Silicon Graphics, the parent company of MIPS, the developer of the MIPS architecture, is considering splitting up MIPS due to debt problems!"

When Li Dongling heard this, his expression changed. He certainly understood what Wu Xinyi meant by saying this.

That is to see if there is an opportunity for Dongxin to acquire MIPS, completely and forever solve the chip architecture problem, and make up for Dongxin's shortcomings in chips!

(End of this chapter)