Chapter 221 ASML’s conspiracy

Author: Big fish eats small fish

Chapter 221 ASML’s conspiracy

Xia Xin International, Lithography Machine Research Institute!

When studying carbon-based chips, Ye Fei’s idea is to first study photolithography machines, which are the top priority for manufacturing chips.

Without a photolithography machine, chips would certainly not be manufactured.

There are more than 3,000 researchers in the Lithography Research Institute. After learning that Ye Fei was leading their research, they were very excited and very motivated.

It is as if a photolithography machine capable of producing high-quality chips will be developed tomorrow.

Who doesn't know what Ye Fei wants to study, and he has never failed so far.

Therefore, they also have full confidence in Ye Fei when it comes to lithography machine research.

In the research of lithography machines, we must first develop the theory, and then carry out applied research.

Of course, Xia Guo has made great progress since he has been studying lithography machines for many years.

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

The study of photolithography machines is called photolithography technology.

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

Conference room!

Ye Fei sat at the head of the table, and ten researchers sat below him. They were all the team leaders and deputy team leaders of each group.

Ye Feidao: "Now foreign countries will not sell photoresist to us, so we have to make our own photoresist."

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

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

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

Ye Feidao: "Moreover, we are studying carbon-based chips, so we have to create a photolithography machine suitable for carbon-based chips."

"So, we also need to develop photoresists that are suitable for carbon-based chips."

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

The two researchers stood up and shouted: "Yes!"

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

It requires knowledge of physics, chemistry, materials science, mechanical engineering and electronic engineering to develop photoresist.

Researching chips is a very large project. It is more difficult than an atomic bomb. It requires the efforts of many people to develop it.

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

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

Only by poaching talents from all over the world can we develop photoresist.

Ye Fei nodded and said, "Sit down!"

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

"So, contact team, you have to cooperate with the photoresist team."

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

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

"Yes, Dean!" Two researchers from the contact group stood up and said.

Ye Fei nodded and said, "Sit down!"

Ye Feidao: "I learned that Juguang Technology developed a technology some time ago that is very suitable for exposure systems."

"Light field homogenizer, light explosion system team, you can contact the people from Juguang Technology to see if you can cooperate in research."

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

"Photoresist, contact and non-contact lithography technology, and exposure systems, these three studies are all centered around photoresist research."

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

"I heard that there was once a college student in China who built a photolithography machine in his dormitory."

"Although the manufacturing precision of this photolithography machine has not reached the level of high-end process technology."

"However, it can be seen from this that manufacturing lithography machines in my country is not a fantasy."

"But the reason why our country cannot build a photolithography 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 produced by good photolithography machines and chips produced by poor photolithography machines.

From the appearance point of view, the difference is not big.

But upon careful observation, there are still some differences in their transistor arrangements.

It is these differences that make the quality of 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 appear completely according to the design on the chip design drawings.

This requires high-precision control during the manufacturing process.

Ye Feidao: "Therefore, the adjustment system and random error control of the lithography machine are the most difficult and core parts of the lithography machine."

"I will join in these two studies and study them together."

The two group leaders of the regulating system group and the random error control group felt somewhat relieved after hearing this.

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

"Let's adjourn the meeting and go back to prepare and start research."

After saying that, Ye Fei walked out of the conference room.

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

Ye Fei turned to look at Qu Guangfu and asked, "Director Qu, is there something wrong?"

With that said, Ye Fei opened the door of the office and said, "Let's go in and talk if we have anything to do!"

"Okay!" Qu Guangfu said.

After saying that, 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 fifty square meters, and the decoration is simple.

There is a desk, a bookshelf, a set of sofas, a coffee table, and a small tree in each corner.

Sunlight shines in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, making the windows in the office bright and clean.

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

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

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

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

Ye Fei's requirements for food and accommodation are not very high, as long as he has enough food and accommodation, and an office that can be used.

With that said, the two sat on the sofa, and Ye Fei asked his assistant to bring tea to them.

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

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

"The higher-ups came to talk to me. The people I talked to at that time were the Academy of Sciences, Mizuki University and other research units, as well as lithography equipment manufacturers such as Modu Microelectronics and Kyoto Kokubo Lithography."

"We hope they will help us from above. If we have any difficulties, we can raise them to them."

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

Therefore, strictly speaking, it is 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 consumer of chips, we cannot remain 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 number of lithography machine technologies to Xia Guo with more than 3,000 lithography technology patents."

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

Ye Fei certainly doesn't think ASML is a well-intentioned act.

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

The world's best photolithography 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, lithography machine is a very complex and difficult research."
To be continued...