Chapter 565 Breaking the blockade of the Wassenaar Agreement

Zhang Zhong said that the program is just the beginning. Next, Qin Tao has also prepared a lot of follow-up tricks. A large number of articles will be published in the world's famous military media, exposing all kinds of bad deeds of Pingkov. Anyway, it only needs to spend money. , some writers help write soft articles for money, and various media will help publish them after receiving benefits. There will be no psychological pressure.

   Just like that, Pingkov's reputation was immediately ruined.

  In the Yellow Tower, there was laughter and laughter.

"This time, that Ping Kefu became a street mouse, and everyone shouted and beat him." A leader said with a smile: "That Ping Kefu is really, actually went to find trouble with the Mingzhou Group, and now hit a rock gone."

   "Those who betray their motherland will not end well." Qin Tao said, thinking of something: "Did you deal with those traitors last time?"

  A lot of things happened this year. Before the military exercise, there were traitors, and Qin Tao discovered them in time. Later, he used those traitors to pass some false information, but he didn't pay attention to it after that.

   "We haven't collected the net yet, we will wait for more people to surface before closing the net."

  Qin Tao nodded, since he knew it, he didn't need to care about it.

"President Qin, this time we called you over, mainly about the submarine." Another leader said, "Now our military expenditure is gradually increasing, and the navy can raise more military expenditure to purchase equipment. In the next stage, In addition to updating surface ships, we can't delay underwater."

  Qin Tao smiled: "The navy should bid and choose the best design plan."

   "The bidding is definitely a competitive bidding, but the result of the bidding is also obvious." The leader said: "Your Mingzhou Group's 039C plan is the most advanced, and we will definitely choose your plan."

"Yeah, your Mingzhou Group's design is the most advanced, and it has already started to export. Our navy has been greedy for a long time. We can't lag behind the export for our own use. The shortcoming of submarines depends on you. Mingzhou Group will make up for it!"

"The leaders have won the award. Now that you have made up your mind, we Mingzhou Group will make a bid and wait for the process here." Qin Tao said with a smile: "Actually, we have no idea about conventional submarines at all." There is too much interest, and when the nuclear submarine bids in the future, we Mingzhou Group must blend in."

At the beginning, the bidding had already been made, but because the Mingzhou Group's plan was too advanced, it was put on the shelf and decided to study the basic technology first. Now, each technology has continuously made breakthroughs, and the foundation is getting more and more in place. In the future, The nuclear submarine should also start work.

   "However, the navy should not be like that sailing ship, which suddenly asked to start construction, and the construction period is still very short. We Mingzhou Group can't stand this kind of order." Qin Tao said.

   "That ship has a special purpose, we were a little anxious, but it didn't bother you Mingzhou Group."

   "What special purpose is there? It's mysterious." Qin Tao said, "It doesn't seem to be so urgent now?"

"Yeah, I was very anxious at the beginning, but now the situation has eased, and I am not so anxious. However, after the ship is built, it can be handed over to the Naval Naval Academy for use, so that they can be familiar with the operation first. , it’s easier to use.”

  Qin Tao shook his head helplessly.

   "Everyone, I just received the news that the Wassenaar Agreement has officially come into effect." At this moment, an adjutant hurried in and said to everyone.

  Everyone's expression changed.

   This year, 33 countries signed the Wassenaar Agreement in Vienna, Austria, implementing new control lists and information exchange rules. Like "Batumi", "Washington" also contains two control lists: one is a list of dual-use goods and technologies, covering advanced materials, material processing, electronic devices, computers, telecommunications and information security, sensing and There are nine categories including lasers, navigation and avionics, ships and maritime equipment, and propulsion systems; the other is a list of military products, covering a total of 22 categories of weapons and ammunition, equipment, and combat platforms.

  The difference from Batumi is that these countries also include Da Mao, but the list of restricted countries still includes the East.

"Hmph, we are not afraid of the blockade. When foreigners blocked us, didn't they come up with two bombs and one satellite?" Wu Shengli clenched his fists: "Now, they want to block us in this way, trying to hinder Our technological progress is bound to fail!"

"Actually, even if these agreements are not signed, aren't they still blocking us?" Another leader said: "In recent years, although our weapons and equipment have made great progress, these improvements are all based on our own strength. To obtain it, there is no help from foreigners at all, and they will not help us."

"Everyone, in other fields, we are indeed able to catch up and surpass, but in some fields, once restricted, we will fall behind step by step for a long time." Qin Tao said: "For example The chip industry is like this, and their agreement is a sharp sword hanging over our heads, making our chip industry subject to others for a long time."

   "Yes, there is Moore's Law in the chip industry. It will be upgraded every few years. We can catch up with great difficulty, and we are afraid of falling behind again." A knowledgeable leader at the scene began to worry.

   "Taozi, you must have a solution, right?" Wu Shengli asked, Wu Shengli knew that his son-in-law had always been very powerful.

"Of course there is a way." Qin Tao said: "If they don't provide us with equipment, then we have to rely on our own ability to develop it ourselves. In the future, when our research and development reaches the world's advanced level, they will have to beg us! Hmph, in the future It depends on our faces!"

  Qin Tao's words were so loud that everyone present opened their eyes wide: "President Qin, do you already have an idea?"

"Yes, relying on others is unreliable, we can only rely on ourselves, but we still need people." Qin Tao said: "At present, our domestic team of technical experts for the development of lithography machine projects hopes to become the leader of our Mingzhou Group. Subordinate units, of course, if they don't agree, we can also jointly form a company."

   "Let's help coordinate this matter!" Wu Shengli immediately made a promise.

  If you want to make chips, you need a device called a lithography machine. This thing is definitely like a money printing machine. As long as you have this kind of equipment, the company can make a lot of money.

  The principle of a lithography machine is very simple. It is equivalent to a high-precision camera that projects the designed circuit onto a silicon wafer. However, it is very difficult to manufacture it.

  It was not too late to start in China. In 1966, Factory 109 cooperated with Huating Optical Instrument Factory to successfully develop my country's first 65-type contact lithography machine, which was produced by Huating Radio Special Equipment Factory and promoted to the whole country. In 1978, the Institute of Semiconductors of the Chinese Academy of Sciences began to develop the JK-1 semi-automatic proximity lithography machine.

During the Sixth Five-Year Plan period, the 45 Institute carried out research work on the BG-101 DSW lithography machine, and successfully developed the BG-101 step-by-step lithography machine in 1985, which passed the ministerial technical appraisal at the end of that year. The main performance indicators are close to or reach the level of the 4800DSW system of GCA Company of the United States.

However, due to the large amount of capital invested in this area, the country is engaged in economic construction, so it gave up on the research and development of lithography machines. There was only a gap of five to ten years between China and foreign countries. As a result, in later generations, the gap widened to More than twenty years.

Speaking of lithography machine giants, we have to mention ASML, the lithography machine company code-named ASML, which is the most advanced in the world. The lithography machines produced every year are in short supply. The machine broke its head, and SMIC even waited for several years without getting the goods.

   But in fact, in this period, ASML is still a small company, working in a board room next to Philip's headquarters. It's going to be miserable, so it's not too late to start now!

   If you want to talk about the giant of this era, it is the famous Nikon.

The reason is very simple, because the essence of a lithography machine is a projector and a camera. It uses light as a knife to project the designed circuit onto the silicon wafer. Nikon originally made cameras, which are professional counterparts. Nikon in this era, Just like ASML in later generations, with a large number of orders in hand, the purchasers of other factories are stuck at the gate of Nikon every day waiting for delivery.

  However, Nikon, the largest lithography machine giant in the 1990s, also declined very quickly. There were political disputes and wrong choices of technical routes.

  In the field of chips, there is a famous Moore's Law. The performance of chips must double every 18 to 24 months. In this way, chip manufacturing technology must continue to advance.

In this era, the technology of lithography machines is actually not very difficult. After all, when ASML started, there were only a team of more than 30 people, and even Intel couldn’t wait for Nikon’s lithography machines, so they could do it themselves. A few emergency cameras are nothing more than buying a large number of parts and putting them together to make a special camera.

  The great thing about Nikon is that they are a collection of industrial chains, and all the parts can be handled by themselves.

  However, in the 1990s, lithography machine manufacturers encountered a technical barrier: the light source used by lithography machines is 193 nanometers, which limits the continuous upgrade of lithography machines!

   The finer the engraving, the sharper the knife. The 193nm laser is not fine enough. What should I do next?

  Nikon, as a technology giant, has a very simple idea, just switch to a 157nm F2 laser, and this will solve the problem.

In order to fight against Nikon, the EUVLLC alliance established is betting on more radical extreme ultraviolet technology, switching the light source to extreme ultraviolet light of more than ten nanometers, which will not only solve the existing problems, but also be used in the future, engraving ten nanometers The following chip manufacturing processes are all fine.

  However, these two technologies are not easy, and both face technical difficulties. This is the most famous 193nm level in the 1990s!

  When encountering difficulties, a genius always appears, and now is no exception, a genius engineer named Lin Benjian appeared.

When light passes through water, the frequency remains the same, but the wavelength will change. This is the refractive index of water. Therefore, as long as a layer of water is added between the light source of the lithography machine and the silicon wafer, the original 193nm laser Once refraction occurs, can't it be greatly reduced?

  A simple calculation shows that the wavelength will be reduced to 132 nanometers!

  In this way, not only can the wavelength of the lithography machine be reduced, and more precise circuits can be etched, but also the changes to the machine are minimal!

  The previous method was called dry engraving, but now it can be called wet engraving!

  Lin Benjian proposed this technology, and ran out to sell it enthusiastically, but all of them were rejected!

  United States, Germany, Japan, each of the lithography machine giants sneered at this statement: adding water to a precision machine to create a wet environment, is it not afraid of water leakage? In the short term, this method may be successful, but in the long run, it is simply a detour!

  Especially the giant Nikon, who decided to research on the 157nm light source, simply ignored Lin Benjian's crooked ways.

  Like a digital camera, Kodak first developed a digital camera back then, but they were afraid that it would threaten the film business, so they used the method of hiding the digital camera to prevent others from knowing!

  Nikon went black on the road of 157 nanometers, but at this time the little-known ASML noticed the opportunity of overtaking in this corner. For them, this is an opportunity to quickly catch up with the world's advanced level!

Therefore, they accepted Lin Benjian's technology and developed an immersion lithography machine. However, this was already a matter in 2003. In just one year, that is, in 2004, they manufactured a prototype and quickly took it out. Placed orders from major customers such as IBM and TSMC.

  Nikon was only less than a year late, and succeeded in its dry lithography machine technology with a 157nm laser, but the customer didn't want it! A generation of giant Nikon has declined in this way, and ASML has since become the leader in the lithography machine industry.

   This period of history is also known to Qin Tao, a shipbuilding engineer, so now, if he wants to overtake on a curve, he must of course choose the right technical route!

  ASML, which only has more than 30 people, can do it. Can the Mingzhou Group, which has strong financial resources, not be able to do this kind of thing?

  What technical blockade, shit! In the future, the lithography opportunity of Mingzhou Group will become the same as ASML, and giants from all over the world will rush to buy it!

the next day.

  Tsinghua University, Conference Room, Department of Precision Instruments.

"Mr. Qin, we already know that since your Mingzhou Group has set foot in the chip field, one day, you will need our own processing equipment." Xu Duanyi, the person in charge who is over half a century old, said excitedly: "Received After your news, we were so excited that we didn't fall asleep all night."

There is also a foundation for domestic lithography machines. Tsinghua University is one of them. Their precision instrument department is a professional counterpart. Back then, in order to develop domestic lithography machines, they once held a big battle. The first lithography machine and step-and-repeat camera were put into mass production and supplied to the national semiconductor industry. A few years ago, the third-generation "automatic alignment and step-by-step projection lithography machine" was further developed. This lithography machine has actually reached the world's advanced level. Without any concept of intellectual property rights, they are all-knowing and talkative.

   As a result, the technology was learned by foreign counterparts, but the lithography machines they produced were not used by customers. In the next few years, they also gave up the research and development of lithography machines.

  Xu Duanyi is a leader in domestic lithography machines, and his heart is very painful. Now, the good news is finally ushered in, Mr. Qin is going to invest in lithography machines!

   "I want to know, if we develop lithography machines, can we reach the world-class level, and we can produce them ourselves in the future, even if we are not afraid of being blocked by foreign countries?" Qin Tao is also straightforward, after all, he is not particularly familiar with this industry.

"Mr. Qin, the lithography machine sounds very high-end, but in fact, it is mainly composed of three parts." Xu Duanyi introduced: "It needs the world's top light source, that is, a dedicated laser system; it also needs a high-precision lens. , and precision instrument manufacturing technology. Among these three fields, we can solve the last one, which is the specialty of our department, but the first two systems are difficult.”

ASML is very good in later generations and is the strongest lithography machine giant in the world. However, it is just an assembly plant, and all kinds of parts are on the road of global cooperation. For example, the lens comes from Zeiss in Germany, and the light source From the American company Cymer.

"Yes, especially the laser light source. At present, in front of the lithography machine manufacturers all over the world, there is a technological gap of 193nm laser light source. We want to develop the world's advanced lithography machine, and we have to solve this problem. Problem." The head of the department said.

  Although the research and development of lithography machines has been given up, everyone still pays attention to this industry. After Mr. Qin proposed this idea, they even collected various materials overnight.

   At this time, they must put all kinds of difficulties in front of their eyes and tell Mr. Qin how difficult this industry is.

   "Have you ever heard of the wet engraving method? Or is it called the infiltration method?" Qin Tao proposed this technical route.

   "Mr. Qin, this method is not mainstream, it belongs to heresy, even if it solves the problem of the current 193nm light source, it cannot continue to solve future problems, after all, the chip manufacturing process needs to be constantly updated." Xu Duanyi said.

  This is also the opinion of almost all engineers in the field of lithography machines towards Lin Benjian. You are purely crooked!

"However, this method is more likely to make a big difference with a small one." Qin Tao said: "Everyone, I don't know if you have thought about it, even if you have a more advanced light source in the future, you will still encounter process problems, and this method You can still use it!"

  Compared with the 157nm light source that Nikon has been tirelessly studying, if we use this wet etching method, the light source will be reduced to below 100nm!

   "President Qin, do you think this road is feasible?" Xu Duanyi asked seriously.

"That's right, we don't need to think about the later problems. The first thing we need to think about is how to reach the world's mainstream level in a short period of time. It is no longer possible for us to obtain advanced lithography machines from abroad, but our chip industry cannot collapse. We Once Godson cannot continue to develop, it is likely to be eliminated by the market. We cannot hand it over to others, so we must have advanced lithography machines. As the saying goes, it doesn't matter if a cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice, it is a good cat."

Xu Duanyi nodded: "Mr. Qin, I understand your urgency. If we use this technology, we can use our existing 193nm light source. We can ask Huating Optical Instrument Factory to help us polish the lens we need. It’s a big step forward, but…”

   "But what?" Qin Tao asked.

   "First of all, the research and development of advanced lithography machines requires a large amount of funds as backing." Xu Duanyi said: "At present, the country does not have relevant research and development funds. If we want to raise funds for research and development by ourselves, it is estimated that we will invest hundreds of millions."

"Funding is not a problem." Qin Tao said: "According to my vision, our Mingzhou Group will set up a special Microelectronics Equipment Co., Ltd. to specialize in the development of various equipment for chips. If your university is willing, I hope that the All the former lithography machine research and development teams have been transferred to join our company. Our cooperation model can be discussed in detail. If the research and development personnel are still part of your university establishment, then you can rely on these personnel to account for 20% of the shares .”

  Xu Duanyi opened his eyes wide: "Mr. Qin, you are so generous. If you can take 20% of the shares just by selling people, then we have a lot of credit from your Mingzhou Group."

  These scientific research teams have already been disbanded, and they are depressed. Now, they have reorganized the company to specialize in the career they want to do most. Even if they are not paid, even if they are asked to resign from the university, they will accept it.

  Can give the university 20% of the shares, they have taken advantage of it.

  Mingzhou Group is rich and powerful!

  Qin Tao has the ability to do these things, so there is nothing to say, just do it boldly! Mingzhou Group once invested a large amount of money in chips. Now, the chip industry has begun to make profits. Whether it is memory or processors, Mingzhou Group's products have become popular products in China.

  In the installed computer market, many people have indicated that they want a Godson processor! Many games can only be played by Godson processors! Intel has been sidelined, let alone AMD.

  However, people without foresight must have short-term worries. If the chip industry cannot be upgraded, under the suppression of that **** agreement, if they cannot continue to progress, then they will be eliminated by the market in the future. Since it is difficult to obtain from the outside world, then simply do it yourself!

  (end of this chapter)