Chapter 564: Breaking the Blockade of the Wassenaar Agreement
Zhang Zhong said that the program was just the beginning. Next, Qin Tao also prepared a lot of follow-up measures. A large number of articles would be published in the world's famous military media to expose Pingkov's various misdeeds. Anyway, just spend money.
Well, some writers help write soft articles for money, and various media will help publish them after receiving benefits. Pingkov is not a big shot. In fact, Pingkov has not integrated into the mainstream Western society at all.
They won't have any psychological pressure.
In this way, Pingkov's reputation was immediately tarnished.
In the Huanglou, there was joy and laughter.
"This time, that Pingkov turned into a street rat, and everyone shouted to beat him up." A leader said with a smile: "That Pingkov is really going to find trouble with the Mingzhou Group, and now he hit a rock.
Already."
"Those who betray their motherland will not end well." Qin Tao said, thinking of something: "Have you dealt with those traitors last time?"
A lot of things happened this year. Before the military exercise, there were traitors. They were discovered by Qin Tao in time. He then used those traitors to pass on some false information, but he didn't pay attention to it anymore.
"We have not closed the net yet. We are waiting for more people to surface before closing the net."
Qin Tao nodded. Now that he knows, that's all. He doesn't need to worry about anything.
"Mr. Qin, we are calling you here this time, mainly about submarines." Another leader said: "Now our military expenditures are gradually increasing, and the navy can also raise more military expenditures to purchase equipment. In the next stage,
In addition to updating surface ships, we cannot delay the underwater ones."
Qin Tao smiled and said: "The navy should bid and choose the best design plan."
"The bidding must be competitive, but the results of the bidding are also obvious." The leader said: "Your Mingzhou Group's 039c plan is the most advanced, and we will definitely choose your plan."
"Yes, your Mingzhou Group's design is the most advanced, and it has also begun to be exported. Our navy has long been covetous. Our own use cannot lag behind the exported ones. We have to rely on you to understand the shortcomings of submarines.
The state group will make up for it!"
"Thank you, leaders. Since you have made up your mind, we, Mingzhou Group, will make a bid and wait for the process to go through 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 bidding happens in the future, our Mingzhou Group will definitely get involved."
We had already submitted a bid at the beginning, but because Mingzhou Group's plan was too advanced, it was shelved and we decided to study basic technologies first. But now, each technology continues to achieve breakthroughs, and the preparations are getting more and more in place. In the future,
It’s time to start building nuclear submarines too.
"However, the Navy should not be like that sailing ship, suddenly asking to start construction, and the construction period is still very short. Our Mingzhou Group cannot bear such an order." Qin Tao said.
"That ship has a special purpose, so we are a little anxious, but it doesn't bother you Mingzhou Group."
"What special purpose does it have? It's so mysterious." Qin Tao said, "It doesn't seem to be so annoying now."
"Yes, I was very anxious at first, 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 Ship Academy for use, so that they can familiarize themselves with the operation first, and when needed in the future
, 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 came in hurriedly and said to everyone.
Everyone's expressions changed.
This year, 33 countries signed the "Wassenaar Agreement" in Vienna, Austria, implementing new control lists and information exchange rules. Like "Batumi", the "Wassenaar Agreement" also contains two control lists: one for military and civilian parties
The list of commodities and technologies covers 9 categories: advanced materials, material processing, electronic devices, computers, telecommunications and information security, sensors and lasers, navigation and avionics instruments, ships and maritime equipment, and propulsion systems; another
It is a list of military products, covering various types of weapons and ammunition, equipment and combat platforms.
Unlike Batumi, these countries also include Mao, but the list of restricted countries still includes Dongfang.
"Humph, we are not afraid of blockade. When foreigners blockaded us, didn't they still come up with two bombs and one star?" Wu Shengli clenched his fists: "Now, they are going to use this method to block us and try to hinder us.
Our scientific and technological progress will inevitably fail!"
"Actually, even if they don't sign these agreements, aren't they still blocking us?" Another leader said: "Although our weapons and equipment have made great progress in recent years, these improvements are all based on our own strength.
We came here to obtain it without any help from foreigners, and they will not help us."
"Everyone, in other fields, we can indeed catch up and surpass. However, in some fields, once we are restricted, we will fall behind step by step for a long time." Qin Tao said: "For example, if we are restricted, we will fall behind step by step."
The chip industry is like this. Their agreement is a sharp sword hanging over our heads, making our chip industry subject to others for a long time."
"Yes, there is something like Moore's Law in the chip industry. It will be improved by one level every few years. It is easy for us to catch up, but 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 are ways." 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 ask us! Huh, in the future
It depends on our faces!"
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Qin Tao's words were so impactful that everyone present opened their eyes wide: "Mr. Qin, do you already have an idea?"
"Yes, we can't rely on others. We can only rely on ourselves. However, we still need people." Qin Tao said: "Currently, our team of technical experts in the domestic photolithography machine project hopes to become the core team of our Mingzhou Group.
Subordinate units, of course, if they don't agree, we can jointly form a company."
"Let's help coordinate this matter!" Wu Shengli immediately made a promise.
If you want to make chips, you need equipment called a photolithography machine. This thing is definitely like a money printing machine. As long as you have this kind of equipment, companies can make a lot of money.
The principle of the photolithography machine is very simple. It is equivalent to a high-precision camera that projects the designed circuit onto the silicon wafer. However, it is difficult to actually manufacture it.
The domestic start was not too late. In 1966, Factory 109 collaborated with Huating Optical Instrument Factory to successfully develop my country's first Type 6 contact lithography machine, which was produced by Huating Special Radio Equipment Factory and promoted nationwide. 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, 4 institutes conducted research on the bg-101 DW lithography machine, and successfully developed the bg-101 step-by-step lithography machine in 198. At the end of that year, it passed the ministerial technical appraisal.
The main performance indicators are close to or reach the level of the American GCA company's 4800dw system.
However, because a large amount of money needs to be invested in this area and the country is engaged in economic construction, it has given up on the research and development of photolithography machines. Originally, there was only a gap of five to ten years between China and foreign countries. As a result, in later generations, the gap expanded to
More than twenty years.
Speaking of lithography machine giants, we have to mention ASML. This lithography machine company, code-named AML, is among the most advanced in the world. The demand for lithography machines produced every year exceeds supply. Companies such as TSMC and Samsung are in need of these lithography machines.
The machine broke its head, and SMIC waited for several years but still did not receive the goods.
But in fact, at this time, ASML is still a small company, working in a board room next to Philip's headquarters, how miserable it is, so it's not too late to start now!
If we want to talk about the giant of this era, it is the famous Nikon.
The reason is very simple, because the essence of a photolithography machine is a projector and a camera. It uses light as a knife to project the designed circuit onto the silicon wafer. Nikon originally manufactured cameras and was a professional counterpart. Nikon in this era,
Just like ASML in later generations, with a large number of orders in hand, purchasing personnel from other factories blocked the door of Nikon every day waiting for delivery.
However, Nikon, the largest lithography machine giant in the 1990s, declined quickly. There were political disputes and wrong choices in technical routes.
In the field of chips, there is a famous Moore's Law. The performance of chips must double every 18 to 4 months. In this way, chip manufacturing technology must also continue to advance.
In today's era, the technology of lithography machines is actually not difficult. After all, when ASML started, it only had a team of more than 30 people. Even Intel couldn't wait for Nikon's lithography machines, so they could do it themselves.
A few emergency cameras are just a matter of buying a large number of parts and piecing them together to build a special camera.
The great thing about Nikon is that they have an integrated industrial chain and can produce all the parts themselves.
However, in the 1990s, the manufacturers of lithography machines encountered a technical barrier: the light source used by the lithography machines was 193 nanometers, which restricted the continued upgrade of the lithography machines!
If you want to engrave something more finely, the knife must be sharper. The 193nm laser is no longer fine enough. What should we do next?
As a technology giant, Nikon has a very simple solution. Just switch to a 17nm f laser, which will solve the problem.
The EUVLLC alliance established to fight against Nikon is betting on more radical extreme ultraviolet technology, switching the light source to extreme ultraviolet light of more than ten nanometers. This will not only solve the existing problems, but can also be used until the future, engraving ten nanometers.
There is no problem with the following chip manufacturing processes.
However, both technologies are not easy and both face technical difficulties. This is the most famous 193 nanometer barrier in the 1990s!
Whenever we encounter difficulties, a genius always appears, and now is no exception. A genius engineer named Lin Benjian appears.
When light passes through water, the frequency remains unchanged, but the wavelength changes. 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 193-nanometer laser can
If refraction occurs once, wouldn't it be greatly reduced?
A simple calculation shows that the wavelength will be reduced to 13 nanometers!
In this way, not only can the wavelength of the photolithography machine be reduced and more precise circuits can be etched, but also the changes to the machine are minimal!
It used to be called dry engraving, but now it can be called wet engraving!
Lin Benjian proposed this technology and ran out to sell it enthusiastically, but everyone was rejected!
The United States, Germany, and Japan, all the lithography machine giants, all sneered at this statement: If water is added to precision machines to create a wet environment, won't they be afraid of water leakage? In the short term, this method may
It will be successful, but in the long run, it is simply taking a detour!
In particular, the giant Nikon decided to research on the 17nm light source and simply ignored Lin Benjian's crooked ways.
Just like digital cameras, Kodak was the first to develop digital cameras, but they were afraid that it would threaten the film business, so they adopted a method of hiding the digital cameras from others!
Nikon was on the road to 17nm, but at this time the unknown ASML noticed the opportunity to overtake in this corner. For them, this is an opportunity to quickly catch up with the world's advanced level!
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Therefore, they accepted Lin Benjian’s technology and developed an immersion lithography machine. However, this was already in 2003, and it was only one year.
In 2004, they produced a prototype and quickly won orders from major customers such as IBM and TSMC.
Nikon was less than a year late and succeeded in developing its own 17-nanometer laser dry lithography machine technology. However, customers did not want it! Nikon, the giant of the generation, declined in this way, and ASML has since become
Became the leader in the photolithography machine industry.
Qin Tao, a naval architect, has heard of this history, so now, if he wants to overtake in a corner, he must choose the right technical route!
ASML, which has only over 30 people, can do this. Could it be that Mingzhou Group, which has strong financial resources, is still unable to do this?
What kind of technology blockade, bullshit! In the future, Mingzhou Group’s lithography opportunities will become as strong as ASML, and giants from all over the world will rush to buy them!
the next day.
Tsinghua University, Conference Room, Department of Precision Instruments.
"Mr. Qin, we know that since your Mingzhou Group has entered the chip field, one day we will need our own processing equipment." Xu Duanyi, the person in charge who is over fifty years old, said excitedly: "I got it.
After your news, we were so excited that we couldn't sleep all night."
There is also a foundation for the domestic production of photolithography machines. Tsinghua University is one of them. Their precision instrument department is the professional counterpart. Back then, they held a big battle to develop domestic photolithography machines. In 1971, they developed the Chinese
The first lithography machine and step-and-repeat camera were put into large-scale production and supplied to the national semiconductor industry. In the past few years, the third generation "automatic alignment step-by-step projection lithography machine" was further developed. This lithography machine
In fact, the machine has reached the world's advanced level, and international colleagues have come to observe and learn from it. Unfortunately, there was no concept of intellectual property rights at that time. They knew everything and talked about it.
As a result, the technology was learned by foreign counterparts, but the lithography machines they produced were not used by customers. In the following years, they also gave up the research and development of lithography machines.
Xu Duanyi is the leader in the development of photolithography machines in China, and he feels very painful in his heart. Now, finally, there is good news. Mr. Qin is going to invest in photolithography machines!
"I want to know if we develop photolithography machines, can they reach world-class levels? Then we can produce them ourselves, even if they are blocked by foreign countries?" Qin Tao also went straight to the point. After all, he was not particularly familiar with this industry.
"Mr. Qin, the lithography machine sounds very high-end, but in fact, it mainly consists of three parts." Xu Duanyi introduced: "It requires the world's top light source, that is, a specialized laser system; it also requires a high-precision lens
, and precision instrument manufacturing technology. Among these three areas, we can solve the last one, which is the expertise of our department, but the first two systems are difficult."
ASML is very powerful in later generations and is the world's most powerful lithography machine giant. However, it is just an assembly plant. All kinds of parts follow the path of global cooperation. For example, the lens comes from Zeiss in Germany, and the light source
From American company cymer.
"Yes, especially for laser light sources. Currently, in front of lithography machine manufacturers around the world, there is a technological gap of 193 nanometer laser light sources. If we want to develop world-leading lithography machines, we have to solve this problem.
It’s a difficult problem.” The dean of the department on the side said.
Although the research and development of photolithography machines has been abandoned, everyone is still paying attention to this industry. After Mr. Qin proposed this idea, they collected various information 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 called the infiltration method?" Qin Tao proposed this technical route.
"Mr. Qin, this method is not mainstream. It is a heretic. Even if it solves the problem of the current 193-nanometer 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 just doing something wrong!
"However, this method is more likely to make a big difference with a small amount." Qin Tao said: "Everyone, I don't know if you have thought about it. Even if there are more advanced light sources in the future, you will still encounter process problems, and this method
You can still use it!”
Everyone, please go and try it soon.]
Compared with the 17-nanometer light source that Nikon has been researching tirelessly, if we use this wet etching method, the light source will suddenly drop below 100 nanometers!
"Mr. Qin, do you think this path is feasible?" Xu Duanyi asked seriously.
"That's right, we don't need to consider the later problems. The first thing we have to consider is how to reach the world's mainstream level in the short term. It is no longer possible for us to obtain advanced photolithography machines from abroad, but our chip industry cannot collapse. We
Once Loongson cannot continue to develop, it is likely to be eliminated by the market. We cannot leave it to others, so we must have advanced photolithography machines. No matter what the technical route is, whether it is a sideways approach or not. A big leader has a saying
It’s a good saying, whether it’s a white cat or a black cat, as long as it catches mice, it’s a good cat.”
Xu Duanyi nodded: "Mr. Qin, I understand your urgency. If we use this technology, we can use our existing 193 nanometer light source. We can ask Huating Optical Instrument Factory to help polish the lenses we need.
I can really take 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 a backing." Xu Duanyi said: "Currently, the country does not have relevant R&D funds. If we want to raise our own funds for research and development, we are expected to invest hundreds of millions."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! "Financial aspects are not a problem." Qin Tao said: "According to my idea, our Mingzhou Group will set up a special Microelectronics Equipment Co., Ltd. to develop various aspects of chips.
equipment. If your university is willing, I hope to transfer all the previous lithography machine R&D teams to join our company. Our cooperation model can be discussed in detail. If the R&D personnel are still part of your university's establishment, then
You can rely on these people to hold 20% of the shares."
Xu Duanyi opened his eyes wide: "Mr. Qin, you are so generous. If you can occupy 20% of the shares just by using your hands, then we will benefit a lot from your Mingzhou Group."
These scientific research teams were originally disbanded, and they were depressed. Now, they have reorganized the company to specialize in the career they most want to pursue. Even if they are not paid, even if they are asked to resign from the university, they will accept it.
Being able to give the university 20% of the shares is a huge advantage for them.
Mingzhou Group is so wealthy!
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 developing 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 machine market, many people have specified that they want Loongson processors! Many games can only be played with Loongson processors! Intel has been marginalized, let alone AMD.
However, people who have no foresight must have short-term worries. If the chip industry cannot upgrade and continue to progress under the pressure of that damn agreement, they will be eliminated by the market in the future. Since it is difficult to get it from the outside world, then just do it yourself.