1991 Starting from the core

There is a little guy by his side. Even if Su Yuanshan wants to have sex with his wife, he must pay attention to his movements...

But in the end, a silent war was fought on tiptoe.

The next day, the couple got up early and welcomed Ye Rudai's parents who couldn't wait to come into the house. The whole family had breakfast happily, and then sent Su Xinghe and his wife to the airport.

On the way back, Su Yuanshan received a call from Zheng Zhenchuan, so he separated from his wife on the spot and went to Hongxin next door.

…

"There is news from ASML that they have built the first EUV prototype."

Zheng Zhenchuan is sixty-five years old this year, which would be retirement age in other places. But at Macron, in addition to managing the company, he is still active in the second line of technology.

Compared with his usual rosy face, Zheng Zhenchuan's face looked a little more anxious today.

"Well, is there any more specific news?" Su Yuanshan said with a calm expression, while replying a few messages to the phone and then put the phone on the table.

This kind of news is untouchable to the public, and even the public is indifferent, but for the semiconductor industry, it is no less than a bombshell.

Just half an hour after Zheng Zhenchuan called, he received messages from multiple people.

"Not yet. ASML has not announced relevant technical details and plans. It just revealed a piece of news."

"Well... don't panic." Su Yuanshan nodded, his expression as usual.

After tightening its belt and gaining the support of Deyuan, ASML finally suppressed the EUV "prototype" - or to be more accurate, this should be a concept machine.

Well, according to the time, ASML in history was almost a proof-of-concept model that was launched around 2005. Then it was discovered that there were many problems, so it continued to solve the problems, and then encountered more problems... It was not until 2012 that it finally hit a snag. A prototype that can actually be used for tape-out was finally produced.

In Su Yuanshan's view, ASML's half-hidden news this time was more about making money - compared to the huge profits brought by their dual workpiece tables and immersion lithography machines in the previous life. , even with Deyuan's help, ASML in this life will be much poorer.

And Su Yuanshan knew even more that even after the prototype was actually produced in 2012, ASML still used 25% of the shares to invite Intel, TSMC, and Samsung to become shareholders at the time, promising priority supply to obtain follow-up products. R\u0026D funding.

——Even at that time, these three major wafer factories were skeptical about whether the EUV prototype, which had only been polished for ten years and had many problems, could be successfully commercialized. As a result, TSMC sold its shares just after the two-and-a-half-year stock lock-up period.

Therefore, Su Yuanshan feels that ASML is out of money.

He didn't panic at all.

"Although ASML did not announce specific details, I just judge from common sense. I think...according to their current conditions, they can at most achieve verification of EUV technology, but not a real prototype. Uncle Zheng, we all You know, photolithography machines are no longer the kind of industry that can produce miracles... It can be said to be the limit of human precision engineering. It can definitely not be completed in just three to five years."

As Su Yuanshan spoke, he looked at Zheng Zhenchuan with a determined look on his face: "Uncle Zheng, you know better than me."

After hearing Su Yuanshan's words, Zheng Zhenchuan was stunned for a moment, but he calmed down. After thinking about it carefully, he nodded and said, "Yes, although our EUV route takes a different direction, the principle is the same. It is indeed not the same. It can be done in a year.”

"So, with ASML doing this, I think they are almost in trouble."

"How to say?"

"After we opened the dual workpiece platform, they were able to concentrate funds on research and development in other technical directions. But you know, how can the current R\u0026D investment be comparable to what it was before? We spent a lot of money on the dual workpiece platform. 500 million RMB, and the infiltration model cost 300 million US dollars... This is without patents and technical barriers. Now there is a large number of patent barriers waiting in front of them, even if they spend a lot of money to develop the immersion model. , will only usher in homogeneous competition. And they do not have F2 dry engraving technology like Nikon... Therefore, gritting one's teeth and engaging in EUV is ASML's only choice."

"But EUV is too expensive." Su Yuanshan shook his head: "At present, their market share is less than 20%. Even if Deyuan had invested in blood transfusion before, they would not be able to survive. So now the only purpose of letting the news out is to find someone to take advantage of. .”

Seeing Su Yuanshan's calm face, Zheng Zhenchuan was completely relieved and said with a smile: "It seems we don't have to worry too much."

Su Yuanshan was happy: "Uncle Zheng, he was born in sorrow and died in happiness."

"Haha, I know, but...how should I put it, after all, I was a little panicked when I first heard the news."

Su Yuanshan said "hmm" and shook his head with a smile, indicating that it would not be the case.

But he could understand why Zheng Zhenchuan was "panicked".

——In his opinion, ASML’s plan to complete the EUV prototype this year is tantamount to reaching the sky and is a miracle. But this person in front of me...is the one who has truly created miracles.

——Su Yuanshan never believed that he created the miracle of the rise of domestic lithography machines. He only had confidence in and gave unreserved support to domestic lithography machines. But it was Zheng Zhenchuan who really made things happen.

Coupled with a long-term "belittle oneself", the old man in front of me subconsciously believed that others can also create miracles.

"But this news still reminds us." Su Yuanshan pursed his lips and said softly: "Uncle Zheng, ASML used itself as a bargaining chip to make a bet, and what's worse for us is that it is currently the only chips."

Zheng Zhenchuan frowned slightly. He could understand what Su Yuanshan meant - since there was no money, what followed after the announcement was the need for money and financing.

The so-called bet is nothing more than seeing whether others believe that ASML can be the first to come up with EUV.

So Zheng Zhenchuan looked at Su Yuanshan: "Do you think... they have a chance?"

Su Yuanshan bit his lower lip and frowned tightly. After being silent for a few seconds with a constipated expression, he finally nodded.

"As long as the money is available and time is given... I believe they have the ability."

"Uncle Zheng, because they are heading in the right direction." Su Yuanshan looked at Zheng Zhenchuan and said softly: "So, we have to speed up."

…

After returning to the office, Su Yuanshan spoke to Zhang Rujin and Liang Mengsong on the phone respectively, and both of them expressed that they did not quite believe it. But as one of ASML's partners and shareholders, they will still take a look at the specific situation.

Zhang Rujin agrees with Su Yuanshan's analysis. He also feels that ASML is short of money.

But if ASML wants to continue raising shares for financing, Zhang Rujin really can’t decide for a while. After all, he also knows that EUV is now a bottomless pit... The specific situation depends on how far ASML has gone.

The advice given by Su Yuanshan was to advance and retreat together with others this time.

In other words, if others follow ASML, then Deyuan will also follow. If others do not believe in ASML, then Deyuan will no longer follow.

"It means you are not optimistic that ASML can handle EUV?" During the phone call, Zhang Rujin was a little surprised why Su Yuanshan would give such advice.

"I am optimistic and waiting for Acer to complete EUV." Su Yuanshan replied.

…

Sure enough, as Su Yuanshan expected, a week later, ASML issued an invitation to invest in several current wafer fabs. According to the news from Zhang Rujin, it seems that both Intel and Samsung have the same idea... We need to see how far the technology is implemented before we can make a decision. It is worth mentioning that they also invited Huajing.

Of course, Su Yuanshan just listened to the excitement.

On the one hand, from the perspective of purely promoting technological progress, he really hopes that EUV can be born as soon as possible. But on the other hand, he is worried about encountering the same problems as in his previous life - although the domestic semiconductor industry in this life is no longer the soft persimmon that can be manipulated by others, who can guarantee that the United States will not go crazy and shameless?

Su Yuanshan felt sick when he thought about expanding from 20% technology to any technology.

Therefore, instead of raising ASML, it is better to destroy it quickly.

If the Asian EUV Alliance fails to live up to its expectations, Deyuan will be forced to use infiltration technology to its advantage, and high-end chips will become more expensive in the future.

*

*

"Professor Zheng, welcome to the Department of Electrical Engineering."

Three days before the start of the school year, Su Yuanshan returned to the Department of Electrical Engineering to attend the school faculty meeting. Although he behaved like a visiting professor or a distinguished professor, since he won the MacMillan Award, the school directly made him a full-time faculty member. full-time professor.

The advantage of this is that all the papers and achievements of Su Yuanshan since then are of course the achievements of the Department of Electrical Engineering. At that time, when Su Xinghe was looking for a "organization" for his son, there were still a handful of people who were slandering... But as Su Yuanshan won the Wolf Prize and the Nobel Prize, even the most unhappy people had to admit that this move Well done indeed.

Su Xinghe naturally came back to participate in this faculty meeting and personally handed the baton to Li Gaoliang. At the same time, he also brought back Professor Zheng Qiang, the dean of the newly established School of Polymer Materials of the Department of Electrical Engineering.

After the meeting, Su Yuanshan and Xi Xiaoding took Zheng Qiang into Mr. Xi's office.

"Professor Su, we meet again." Professor Zheng is in his forties this year, with a red face and a smile that belongs to middle-aged people. Since he can come here, he naturally knows how he got here: "Professor Xi, I have long admired you. Long time admirer."

"Professor Zheng, I have admired you for a long time." Xi Xiaoding laughed and said, "I always heard this guy say that he met a great buddy at Z University. I was very unconvinced when I heard that, and thought that I have no relationship with you. Okay? Hey... I didn't expect that he actually invited you here."

There were no outsiders here, not even Mr. Xi's graduate students. There were only three big men sitting on the sofa, so Xi Xiaoding started to speak freely.

"Ahem...Senior brother, Brother Qiang and I just met each other late, okay?"

"Well, that's what you said to me back then."

Seeing the two people joking with each other without scruples, Professor Zheng laughed loudly: "But I really didn't expect to come to the Department of Electrical Engineering."

"Actually, it's normal. Electrical Engineering also needs to transform." Su Yuanshan smiled and pushed the teacup in front of Professor Zheng Qiang: "Nowadays, all walks of life are talking about transformation, and schools are no exception... In the traditional communications and electronics fields, Dianke is now regarded as a leader in the country, and IT is second to none. But in the field of materials, especially polymer materials, Dianke has only developed in the past few years."

"We are not in a hurry to get rid of the prefix electronics, but it does not mean that we will cling to traditional fields. The future path of electronics science is still to develop towards comprehensive universities, at least comprehensive development of science and engineering. That's why I hired you. The subject leader is here..."

Hearing what Su Yuanshan said, no matter how thick-faced Professor Zheng was, he quickly waved his hand: "It doesn't count, it doesn't count, it's too much praise. It's too much praise."

Just kidding, the scholar in front of me is a Nobel Prize winner and an internationally renowned figure in condensed matter physics...

Su Yuanshan smiled slightly: "Actually, the Department of Electrical Engineering is really a good school."

"Yeah." Professor Zheng agreed casually.

But then he was stunned.

There seems to be something in this "nonsense".

Seeing Professor Zheng's doubts, Su Yuanshan and Xi Xiaoding looked at each other and smiled at the same time.

Of course, there are some things that cannot be said now. And it's not convenient for them to talk... Otherwise, what does it mean to be a principal who enjoys high-level treatment in a school like Nuo University?

"But Electronic Technology also has problems, and there are quite a few." Su Yuanshan continued the topic without leaving any trace, and said with a smile: "For example, in the past few years, Electronic Technology has been pursuing internationalization, even to the point of being somewhat blind. .”

Professor Zheng stopped smiling and looked at Su Yuanshan seriously.

Even if he thought about it with his toes, he knew that Su Yuanshan couldn't be gossiping about his father, Professor Su Xinghe, behind his back in front of him... Obviously this was intentional.

"Internationalization is certainly true, but as we discussed a few months ago, while pursuing internationalization, we should not forget national self-confidence. The self-confidence of students is even more important than having more foreign students."

Hearing Su Yuanshan's old talk again, Professor Zheng finally nodded cautiously and said with a smile: "That's the truth."

"In addition, because the Electronic Science and Technology Department has risen in a short period of time, it also has a complicated internal network of relationships... Coupled with the foreign teachers who come to communicate, overall, the school is still a bit complicated."

With that said, Su Yuanshan briefly introduced the situation to Professor Zheng.

After all, he brought this old man here, and he is responsible for revitalizing a new school in the Department of Electrical Engineering. If Professor Zheng gets into all kinds of messy things when he comes here... then he will obviously not be able to cope with it.

Moreover, in Su Yuanshan's view, the biggest problem of Electronic Science and Technology is that in the process of rapid rise, the three consecutive principals are "our people" who come from the same lineage as Electronic Science and Technology.

This certainly allows us to stick to the established line and do a good job of following the rules and regulations.

But it will inevitably make interest groups stronger and closer.

To put it bluntly, it is easier to be born and learn F.

And this is not possible.