Top Student: Experience Infinite Occupations

240 Introduction and Production

Li Chengqian smiled under everyone’s gazes.

He walked under the big screen and turned on the microphone and computer.

“Welcome to the Divine Dragon Software Company! I’m Li Chengqian.” After Li Chengqian made a simple introduction, he pressed a button on the computer.

On the big screen behind him, the main parameters of the Divine Dragon Model 1 lithography machine were immediately displayed!

“The Divine Dragon Model 1 lithography machine can produce 7- to 90-nanometer chips!”

“It can adapt to silicon slices 50 to 450 mm in diameter!”

“Under normal circumstances, it can process 300 slices of 450 mm silicon per hour! It can process 216,000 silicon slices per month!”

Following Li Chengqian’s introduction of the Divine Dragon Model 1 lithography machine, many people’s eyes widened as they looked at Li Chengqian in disbelief.

“It can actually adapt to silicon sheets with a diameter of 450 mm!” Most lithography machines in the world only supported silicon sheets with a diameter of 300 mm.

This was because as the diameter of the silicon sheet expanded, it would be more demanding to control the accuracy of the lithography machine console.

Even ASML had very few lithography machines that could adapt to 450 mm silicon slices, and the price was about 30% more expensive than a lithography machine that could adapt to 300 mm silicon slices.

The price of an ordinary DUV lithography machine was 300 million yuan, but the price of a DUV lithography machine that could process 450 mm silicon slices would go up to 400 million yuan.

“The production efficiency of the Divine Dragon Model 1 lithography machine is much higher than that of ASML!”

“The ASML lithography machine can only process 200 slices of 300 mm silicon an hour. The Divine Dragon Model 1 lithography machine can process 300 slices of 400 mm silicon an hour.”

“If converted to 300 mm, the Divine Dragon Model 1 lithography machine can process 600 slices of 300 mm silicon in an hour… It’s speed is three times faster than ASML!”

“If what Li Chengqian said is true, with the Divine Dragon Model 1 lithography machine, we can produce 430,000 slices of 300 mm silicon a month.” Many people were stunned by the production efficiency Li Chengqian stated.

“That’s impossible! We’ve just developed a DUV lithography machine, and it’s already more advanced than ASML’s?” Some people were suspicious.

“These numbers are too exaggerated!”

“It’s true. If these words didn’t come from Li Chengqian himself, I would have turned around and left!”

After Li Chengqian gave a simple introduction to the Divine Dragon Model 1 lithography machine, he paused. Seeing the hesitation in the eyes of many people, he continued with a smile.

“Just now, I introduced the various parameters of the Divine Dragon Model 1 lithography machine!”

Under everyone’s puzzled gazes, Li Chengqian’s hand gently tapped on the computer.

Immediately, a video started playing on the big screen.

The scene on the big screen was exactly the same as the situation in the factory.

The image was facing the lithography machine in the lithography room.

On the screen, the silicon slices on the workbench were moving quickly.

Each time there was a pause after moving, a strong light flashed in the lens above the silicon.

In the blink of an eye, a slice of silicon was completed and sent out by the machine.

“This is a video clip of the test run done on the Divine Dragon Model 1 lithography machine this morning!”

“A silicon chip with a diameter of 150 mm was used to produce the Kirin 14-nanometer chip.”

“The mask of the chip was borrowed from the National Chip Company.”

Following what Li Chengqian said, a close-up of the mask appeared in the video.

“A total of 1,680 chips were produced in this test run. After testing, there were 1,650 good-grade chips… The actual pass rate is 98.2%.”

While Li Chengqian was speaking, the scene on the big screen turned into the scene of the chip test.

“Based on the test run this morning, the Divine Dragon Model 1 lithography machine has already reached the most advanced international level in the production of 14-nanometer chips!”

“As for the other processes, I haven’t conducted any test runs for the time being because there’s no mask!”

Everyone’s attention was glued to the video from the minute it was played. There were still some discussions in the crowd and some commotion.

After Li Chengqian’s video showed the lithography machine working, all the small talk stopped.

Everyone looked at the video, afraid that they would miss a scene. Everyone pricked up their ears, afraid that they would miss a single word Li Chengqian said.

When they heard Li Chengqian say that the pass rate of 14-nanometer chips was 98%, many people were stunned.

Especially the engineers of the National Chip Company. When they heard this pass rate, they felt like they had heard a fairy tale.

This was because the National Chip Company only achieved a pass rate of 62% in their production of 14-nanometer chips!

Don’t think that 62% was a low rate! In fact, this was already the average score internationally! It was not low at all.

However, Li Chengqian said that the Divine Dragon Model 1 had achieved a pass rate of 98%.

This was an extremely terrifying number.

Many people were stunned by what Li Chengqian said!

“President Li, is this for real?” Even Wang Yizhi, who had always appeared refined and magnanimous, widened his eyes when he heard Li Chengqian say this number. Then, he couldn’t wait to ask.

Seeing Li Chengqian nod confidently, Wang Yizhi raised another request. He said tentatively, “President Li, can you let us test the performance of this machine!”

“Director Wang, no problem!” Li Chengqian smiled and nodded.

When Wang Yizhi saw Li Chengqian nod without any hesitation, he was certain!

Originally, he felt that Li Chengqian was exaggerating to a certain extent. However, when he agreed without hesitation, it proved that he had strong confidence in this machine.

Before Wang Yizhi could speak, Li Chengqian smiled and said, “President Wang, test runs take a long time!”

“Test runs n can only be done at the end.”

“Let me share the relevant matters first!”

Wang Yizhi nodded. Anticipation flashed across his eyes. “Of course!”

He came prepared this time. Not only did he bring all the relevant engineers from the National Chip Company, he had also asked the engineers to bring 120 mm to 300 mm silicon chips.

He also brought 10-nanometer, 14-nanometer, 28-nanometer, and 45-nanometer chip masks.

He had also brought some of the other materials needed to produce the chips!

As long as Li Chengqian agreed to let him do the test runs, he could use the materials he brought to test the true standards of the Divine Dragon Model 1 lithography machine.

“Everyone, we just played a video clip of the Divine Dragon Model 1 photolithography machine test run!”

“And released the statistics.”

“Next, I want to tell everyone something that will make everyone feel more at ease.”

“The Divine Dragon Model 1 lithography machine is 100% domestic machine!”

After Li Chengqian said this, everyone looked at Li Chengqian with even more disbelief.

This was even more shocking than the 98% pass rate.

That was because a 100% domestic photolithography machine was not possible at all!

The lens, light source, ultra-precision motor!

These were challenges that could not be overcome. These were the reasons why the development of lithography machines had not taken off.

“What does that mean?”

“It means that the most important parts of this lithography machine, the lens, the light source, and the motor are all domestically produced!”

“The ultra-precision motor used in the lithography machine is produced by Huichuan Corporation, a subsidiary of the Divine Dragon Software Company.”

“The high-power light source equipment used in the lithography machine was produced by Aviation Light Source Corporation, a subsidiary of the Divine Dragon Software Company

“The lithography glass lens used in the lithography machine was produced by Special Optics Corporation, a subsidiary of the Divine Dragon Software Company.”

“The other non-critical parts were all purchased from domestic companies!”

“This is through and through, 100% domestically produced!”

“Furthermore, all the parts can be mass-produced…”

“If we commence production with all our might, it won’t be a problem to produce hundreds of machines a year.”

In fact, the market for lithography machines wasn’t big. Only one to two hundred units were sold a year.

It was not as profitable as the operating systems.

However, the lithography machine was not just a business! It was also the key to chip production. That was why Li Chengqian had put in so much effort to develop and produce the lithography machine.

After Li Chengqian said this, he stopped and looked calmly at the stunned Wang Yizhi.

There was a full minute of silence, as if someone had pressed the mute button! Everyone looked at Li Chengqian in extreme shock.

In everyone’s minds, there was only one sentence that Li Chengqian had just said. This sentence deeply shocked everyone.

“”This is through and through, 100% domestically produced! Moreover, we can produce hundreds of units a year!”

Then, another thought came to everyone’s minds.

ASML was probably finished this time!

“President Li, is what you said just now true?” Wang Yizhi finally recovered and said with a trembling voice. He looked at Li Chengqian anxiously.

The others would only think that Li Chengqian was formidable. As for how formidable he was and how it would affect the entire chip industry, they didn’t have much of an idea.

Only Wang Yizhi knew the gravity of Li Chengqian’s words and actions!

If what Li Chengqian said was true, the entire world order would change.

He had broken the chokehold on the chip industry, which was the DUV lithography machine.

No country can limit the development potential of the Divine Dragon in integrated circuits any more.

Huawei chips that had been banned from production would appear again and lead the world!

Moreover, a large number of chips that originally needed to be imported could now be produced in the Divine Dragon Country. After the production cost was reduced, there would be at least 80% cost savings.

Now that they had their own production capacity, the structure of the chip industry would likely be changed.

In the future, the chips produced by the Divine Dragon would be sold worldwide and bring a large amount of wealth from other countries into the Divine Dragon.

Moreover, Li Chengqian had just said that he could produce hundreds of DUV lithography machines a year…

In the entire world, the total annual consumption was less than 200 units!

Based on the production efficiency of the Divine Dragon Model 1 lithography machine, as long as the price did not exceed that of ASML’s…

In the future, ASML would really have nothing to do with the DUV lithography machine!