Super Dimension Technology Era

End of April.

After Shenguang Instrument merged with the microelectronics company, it recruited domestically to expand the production capacity of Shenguang 1X-ray lithography machine and Shenguang 0.5X-ray lithography machine.

Although due to process difficulty, the Shenguang 1 X-ray lithography machine can currently only produce one unit every 43 days.

However, the relatively low-level Shenguang 0.5X-ray lithography machine can produce about 6 to 8 units a month.

In April, Shenguang Instrument Company produced a total of five Shenguang 0.5X-ray lithography machines, including three at the 16nm level, one at the 14nm level, and one at the 12nm level.

As soon as these photolithography machines came out, they were immediately taken away by various companies.

As a company that has just entered the chip manufacturing industry, Huawei's HiSilicon company has separated out some elite forces, and they have also attracted a heavyweight to join HiSilicon.

In order to develop nearby, HiSilicon has set up its headquarters and factory in Shanmei.

Anyway, their company has just been established, unlike SMIC, Unisoc, Huada Semiconductor, and Yangtze Memory, which already have production bases.

Based on the idea of ​​​​first-served-first-served basis for those near the water, HiSilicon Chip Company's factory is located in Shanmei Bubian Industrial Zone.

A 16-nanometer X-ray lithography machine that I just grabbed is currently undergoing intense debugging.

However, this factory is also being renovated. The previous factory level here did not meet the requirements of chip manufacturing.

Zhang Rujing, who was full of energy, was busy, supervising the construction and renovation of the factory while looking at the photolithography machine in front of him in the temporary prefabricated room.

For a chip person, especially a Chinese chip person, the lithography machine is an eternal pain in their heart.

"Dr. Zhang, the debugging can only go here. Your factory is not completed yet. Further debugging needs to be placed in the production line before it can be carried out." The engineer captain of Shenguang Instrument Company reminded.

Zhang Rujing thanked you: "Thank you very much. Our factory will be available for use next month. I won't bother you again then."

"You're welcome, it's all within your scope."

The engineering team of Shenguang Instruments left with the debugging equipment.

Everyone at HiSilicon, especially Zhang Rujing, stared at the lithography machine with bright eyes, as if looking at their own children.

The reason why Huawei invests in HiSilicon chips is mainly just in case. TSMC may not be reliable. Once the pressure from the Americans is too great, TSMC will be unable to withstand the pressure.

In the past, due to immature conditions, Huawei felt powerless to develop chip manufacturing. Simply having the lithography machine stuck was a deadlock.

The sudden rise of Shenguang Instruments is a rare opportunity for Huawei. Huawei has another advantage in developing chip manufacturing, that is, in the early stages of development, the chips produced can be used by oneself, avoiding the embarrassment of not being able to find orders. .

In many matters, Huawei's strategic vision is obvious to all, at least it is not as fragile as ZTE.

By taking down chip manufacturing, you can avoid being strangled by others in the future, and you can also build a complete industrial ecosystem.

…

the other side.

Inside the SMIC factory in Jiangcheng.

A group of engineers are nervously debugging the production line. The equipment being adjusted is mainly the etching machine and the ion implanter.

In terms of lithography machines, engineers from Shenguang Instruments are also watching.

Li Weiguang said uneasily: "Mr. Zhao, is it too risky for us to do this?"

Zhao Jun responded desperately: "Intel is testing the 14nm process. If we develop 16nm now, when we perfect the 16nm process, the other party may move to 12nm. If this continues, we will always be one generation behind the other party."

It is for this reason that Zhao Jun plans to directly launch the 12-nanometer process. Of course, this is also the Shenguang 1X-ray lithography machine in hand, which gives SMIC the courage to make a desperate move.

As the Shenguang 1 X-ray lithography machine that can produce 10-nanometer and 7-nanometer chips, it is more than enough to produce 12-nanometer chips.

The problem that SMIC needs to solve now is the matching and adjustment of etching machines, ion implanters and other equipment.

There is still a certain degree of competitiveness in these equipments in China. For example, the etching machines of Shanghai Micro Semiconductor are good, but there is still a certain gap in other equipment, such as ion implanters, vacuum sputtering coating machines, and developing machines. .

Fortunately, Shenguang Instruments' photolithography machines and photoresists have successfully broken ASML's monopoly on high-end photolithography machines.

In addition, SMIC has also accumulated some imported equipment over the years, which is the confidence that Zhao Jun dares to take risks.

However, SMIC's internal problems are not small, especially the four major shareholders who are fighting each other. The first largest shareholder is Datang Telecom, the second largest shareholder is the large fund China Investment, and the third and fourth largest shareholders are Shanghai Industrial, TSMC.

SMIC's management has always wanted to maintain an independent and international approach, mainly because most of SMIC's customers are overseas customers.

Datang Telecom hopes to control SMIC and turn it into a new pillar industry for itself.

Therefore, the battle between major shareholders and management is inevitable, and TSMC will not allow Datang Telecom to annex SMIC.

This shows how serious the strife within SMIC is.

This time, Zhao Jun also devoted all his efforts to the research and development of 12-nanometer chips in order to suppress Datang Telecom, hoping to take advantage of the victory and suppress Datang Telecom.

…

In fact, Shenguang Instrument Group also has shares in SMIC, part of which is 2% obtained from the lithography machine sales contract; the other part was directly acquired by Huang Mingzhe in the Mi stock market.

Ghost has secretly registered tens of thousands of accounts in offshore areas around the world.

Before the Shenguang 1 X-ray lithography machine was announced, Huang Mingzhe was short ASML and long SMIC.

Using the profits from shorting ASML, Ghost currently holds 11.63% of SMIC shares in the United States.

However, since this part of the stock is scattered among various unrelated accounts, no one knows that Huang Mingzhe already holds 13.63% of SMIC's shares.

Other companies that purchase Shenguang lithography machines also have more or less shares in Shenguang Instruments.

Among them, HiSilicon has the largest share, accounting for 15%, making it the second largest shareholder of HiSilicon.

This is Sisi Society's strategy. Shenguang Instruments does not need to directly produce chips, but it must maintain influence among chip manufacturing companies.

This situation is different from ASML, which is jointly controlled by various chip manufacturing companies. Chip manufacturing companies such as Sanxin Electronics, TSMC, Intel, Texas Instruments, and Global Ark all have shares in ASML.

Obviously Thinking Society is more powerful than Asmai.

While Huang Mingzhe was thinking about self-protection, he asked Ghost to speed up the acquisition of SMIC's shares. Obviously, he wanted to control SMIC.

TSMC is also worried. Although Zhang Zhongmou wants to balance ASML's dominance by purchasing Shenguang X-ray lithography machines, the problem is that TSMC is now unable to help itself.

Because the largest shareholder of TSMC is an American, Zhang Zhongmou is just a high-level wage earner. Once he angers the American wild father, he will not be able to bear the consequences.

Through SMIC's internal announcement, TSMC already knows that the other party is developing 12-nanometer chips.

TSMC, like Intel, is still developing 14 nanometers. Money has been invested, so we can’t give up halfway now!

Zhang Zhongmou could only say that it was too difficult for me.