Huada Jiutian’s recruitment notice did not cause any sensation in the industry, because EDA’s plate was too small.

In 2021, the global semiconductor industry sales reached US$518.8 billion, but the EDA industry, as the chip base, is only about US$7 billion, which is incredible.

China's eca's sales do not account for even 1% of the US$7 billion.

In this case, foreign giants are too lazy to care about the development of China's EDA.

What if you make trouble?

And then again, you should know that any eda software is linked to the market. eda is the product of cooperation between upstream manufacturers, design manufacturers, manufacturers, packaging and testing manufacturers. Any backward or missing link will have an impact on eda tools.

To give the simplest example, the most advanced eda software abroad can design, simulate, and verify 5nm or even 3nm chips. What about domestic eda? It is still hovering around 28nm, and the gap is as far as the earth and the moon.

Just when foreign eA companies disagree, China's eA software set sail again after thirty years.

...

At 9:00 a.m. on April 18, No. 1525, Zhangdong Road, China Overseas Free Trade Zone.

This is the headquarters of China Overseas Microelectronics Equipment Co., Ltd. (smee), and the R&D base of China Overseas Microelectronics Equipment Co., Ltd. (xhzz) is also established here.

At this time, in a large laboratory with a single floor area of ​​more than 5,000 square meters, countless researchers wearing white dust-free suits were busy, and many humanoid robots were also freely traveling through it, bringing people a visual impact on a science fiction blockbuster scene!

At this moment, a large group of people emerged from the second floor of the laboratory, both old and middle-aged and young.

The three people who were surrounded by everyone were the leaders of GWY who came to inspect and investigate, Smee Chairman Sun Liqun and Chen Xu.

Sun Liqun introduced: "These robots are all special industrial robots developed and manufactured by Xinghai Technology...

Light source system, camera optical system, focus scanning system, video acquisition system and monitoring software, etc. are also exclusively developed by Xinghai Technology and own all intellectual property rights..."

"It's amazing! No wonder people say on the Internet that Xinghai is the future star of China's technology."

Accompanying Chen Xu, who was ahead of the curve, said modestly: "We have always been over-rewarded, and we still have many shortcomings."

The leader patted his shoulder kindly, then walked forward along the transparent corridor set up on the visiting platform, looking at it while walking, and asked, "What are the main difficulties at the moment?"

"The main reason is that the mechanical accuracy needs to be improved... It has two workpiece tables that move synchronously, one with negative film and one with film. The two need to be synchronized at all times, with the error below 2nm. The two work tables from static to dynamic, and the acceleration is similar to missile launch..."

After Sun Liqun rushed to introduce it, the leader turned around and asked Chen Xu on the right, "Xiao Chen, how long will it take for you to successfully develop it?"

Chen Xu organized a speech and said, "If everything goes well, it will probably be the end of this year!"

After saying that, Chen Xu followed again: "Because it was the first time I had no experience in doing it, and some key parts were stuck, they could only be developed through independent research and development. However, it should be very easy to wait until 7nm."

The leader was surprised to hear this and said, "7nm?"

Sun Liqun rushed to introduce again and said, "You heard it right, it's 7nm.

While we and Xinghai are developing 14nm and 10nm, we are also laying out 7nm, and our 7nm technology is slightly different from those from abroad..."

After hearing this, the leader nodded and reached out to pat Chen Xu's arm again, "Well, you are a good person!"

Chen Xu felt a little embarrassed when he was praised, and laughed and didn't say anything.

An hour later, the leaders and entourage who were visiting the investigation left in Coaster. Chen Xu returned to the office and collapsed on the sofa, saying, "I feel more tired than doing ten days of experiments."

Zhang Haichun, the general manager of Zhongxing Microelectronics, who followed in, smiled and said: "Only people who are academics don't like this kind of occasion. It should be better if they get used to it later."

Zhang Haichun is a big shot in the field of lithography machines. He has worked for Asml and TSMC one after another. He was even hired as a senior chief engineer by SMEE, but later resigned for some reasons.

His status in the international academic circle is even better than that of Zhou Donglin.

"Haha, maybe." Chen Xu said, sitting up and lit a cigarette, "How is the experiment of the super precision workpiece table?"

"Not ideal. At present, the experiment can only reach 5nm at most. There is still a certain gap between the required 2nm. Germany and Japan..."

Chen Xu listened for a while, then put out the cigarettes and stood up and said, "Let's go, take me over and take a look."

Lithography machines are different from other equipment, and most of the components in them need to be specially customized.

What does it mean? It is impossible for you to buy accessories on the market to assemble them.

The higher the level of customization, the higher the proportion. When it reaches the 10nm level, more than 90% of them are customized.

And it’s not something you can customize just by wanting it. It depends on whether upstream manufacturers are willing to accept your orders.

He used to buy accessories from the Netherlands at a high price because if all of them were produced by themselves, he would not say whether they could be produced in a short time. Even if they could be made, the price would be more than ten times more expensive!

But it won't work in the future. Europe, America, Japan and South Korea have imposed a comprehensive technical blockade on Xinghai, and the Netherlands has passed the xhzz order application.

Not only the Netherlands, but also the parts orders from Germany and Japan benzene were broken, resulting in the most critical ultra-precision workpiece table not meeting the satisfactory requirements.

When he arrived at the laboratory, Chen Xu controlled the robot to adjust the super-precision workpiece table, while Xiaobai re-writes the control program based on the feedback results on the computer.

Once, twice, ten times...

This took twelve hours to do it. I was so hungry that I couldn't hold on and then went out to eat a little, and then continued to devote myself to the experiment.

The adjustment of ultra-precision machinery is very time-consuming and energy-consuming. Engineers from the United States and Zeiss in Germany may adjust each component for more than ten years.

Of course, Chen Xu couldn't spend ten years adjusting a component like those engineers, and he didn't need to.

Xiaobai will save him 99% of the steps.

Half a month later, after Chen Xu's work of working day and night, the accuracy of the ultra-precision workpiece table was adjusted to 3nm.

This is a milestone moment!

Because the 3nm ultra-precision workpiece table has met the preparation process requirements of the 14nm lithography machine.

From this moment on, China has fully mastered the manufacturing technology of 14nm lithography machines.

Hundreds of engineers all surrounded and watched the super-precision workpiece table running at high speed on the simulator, tears came out in many people's eyes.

Warm applause rang out in the huge laboratory.

"Smack it..."

For many years, China has been clamoring to manufacture "Chinese cores", but because it cannot create cutting-edge lithography machines, this dream can only stay in fantasy.

In core fields such as machinery, communication equipment, corporate finance, aerospace, etc., foreign chips have to be used in large quantities.

As we all know, chips can open the back door, and it is very easy.

The most dangerous thing is that as long as you don’t pull out the battery, all your actions and information can be easily obtained through the back door of the chip, and you don’t know it yet.

To give the simplest example, smartphones generally have GPS chips, which can be positioned even if they are turned off.

Dr. Zhang Haichun looked at the data running on the computer and said excitedly: "Okay... OK! That's really great!"

Chen Xu said with a smile: "It's still a little bit bad! But it's almost the limit. If you want to reach the 10nm preparation process, you can only think of a solution from the hardware."

"It's already very awesome..."

The engineers on the scene looked at Chen Xu with admiration.

Soon, Smee's chairman Sun Liqun and Dr. Lu Jiarong rushed over after hearing the news. They were so excited that they could dance with each other when they saw the running data.

"It's so great!" Sun Liqun said as he ran towards the laboratory gate. It seemed that he was going to call the superior department to report the good news.
Chapter completed!