Reinventing the Millennium.

Fang Zhuo landed in Luzhou at 11:52 pm, and then went to the Bingxin factory. It was almost 1 am when he arrived.

We were in such a hurry only because we were informed of the latest news from Xinyang's R&D laboratory. A team led by Chai Qingliang built a suitable resin system after using a new polyester cyclic acrylate, and then launched an ArF photoresist based on the original one. The result after preliminary testing was - it was usable.

It's just a preliminary test, but these two simple words are particularly touching.

Available.

Everyone knows the current situation of Yi Ke and Bing Xin. Therefore, when Fang Zhuo received the call, he knew that the information that was given to him in this situation must be extremely critical, and the information must have been quite certain. It was just out of caution that he did not give a 100% guarantee.

At 1:15 in the morning, Fang Zhuo met with Chai Qingliang, the head of the research and development team that made usable photoresist, and listened to his report on the relevant situation.

Chai Qingliang spoke slowly, focusing on the impact of the new ring structure on the polymer's heat resistance, optical properties, and the interaction between the three formula resins.

Fang Zhuo was already quite accustomed to the characteristics of the R&D personnel's reports. He listened to the story patiently and asked, "If this kind of photoresist is applied to production, what is the expected initial yield rate?"

"About 30%." Chai Qingliang replied calmly.

Such a yield rate is undoubtedly unqualified for a wafer manufacturing company and it is difficult to be competitive, but it has solved the problem of creating something from scratch.

Everyone present understands the significance of this breakthrough.

However, as the head of Xinyang, Wang Fuxiang said a few more words after hearing this: "We will continue to adjust the formula of the photoresist this time, increase its sensitivity to wavelength light, reduce line width roughness and improve imaging quality. I believe we can continue to improve the yield."

He turned his head to look at Chai Qingliang and asked, "Right, am I right?"

Chai Qingliang pondered for a moment and replied slowly: "That's true in theory, but it's not certain how it will work in practice. Anyway, let's just give it a try."

Wang Fuxiang was somewhat helpless. This woodworker was just like that...

In fact, Xinyang Luzhou is simultaneously conducting research and development of 12 types of photoresist resins. Originally, another team was more promising, but unexpectedly, Chai Qingliang made a breakthrough first.

Chai Qingliang is a listless person. He gives people the feeling that "a breakthrough is good", "no breakthrough is no breakthrough", "maybe the yield rate can be improved", "maybe the yield rate cannot be improved". It doesn't matter what happens. He has no passion at all.

However, now that the results of the preliminary tests are out, he is not listless at all. Instead, he is clearly steady enough to accomplish great things, calm enough in times of crisis, resolute enough to stick to his heart in the midst of chaos, and wise enough to deal with challenges calmly!
Wang Fuxiang couldn't refute the hero's words, and his eyes unconsciously looked at Yan Zongrui, the senior vice president of Bingxin, wanting him to talk about the situation.

Before Yan Zongrui could say anything, the office door was suddenly pushed open and Bingxin CEO Qiu Ciyu hurried in.

Fang Zhuo stood up to welcome him, exchanged a few simple words and then asked him to sit next to him and listen.

"There is still a lot of room for optimization of the 2-8 photoresist. The 30% yield can definitely be improved, Mr. Fang, because this is not just a photoresist problem. For example, we can do optical proximity correction OPC, phase shift mask PSM and other optimizations, which can improve the propagation and interaction of light, and optimize the resolution and contrast of the pattern." Yan Zongrui has been in charge of this area for more than a year. He talked about it without thinking too much. "It's just that it's hard to guarantee how high the final yield can be. 50%? 60%?"

Whether it is 60% or 50%, this is a huge difference from the ice core’s previous competitiveness.

Qiu Ciyun said at this time: "Boss Yan, just tell me your conclusion directly."

Yan Zongrui hesitated for a moment, then briefly gave his team's opinion: "It's enough."

Enough!

The conclusion from the photoresist R&D team is – it’s usable!
The conclusion from the ice core production line team is – it’s enough!
Even if the yield rate eventually stops at 50% or 60%, it is enough!

Fang Zhuo heaved a sigh of relief when he heard Yan Zongrui's decisive words. He then exchanged glances with Qiu Ciyun, and then looked at Chai Qingliang, who had made the first contribution: "Boss Chai, what do you want?"

What are your requirements?
These are the words given by the head of YiKe, one of the richest people in the world and the founder of the YiKe system at this early morning today. The meaning is self-evident. No matter what the requirements are, they will be met as much as possible, within the scope of our capabilities, and we will probably do our best to strive for them beyond our capabilities.

When Wang Fuxiang, the head of Xinyang, heard this, his heart skipped a beat and he wished he could answer on behalf of Chai Qingliang.

"Hmm..." Chai Qingliang made a sound of thinking through his nose, and after a while he answered, "Can I ask it later? I need to think about it carefully."

Fang Zhuo laughed: "Okay, call me anytime."

When Liu Zonghong heard this, he immediately gave the worker his boss's private number and YiXin.

Fang Zhuo put away his smile, looked at Xinyang's head Wang Fuxiang, and asked, "Boss Wang, what do you want?"

Wang Fuxiang immediately replied: "Mr. Fang, we are all working for the domestic industry. What can I ask for? I just hope that our upstream and downstream can develop more. I hope everyone will not look at other people's faces. Xinyang is lucky to have some achievements this time. I am sincerely happy for Yike and Bingxin. Both Yike and Bingxin are leaders in the industry. As long as you are doing well, our industry will also be good, and our Xinyang will naturally be good."

Fang Zhuo nodded slightly and said after a moment of hesitation: "Okay, Mr. Wang, I will ask for credit for you this time."

Qiu Ciyun calmed down and said to Vice President Yan Zongrui: "Mr. Yan, we need to cooperate with the optimization of photoresist. Every point increase in yield is good. In addition, we need to prepare for the optimization of 10nm."

Including Chai Qingliang, everyone felt a chill in their hearts. Indeed, the work was not over yet.

Fang Zhuo thanked Wang Fuxiang and Chai Qingliang again, shook hands with them tightly, and personally saw them out. When he returned to the office, he saw Mr. Qiu drinking tea in big gulps.

"It's usable, it's enough." Fang Zhuo sat down again, covering his face with his hands, and his voice came out from between his fingers, "It's usable, it's enough, hey!"

"It's enough for Yi Ke, but it still needs a lot of optimization for the ice core." Qiu Ciyun supported himself with the back of the chair and smiled, "But it's enough now, right?"

Fang Zhuo leaned back in his chair and rubbed his face vigorously with his hands. It seemed that the strength in his body was only enough to answer with two words: "Enough."

This is the water that comes naturally, the blade that solves the problem easily!

As long as there is production capacity, what else is lacking!

The four people in the office suddenly fell silent, and the silence of the early morning spread in.

After a long time, Fang Zhuo stood up and said, "If the 16nm photoresist can be solved, can the 10nm one be consistent?"

"That's right." Qiu Ciyun confirmed this. "We use multiple exposure technology, which can avoid drastically adjusting the photoresist formula to adapt to smaller process nodes to a certain extent."

Yan Zongrui added: "Photoresist still needs some work at 10nm, because it needs to withstand additional exposure and etching, so it requires higher tolerance and stability. In addition, in order to adapt to the more complex process of multiple exposures, photoresist needs a higher exposure dose window and development conditions to ensure repeatability and yield."

Photoresist is not just a matter of chemical formula, but also requires optimization of supporting materials such as bottom anti-reflective coating, top coating, as well as comprehensive optimization of the process.

He knew that Dr. Liang was doing 10nm research and development at SMIC. Once a breakthrough was made in the process there, they would face problems similar to the one Bingxin had faced this time. By then, more complex adjustments would be needed in the photoresist because the process flows on both sides were different.

However, although these problems are difficult, they are different from the production suspension caused by the shortage of photoresist.

Fang Zhuo nodded silently.

After a moment, he said with emotion: "After all, I am stumbling and struggling to get out."

Whether it is 16nm or 10nm, these two advanced processes can guarantee competitiveness for a considerable period of time in the future. During this period, they will continue to feed back to the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain, allowing them to continue to improve, so that the entire system can operate to detect deficiencies and fill in the gaps.

As long as the system can work, big problems will become small problems, and small problems will become no problems.

"I'm almost dying..." Qiu Ciyun took a deep breath, "This damn suspension of production and work has left me sleepless nights!"

Fang Zhuo couldn't help but laugh and said, "I can fall asleep."

Qiu Ciyun muttered, "How can you sleep? Yike's stock price has dropped by 2000% to %, how can you sleep? Damn, I have never seen Yike's stock price drop by nearly billion US dollars! More than trillion Chinese yuan evaporated, I dare not even think about it... And the US market is gone, and employees are leaving, how can you sleep?"

Bingxin has stopped production and operations, but Yike has directly evaporated more than ten times the market value of Bingxin!
The global market was in turmoil, layoffs were initiated, shipments were controlled, stocks were burning, public opinion was criticized, and short sellers were besieged. The company also had to face pressure from all directions...

Qiu Ciyun didn't dare to think about the lost market value of Yike, nor did he allow himself to think about the pressure that Mr. Fang was facing.

But today, we can think about these and talk about them.

"Hahahahaha."

Fang Zhuo laughed out loud.

Qiu Ciyun looked at Liu Zonghong and said, "Check to see if your boss is crazy!"

"I just can sleep." Fang Zhuo said, "Hey", put his hands on the table, stood up and walked around the office. "What can you do to me? Hey, what can you do to me?"

Qiu Ciyun knew that these two sentences were probably not directed at him.

He poured another cup of tea, as if it could cool the heat in his heart, and said, "It's hard to go from 0 to 1, but it's much easier to go from 1 to the top. There is a solution to the Bingxin game."

Liu Zonghong said at this time: "It's just like 'one piece solves two problems' in Go!"

Qiu Ciyun was surprised and asked, "Xiao Liu also knows Go?"

“Hehe, I don’t understand. It’s just that AI Go was very popular a while ago, so I followed it and heard it at that time.” Liu Zonghong said with a smile.

One piece can solve two problems at the same time, which means that one piece placed on the chessboard can solve the problem of two pieces being captured at the same time.

Qiu Ciyun sighed, "That's right, one move can solve two problems, one move can affect the whole body, and one move can bring the whole game to life!"

Fang Zhuo listened to the conversation between the two men, opened the window of his office, let in the cool breeze from outside, and looked out at the dark night. He still felt his temples throbbing.

Seeing that he hadn't said anything for a long time, Qiu Ciyun walked over to the side and asked, "What are you thinking about? The next task will be clear."

Many scenes flashed through Fang Zhuo's mind at this moment, including the beautiful night when he led the inspection team to Luzhou, the waves when he and Qiu Ciyun watched the machines being loaded on the ship at the American dock, the passing of the torch when he visited Hu Zhengming, the wine he poured for Liang Mengsong when he invited him, the sadness when he said goodbye to Zhang Rujing, and the feeling of being a hero in the world when he met Jiang Shangzhou for the last time...

"What am I thinking about?" Fang Zhuo repeated in a murmur, his mind was empty. Suddenly, his mind gathered and he grinned, "Hey, I was thinking, killing millions of soldiers in Jiangnan, and the sword on my waist is still bloody!"

……

Fang Zhuo only had a good sleep that night, but Qiu Ciyun couldn't sleep all night.

By the morning, Qiu Ciyu fell asleep.

The work cannot be completed in a short time. The photoresist formula and preparation process need to be adjusted and optimized based on the preliminary test results. Subsequent iterative testing will also be required to improve its performance and ensure that it meets the requirements of the 16nm process.

Ice cores can never get the theoretical optimal solution, they can only get the optimal solution at the current stage.

But enough is enough.

Fang Zhuo waited patiently for follow-up developments and did not immediately report the news to his superiors. Instead, he carefully considered the work changes that would result from this breakthrough.

The resumption of work on 16nm will bring about a recovery in the market for Yike mobile phones, and this product is expected to remain competitive until the middle of next year.

There has been no movement on SMIC's 10nm process, but according to previous expectations, risk trial production will be carried out soon. It would be best if SMIC could avoid suffering the same treatment as Bingxin in terms of photoresist. Even if it does, it will not be as bad as Bingxin.

However, the problem of photoresist has been initially solved, and the election campaign on the Ami side is in full swing. The entire industry will inevitably be under greater pressure next year.

Therefore, the merger of Bingxin and SMIC can be put on the formal agenda.

Two days later, after hearing the news that Bingxin had reproduced, Fang Zhuo finally called the gasoline man and told him that this was the bargaining chip that could be used for a counterattack.

After hearing this news, an obscure laugh was heard from the other end of the phone a moment later.

Kong Yu: "Hehehe hoo hoo hahaha."

Fang Zhuo: “…”

"Mr. Fang, keep pressing, keep pressing, keep pressing!" Kong Yu quickly calmed down, but became more and more excited. "Mr. Fang, wait for news from SMIC. 10nm will also be a heavy hammer!"

"We will destroy the hopes of the bears in one fell swoop!"

"The news of Bingxin's acquisition of SMIC can be released at the last minute!"

"DuPont also made the last contact!"

"The batch of chips that were hidden before were released the day before contacting DuPont!"

Kong Yu wants to use multiple positive news to boost the stock price, including 16nm photoresist, 10nm process, two-chip integration, DuPont license, and resupply of Yike products... plus his own trading, to stimulate investors...

Strangling the bears! (End of this chapter)