Rebirth 1984: Starting from the development of Hanka

Chapter 160 Enterprise Split
More than an hour later, Zhao Ye rushed to Godson Design Company.

In fact, NAND flash memory is only designed, and has not yet started taping out, let alone mass production, and it will be listed at the end of the year at the earliest.

"Boss, this is the Godson EDA-1.0 simulation experiment report."

Fujio Masuoka operated the Loongson EDA-1.0 software on a computer to call up the NAND data.

Zhao Ye sat in front of the computer and studied it carefully. Since it is the result displayed by Godson EDA-1.0, there is nothing wrong with it.

He turned to Fujio Masuoka and said, "Very good, further testing can be done, and if there is no problem, we will start tape-out."

The cost of tape-out is very expensive, so when designing a chip, there will be more detailed inspections to confirm that there is no problem, and then go to tape-out.

Tape-out is actually a trial production. If the tape-out is successful, the chip can be mass-produced.

Zhao Ye reckoned that the NAND flash memory developed by Masuoka Fujio and others has a high cost due to the complicated manufacturing process. The production cost of a 20MB NAND flash memory alone is more than $100.

Still very interesting!
If it sells for $500, there is definitely a lot of demand.

NAND FLASH can be developed into CF card, SD card, SM card...the market prospect is broad.

However, when the time comes to develop usb interface, there are various card readers...

But it doesn't matter, Wujiang Group will launch its own branded computer next year, which will develop the usb bus protocol.

"Contact IBM, Hewlett-Packard and other companies to see if they can work together to formulate the usb serial interface standard. If they are not willing, Wujiang Group can only do it alone, using products to win market recognition, so that the usb bus protocol of Wujiang Group It has become an established fact of the industry standard!" Zhao Ye thought to himself.

Fujio Masuoka nodded immediately when he heard the words, and he also looked forward to the launch of NAND flash memory earlier.

Zhao Ye thought for a while and said: "Even if the NAND chip is developed, further development is still needed to apply it well. Developers can make portable micro-miniature memory cards based on NAND flash memory, which can be used in cameras, Computers, mobile phones, multimedia players..."

"Ok!"

Fujio Masuoka nodded, and also thought of the application scenarios of NAND, almost the same as Zhao Ye thought.

Zhao Ye twisted his body to make himself more comfortable, and he said to Fujio Masuoka, "Oh, by the way, Fujio Masuoka, you are developing NAND using the SLC architecture (Single-LevelCell), that is, single-level cells. Layer cell flash memory, where each cell stores one bit of data."

Fujio Masuoka nodded when he heard the words: "Yes, boss, we are using the SLC architecture!"

Zhao Ye said: "Why not try to develop a multi-layer cell flash MLC architecture, by using a large number of voltage levels, each cell stores two bits of data, and the data density is relatively high!"

MLC technology is the development trend of NAND Flash, just like CPU single-core, dual-core, and quad-core, MLC technology stores more bits per cell to achieve a multiplied leap in capacity until more advanced architectures come out.

In the previous life, Intel invented the MLC architecture in the mid-90s, which is only seven or eight years away.In fact, this technology is developed based on NAND, and Wujiang Group can develop it earlier.

Hearing this, Fujio Masuoka's eyes lit up, bursting with inspiration.

MLC technology can precisely control the amount of charge on the Floating Gat, so that it can present 4 different storage states, and each state can represent two binary values...

Therefore, large-capacity NAND flash memory can be developed using MLC.

"I understand that using the MLC architecture not only has a large capacity, but also the production cost may be lower than that of the SLC architecture!" Fujio Masuoka excitedly said.

Zhao Ye nodded slightly. Indeed, as Fujio Masuoka said, the production cost of MLC is lower than that of SLC.

but……

MLC is not without its drawbacks.

The first thing that bears the brunt is that the service life is shorter than that of SLC. The MLC architecture can only withstand 1 times of erasing and writing, while the SLC architecture can withstand 10 times of erasing and writing.

The second is the slow access speed. Under the current technical conditions, the theoretical access speed of the MLC chip can only reach about 6MB, while the access speed of the SLC architecture is more than three times faster than that of the MLC architecture!

In addition, the current consumption of MLC is higher than that of SLC. If MLC is compared with SLC under the same conditions of use, the current consumption of MLC is about 15.00% higher than that of SLC.

But for now, the product still pursues large capacity.

That's why Zhao Ye reminded Masuoka Fujio to develop MLC flash memory.

But SLC flash memory is also very important and will be widely used in the future, so a small number of people can be arranged to continue researching SLC and keep SLC flash memory technology leading.

Zhao Ye gave instructions to Fujio Masuoka and left the company.

Fujio Masuoka, on the other hand, looked like he had been beaten to death, full of energy, and couldn't help looking forward to the day when NAND was listed, he would slap his old owner Toshiba Group in the face!
Thinking of how regretful all the top executives of the Toshiba Group were, Fujio Masuoka couldn't help being extremely excited.

"It took me several years to develop NAND FLASH. Even if I had no credit, I still had troubles. You only gave me a few hundred dollars as a reward. Now, I, Fujio Masuoka, can finally feel proud!"

……

……

Zhao Ye had just left Godson Design Company. After thinking about it, he asked the driver to drive to the nearby Wujiang Microelectronics Company.

"Boss, why are you here?" Ni Guangnan asked in surprise when he saw Zhao Ye.

Zhao Ye smiled and said, "Come here to learn about the development of Wujiang Microelectronics. By the way, TSMC has been poaching people recently. How many of our company's employees have been poached?"

After the establishment of TSMC, there was a shortage of talents, and the construction progress of the fab was very slow, and it was recruiting people all over the world.

It's a pity that Wujiang Microelectronics was the first to go. Before TSMC, it had been digging and digging around the world. Semiconductor talents had been dug by Wujiang Group long ago and signed a long-term contract with the company.

You can change jobs, but you have to pay high liquidated damages.

The higher the position, the higher the liquidated damages.

Therefore, at present, very few people from Wujiang Microelectronics will switch to TSMC.

Ni Guangnan said with a smile: "TSMC has recruited more than a dozen employees, but the technical level of these people is also average."

Zhao Ye smiled and said: "As the saying goes, 'it's not rude to come and go', since TSMC is poaching our talents, then we will also poach theirs."

"We've been doing this, but most of the employees have contracts and don't want to come here. In addition, there are many semiconductor talents who come from Taiwan and don't want to work in the mainland." Ni Guangnan shook his head and sighed.

Zhao Ye didn't care at all, and said lightly: "If you don't want to come, don't come, don't force it."

TSMC is backed by Formosa, as well as many European and American companies, and will definitely be able to occupy a place in the field of wafer foundry.

"Has the new fab been built? Hurry up and start the foundry business!" Zhao Ye said in a deep voice.

There was no competitor before, so to speak.

Now, TSMC was born out of nowhere and had to guard against it.

Fortunately, there are currently two constraints that prevent TSMC from developing its foundry business.

On the one hand, there is a lack of semiconductor talents, and the construction of fabs is slow;
On the other hand, ASML's lithography machine has not yet been delivered.

Philips, as a major shareholder of TSMC, asked TSMC to purchase ASML lithography machines, and ASML's lithography machines are relatively advanced in technology and inexpensive, so TSMC is willing to purchase them.

Just, after signing the order.

ASML has not delivered the goods for a long time.

The reason is that the lens of ASML's lithography machine has changed to a partner. It used to cooperate with West Zeiss, but now it has changed to East Zeiss.

However, the optical lens technology of East Zeiss is not inferior to that of West Zeiss.

After Wujiang Group took over East Zeiss, it spent huge sums of money to update equipment, ensure the quality of lens production, and increase research and development efforts.

Therefore, Dong Zeiss is fully capable of cooperating with ASML to develop semiconductor optical lenses.

This lens will also be applied to the lithography machine of Wujiang Microelectronics.

ASML can't deliver the lithography machine now, and is mainly waiting for the lens of East Zeiss.

At this time, West Zeiss will be miserable.

In the 80s, East Caiss and West Caiss were a pair of difficult brothers.

ASML's lens order is very important.

Each lithography machine needs not one or two lenses, but many.

TSMC has ordered more than 50 lithography machines from ASML. If West Zeiss can get the order from ASML, this wave will be able to recover greatly.

However, fate is unpredictable, and the order that should have belonged to West Zeiss in the previous life has become the order of East Zeiss.

West Zeiss was snatched away by East Zeiss as a major customer of ASML, and it may even become the last straw that broke the camel's back.

Now TSMC is just in a hurry to get angry, and from time to time it makes a call to ASML to urge them to speed up.

Of course, TSMC also learned that the latest semiconductor lens developed by East Zeiss is more powerful, so it did not change the manufacturer.

On the market, apart from ASML, there are only Nikon, Canon and Wujiang Microelectronics' "Dawning lithography machines" that are more powerful.

There are not many partners left for TSMC to choose.

As for the lithography machine produced in the United States, it is completely outdated now, and it is not as advanced as the Suguang lithography machine.

"How is the progress of the immersion lithography machine?"

"Not much progress, many aspects are still limited to theoretical research..."

"Well, take your time. If an immersion lithography machine can be developed within three to five years, it will be a pleasant surprise..." Zhao Ye said with a wry smile. The immersion lithography machine is more difficult, otherwise the lithography machine Manufacturers will not rush to develop dry lithography machines. Later, companies in related industries around the world have invested billions of dollars in dry lithography machines. At this time, you told them not to give up. How could they be willing to develop a dry lithography machine?
Don't hit the south wall and don't look back, just go all the way to the dark!
Someone in the previous life compared that Lin Benjian was standing in front of a moving aircraft carrier and wanted to stop it, which is true.

For Wujiang Microelectronics, the immersion lithography machine can be regarded as a relatively new field, and many of them have to be explored by themselves, so it is normal for the development to be slower.

If it doesn't make a sound, it's a blockbuster.

Ni Guangnan smiled and said: "I believe that Lin Benjian, Yang Guanglei, Jiang Shangyi, Sun Yuancheng, Liang Mengsong, and Yu Zhenhua are responsible for leading the development of the immersion lithography machine. I believe that the six of them will definitely bring you surprises! They are young, energetic, highly motivated and extremely talented!"

TSMC Six Knights?
The six of them led a team to develop an immersion lithography machine, and Zhao Ye was quite at ease.

"By the way, Mr. Ni, the 8-inch fab needs to be carefully considered, and it should be put on the agenda."

"Okay, but based on the current situation of Wujiang Microelectronics, there are still many technical difficulties in building an 8-inch wafer fab, especially the process technology, which needs to be improved."

"There is plenty of time, if you encounter any problems, just solve them one by one!"

In fact, it doesn't matter whether you want to be the first, but Wujiang Microelectronics must develop and build an 8-inch fab. After all, they are already doing it. If you don't invest in research and development, you will fall behind.

"Oh, by the way, I plan to separate the lithography machine development department, silicon wafer production department, chip packaging and other departments of Wujiang Microelectronics Company. The current Wujiang Microelectronics Company is too bloated. In the future, Wujiang Microelectronics will The company is still mainly engaged in chip manufacturing, just like TSMC, and other equipment and materials can be purchased from outside.”

Separately, at least nominally, these companies do not belong to Wujiang Microelectronics, and there are certain benefits in raising funds or selling products to outsiders in the future.

After these enterprises grow and develop, they can have the characteristics of "small and specialized, specialized and refined, refined and strong"!

Of course, although these independent companies do not belong to Wujiang Microelectronics, they are still affiliated to Wujiang Group, that is, they are still in a consortium, but they are more independent and more conducive to future development.

Ni Guangnan did not disagree with this, on the contrary he very much agreed with it.

Wujiang Microelectronics Co., Ltd. is now getting bigger and bigger, and management is more difficult.

Moreover, because many departments always think that the company can produce and sell on its own, the sense of crisis is not strong enough, and the motivation for innovation is insufficient.

This is the same as the previous planned economy. Anyway, the higher-ups will issue procurement tasks, and it will be enough to meet the production tasks by yourself. What else do you need to struggle for?
"The other major shareholder of Wujiang Microelectronics is the government, and this matter needs to be negotiated with the government!" Ni Guangnan suggested.

Zhao Ye nodded, expressing his understanding: "Well, I will discuss it with the government!"

Zhao Ye acted swiftly and resolutely. The next morning, he contacted the Shanghai government and put forward his ideas.

Zhao Ye said that even if the company goes out independently, they still continue to hold the shares of these companies, the number is the same as before, not a lot.

However, Zhao Ye proposed that these companies will be injected capital and increase investment in research and development. If the government is willing to follow suit, he also welcomes it. If not, then the shares will be diluted.

The Shanghai government quickly held a meeting to discuss and study this matter.

What the government cares about is the development of the enterprise, and it does not necessarily have to hold a large number of shares.

If these companies are independent from Wujiang Microelectronics, it will be more conducive to development, and of course they will support it.

The meeting lasted for a week, and even people from Peking participated in the discussion.

Finally agreed to Zhao Ye's plan.

After Zhao Ye heard the news, he began to split Wujiang Microelectronics.

Zhao Ye plans to split Wujiang Microelectronics into five parts:
Wujiang Microelectronics Company: mainly engaged in chip manufacturing.

Shuguang Lithography Machine Company: mainly engaged in the manufacture of lithography machines.

Wujiang Wafer Manufacturing Company: mainly engaged in the manufacture of semiconductor silicon wafers.

Wujiang Chip Packaging Company: mainly engaged in chip packaging.

Wujiang Light Source Manufacturing Company: mainly engaged in the research and manufacture of light sources.

The current light source is relatively easy to manufacture, but in the future, top-level lithography machines will not only need top-notch lenses, but also top-notch light sources. For example, the light source used in the EUV lithography machine produced by ASML is extreme ultraviolet light source.The light source is a 13.5nm extreme ultraviolet light source produced by bombarding tin droplets with an excimer laser. Only one company in the United States can do it commercially in previous lives.

Zhao Ye planned ahead and decided to study light sources from now on.

In addition to a Wujiang photoresist company, at present, the most difficult part of the chip manufacturing industry chain is done by Wujiang Group itself.The rest will be handed over to other domestic companies.

The split of Wujiang Microelectronics went very smoothly, because there were only two shareholders, Wujiang Group and the government, so there was nothing to argue about.

For each spun-off company, Wujiang Group will inject capital into it to further develop and grow. For example, Wujiang Silicon Wafer Manufacturing Company, in addition to manufacturing semiconductor silicon wafers, can also develop photovoltaic silicon wafers.If it is possible to manufacture semiconductor silicon wafers, it is no problem to manufacture photovoltaic silicon wafers.

The main difference between the two lies in purity. The purity of semiconductor monocrystalline silicon is at least 1000 times higher than that of photovoltaic monocrystalline silicon. The production difficulty of the former is much higher than that of the latter.

But in China, photovoltaic power generation still has great potential. Zhao Ye has witnessed the glory of the photovoltaic industry in his previous life. Therefore, the future of Wujiang Silicon Wafer Manufacturing Company has a bright future!That could be a long time away, though.

……

At this time, the split of Wujiang Microelectronics Company caused a lot of discussion in China, but the impact was limited, and the popularity soon subsided.

Ordinary people don't care about companies, but about consumer electronics that are closely related to their lives.

Recently, some newspapers reported that Wujiang Factory in Beiping, which produces the Imagine-BB machine, is in full production. Obviously, Wujiang Group has a new product coming out soon.

(End of this chapter)