Reborn in the red age

Accompanied by Xu Yuanming, Li Qingfeng went to see the international students who were working.

Most of those who have not proposed to return to the United States and are still able to stay in the country are patriotic young people. They are full of energy and work in Huaxin with a work attitude that far exceeds that of their time in the United States.

Li Qingfeng shook hands with the remaining twenty-four people one by one and asked about their living conditions with concern.

After the twenty-four people chatted one by one, Qingfeng Li cleared his throat and said loudly: "Comrades, you are all great. Your choice is extremely correct and glorious."

"You gave up the comfortable environment abroad and resolutely returned to the motherland to devote yourself to the construction of Huaxin. This is a great patriotic sentiment and responsibility."

"I believe that as long as we work together, we can let the world see that China's scientific and technological strength should not be underestimated. We want to make Huaxin a shining pearl in the world's science and technology."

After a long speech of poisonous chicken soup, Qingfeng Li looked at the fiery light in the eyes of the people below and couldn't help but feel proud of himself.

You know what, chicken soup is really useful. I think I can use it more often in the future.

After the deception, Qingfeng Li left with his hands behind his back under the fiery gazes of a group of chip engineers.

Not long after walking out of the door, Ni Guangnan, who came with me, laughed and joked, "Teacher Li is worthy of being a teacher. He can say things to boost your energy right away. The effect is better than the chicken blood injections that were popular in the 1960s."

"Haha, it's not that exaggerated. I'm just a beginner. How can it be compared to a shot of chicken blood?" Li Qingfeng said with a smile and waved his hands.

Li Qingfeng actually knew about the chicken blood injection. This thing actually injects chicken blood into the human body. It was probably popular around 65.

The main method of injecting chicken blood is to draw several tens to one hundred milliliters of rooster blood and inject it into the human body with a syringe once a week.

It is said that it can enhance one's spirit, strengthen the body, prolong life, and cure all diseases. For a time, the so-called "health care technique" of injecting chicken blood was very popular all over the country, from big cities like Shanghai and the capital to remote villages.

From Li Qingfeng's memory, the Li family also used chicken blood injections at that time, but after the eldest sister Li Yumei fell ill after the injection, Li's mother gave up this popular health care method.

"I think the effects are not much different. They all look rosy and energetic. There is no difference."

Qingfeng Li smiled and didn't respond.

Seeing that Li Qingfeng had no intention of discussing, Ni Guangnan changed the subject and asked when the equipment would arrive in the country.

Li Qingfeng calculated the time and gave an approximate number: "It will probably take until the end of the year. The Americans haven't dismantled the equipment yet."

"There is still half a year left." Ni Guangnan hesitated for a moment and said, "Teacher Li, have you ever thought about where we at Huaxin should get these advanced equipment in the future after the next Batumi agreement is implemented?"

Li Qingfeng glanced at Ni Guangnan and said calmly, "What do you think, Mr. Ni?"

"I think we should also invest in the research and development of lithography machines. Since the Institute of Microelectronics of the Academy of Sciences developed the first projection lithography machine, Microelectronics No. 2, last year, many companies have also begun to get involved in the field of lithography machines. I think it is a good time for Huaxin to enter the market now."

After listening carefully to Ni Guangnan's advice, Qingfeng Li slowly shook his head.

The more I learn about the field of lithography machines, the more I realize that it is simply unrealistic to develop lithography machines with the current domestic level.

In the face of a global blockade, after all the trouble, the lithography machines we produced are still lagging behind the international standards.

The process of scientific and technological research is like crossing a river by feeling the stones. No one knows whether their attempts will succeed. Canon spent $20 billion on researching a new generation of extreme ultraviolet lithography machines and proved that the oxide crystal laser generator light source is unreliable. This money is no different from being wasted. Which domestic company can afford such a huge loss?
ASML, the world's largest manufacturer of lithography machines, has spent 120% of its profits on research and development for several consecutive years. The research and development expenses far exceeded the profits. Its customers were afraid that ASML would not be able to afford such high research and development expenses and would go bankrupt, so they invested in ASML and became its shareholders.

In addition to a large amount of financial support, the research and development of lithography machines also requires technical support from all over the world.

ASML's lithography machine technology comes from many countries around the world, and its lithography machine manufacturing technology involves more than 40 countries and hundreds of suppliers.

In this case, even if Li Qingfeng invested all his fortune, he could barely buy all the technical patents during the window period and build the most advanced lithography machine in the world.

But in a few years, Lemon Company will still lag behind the world.

Seeing Li Qingfeng shaking his head, Ni Guangnan suddenly became anxious and hurriedly tried to continue persuading him.

"Stop, I know what you want to say. I have my own thoughts. Don't try to persuade me."

"But."

Li Qingfeng waved his hand, interrupting what Ni Guangnan wanted to say, and said, "Developing lithography machines is a dead end, there is no hope, let's build a lithography factory. I think a lithography factory is more reliable than a lithography machine." "The lithography machine is the lifeblood of the chip, how can... Wait a minute..." Ni Guangnan reacted, opened his mouth and said in disbelief, "A lithography factory?"

“Yes, the photolithography factory.”

"What is the relationship between the lithography plant and the lithography machine?"

Li Qingfeng smiled and nodded: "It's the relationship you think it is."

"This you..I..."

Ni Guangnan was so shocked by Li Qingfeng's bold idea that he was speechless. He hesitated for a long time before saying, "How can we build a photolithography factory? A photolithography machine is obviously a machine."

"Who told you that the main equipment for producing chips must be machines? Can't it be a factory?" Li Qingfeng looked at Ni Guangnan with interest and asked back.

"It has always been like this. Since the birth of the semiconductor industry, the lithography machine has always been a machine."

“Is it right that it has always been like this?”

"Forehead"

Ni Guangnan was choked by Li Qingfeng's question and was speechless. He stood there in a daze, thinking of his rebuttal.

Li Qingfeng was not in a hurry and just looked at him quietly.

After waiting for Ni Guangnan's answer, Li Qingfeng smiled and took the initiative to say, "Foreign lithography machines separate light with a wavelength of a few tenths of a micron at a distance of five meters to carve chips. We cannot achieve this technically."

"But what if the light travels for thousands of meters? Can we separate a few tenths of a micron of light on a track of thousands of meters? The so-called photolithography plant is to build a 5,000-meter track to separate the light needed to make chips and use it to make our chips."

"My idea is that a sniper rifle cannot hit a target a thousand meters away, but if I extend the barrel of the gun to a thousand meters, I can shoot you right in the face."

At this point, Qingfeng Li stepped forward and patted Ni Guangnan on the shoulder, who was still in shock, and said with a smile: "To answer your question just now, the reason why the lithography machine is built is that the manufacturer wants to facilitate sales. The machine can be sold, but can the factory be sold? Do you think what I said makes sense?"

Ni Guangnan stared at Li Qingfeng in a daze. It took him a while to come back to his senses. A complex light flashed in his eyes: "Teacher Li, your idea is really unexpected."

“It’s an accident, but this may be a feasible way for us to break through the current difficulties.”

"That makes sense." After some thought, Ni Guangnan nodded in agreement, and said with excitement in his tone: "I will organize some research and try to do a theoretical analysis based on your idea to see if it is technically possible to achieve it."

Li Qingfeng nodded and said with a smile: "Go ahead, if there is any result, tell me, I also want to confirm whether my idea can be realized."

"Okay, goodbye, Teacher Li."

Looking at Old Ni, who was already old but still trotting away excitedly like a young man, Qingfeng Li couldn't help but smile and shook his head.

He Guangqin, who had been following behind without saying anything, could not help but remind him: "Teacher Li, the predecessors of the photolithography factory did not leave any experience. If it is proven that this road is not feasible, then all the investment will be wasted."

"It's just a waste of money, what company hasn't wasted money?"

Li Qingfeng said this without even turning his head, then walked forward quickly and elegantly.

He Guangqin and his followers behind him looked at each other in surprise, then quickly followed Li Qingfeng's footsteps.

Li Qingfeng had no idea whether the photolithography factory could work. He only knew that it had been proven feasible in theory, but there was often a huge gap between theory and practice.

In the end, Qingfeng Li had no idea what the actual situation was, but there was no physical object for him to refer to.

Li Qingfeng's idea was simple. Since later experience had proven that the path to developing high-end lithography machines in China would not work without decades of heavy investment, there was no need to do it.

It's better to just go all in on the theoretical lithography factory. If it succeeds, everyone will be happy. If it fails, it will eliminate a wrong option for the successor. Anyway, the money has to be spent.

In terms of the domestic situation, the two paths of lithography machines and lithography plants are far less expensive to spend on lithography machines than on lithography plants. (End of this chapter)