"What's the matter, looking at your expressions, is there any problem?" Ling Shizhe felt very strange when he saw the expressions of the three of them, isn't it, all the technical points have been pointed out with you, and you still can't figure it out step by step?

Xu Hongbo said: "Ling Shao is like this, we have now completed 60% of the CMOS process design, and now the key thing is that we have encountered obstacles in the problem of the inductively coupled plasma etching machine, and we have found that it will take more than 10 years to solve this problem." ”

Ling Shizhe understands that the inductively coupled plasma etching machine mentioned by Xu Hongbo, referred to as ICP, is an indispensable key equipment in the chip lithography process.

This kind of equipment was born in the early 90s, and ICP quickly became popular after its birth, and has been used in the production of semiconductor chip processes.

It is a high-density plasma etching equipment characterized by low pressure, simple gas mixing; The key to improving repeatability is that there is no upper limit to the integration of integrated circuits in the etching of integrated circuits, whether your integrated circuit is micron-level or nano-level, even if it is at the Angstrom level, he can do the same. Other etching machines are different, he has upper limit requirements for integration, and the integration must be replaced when the upper limit is reached, which can be said to be the future development direction of ICP etching machine.

Formally because of these advantages, Ling Shizhe handed over to Wang Haihua in the information will have the information of the ICP etching machine, although in the data he pointed out the theoretical direction and key technical points, but the ICP etching machine technology is too complex, with the current conditions can not be produced it, which is beyond the scope of the current technical capabilities.

Historically, it took 91 years to produce the world's first ICP, and it took nearly 10 years to develop and mature.

It's only 71 years now, and it's clear that the conditions for preparation have not yet been met.

Ling Shizhe closed his eyes and thought for a while, and asked, "Are there any other obstacles besides the ICP etching machine?" ”

"Now the problem is stuck in this etching machine, as long as the problem of the etching machine is solved, then the whole process is completed." Wang Haihua said.

"Yes, the progress is very fast, and you have solved even the technical problems of the distributed projection lithography machine?" The distributed projection lithography machine mentioned by Ling Shizhe is a kind of lithography machine, which is not used to etch silicon wafers, but is used for exposure. In the chip production process, the surface of the silicon wafer is coated with a layer of resist, which is a liquid with an aromatic smell with a little viscosity and color, and the polymer compound that can change the corrosion resistance after illumination, which is commonly known as photoresist.

The photoresist contains a photosensitive agent, which is applied to the wafer and dried, and then handed over to the lithography machine for projection exposure, just like photography.

The lithography machine was used in the first contact lithography machine, and later the proximity lithography machine was developed, which was improved from the contact lithography machine.

The lithography machine used in Ling Shizhe's Canadian factory is a contact lithography machine, which is produced by Nikon Corporation of Japan, which was also the first company in the world to invent the lithography machine. Ling Shizhe's lithography machine appeared later, and he skipped the category of contact and proximity lithography machines and directly advanced to distributed lithography machines.

It belongs to the category of projection exposure technology, which projects only one exposure field at each step, and steps to another position for exposure after the exposure is completed, and the exposure of the entire wafer is completed in turn. This lithography machine is much more advanced than the above two lithography machines, and the integration of chip production is much higher than that of the first two lithography machines.

"Xiaoling, the distributed lithography machine, we have completed 60% of the design, it will take a while to complete the design, although this machine is also quite complicated, but we are confident that we can complete all the design by the end of this year, and the first prototype will be manufactured in February and March next year. Now the key is that we are stuck in the technology of the ICP etching machine, and we are here this time to see if there is any solution to Xiaoling. Wang Haihua said embarrassedly, originally the process design was entrusted to them, and the technical points were all pointed out, and they only needed to follow the step-by-step process, but now the two schools have summoned all the capable forces and can't complete it, so they have to come to Ling Shizhe for a solution, and the three of them all feel very blushing.

Ling Shizhe didn't blame them, ICP etching machine is also known as high-energy plasma etching machine, the technology is extremely complex, and multivariable, now don't say in Hong Kong, even if it is to get to the United States, with the current technical conditions, it can't be done, even if it is done in 10 years, it is 10 years earlier than in history, and it is not easy for them to do this step.

Now that the CMOS process design has been almost completed, it is now stuck on the etching machine, and it has not been able to be completed for a long time, so do you really have to wait for 10 years? Ling Shizhe denied the idea of waiting for 10 years, but what way to overcome it quickly if he didn't wait? Xu Hongbo has made it very clear that it is not that we cannot solve it technically, but that the current scientific and technological conditions cannot meet its requirements, and it can only be completed when the technical conditions meet the requirements, which is not urgent. Now is not the next generation, the development of science and technology has reached a very high level, and the technology of this era is too backward compared to later generations.

If you don't want to wait, there's only one way to do it, find a less complicated etching machine to replace it temporarily, and wait until the ICP etching machine is completed before replacing it back. But for a while, where did Ling Shizhe go to find a replacement etching machine?

After thinking about it for a long time, Ling Shizhe didn't come up with a way, looked up and saw that the three old professors had been looking at him, and he was a little embarrassed for a while, and said: "I'm sorry three professors, I'm distracted, I've been thinking that the etching machine is not so complicated, and it can be used for the time being, and when the ICP technology matures, it will be used." ”

"There, there, we didn't complete Ling Shao's design task, and we still want to disturb Ling Shao, we're embarrassed." The three old gentlemen hurriedly said, and after Xu Hong's blog set two sentences, he asked uncertainly: "Listening to Ling Shao's meaning just now, do you still have several sets of technical solutions for other lithography machines?" ”

Ling Shizhe nodded subconsciously, not realizing how inappropriate this was.

Wang Haihua and Dr. were all stunned, several sets of technical solutions for lithography machines, is this kid a **? Your electrically coupled plasma lithography machine alone has already made us brain-wrenching, and now you kid has several other lithography machine technology solutions, you still want to live! The three of them feel that they have lived like dogs for decades, look at people, this person has to die more than people, and the goods have to be thrown away.

Ling Shizhe saw the three of them looking at him, his eyes were full of resentment, and he reacted, his performance just now hit them, and he couldn't say anything after the matter came to this point, he thought about it and said, "That's it, three professors, I can't think of any way for a while, give me a few days to think about it, okay?" ”

The three of them looked at each other, nodded, and Dr. said, "It's so good that Ling Shao, the purpose of our coming here today has been said, and we have changed our farewell, goodbye." ”

The three of them stood up, Ling Shizhe went downstairs and sent them to the door of the company, and only after the three of them got in the car and left, Ling Shizhe turned around.