Xingchen Technology's high-intensity research and development at any cost has finally begun to pay off.

In late August, the semiconductor division led by Fang Yuanchu took the lead in completing the driver IC design.

After reading the design, Luo Jia felt very satisfied, almost exactly the same as he envisioned, so he decided to send it directly to SMIC tape-out.

Tape-out is an industry term that means passing design drawings through a semiconductor assembly line into a real usable chip for later testing.

Tape-out is expensive.

How expensive is it?

AS FAR AS SMIC'S PRICE IS CONCERNED, THE 45NM LINE TAPE-OUT IS 120,000 YUAN PER SQUARE MILLIMETER.

Yes, the unit is a square millimeter, one millimeter by one millimeter, a small piece that is simply invisible to the naked eye, it costs 120,000 yuan.

Many consumers think that the black semiconductor chips in their mobile phones are not worth a few cents.

This is not entirely wrong, because the chip itself is really not expensive, but the design cost and manufacturing cost are extremely amazing.

THIS IS ONLY THE 45NM PRODUCTION LINE, AND THE 28NM LINE TAPE-OUT IS AS HIGH AS 230,000 YUAN PER SQUARE MILLIMETER.

As for the industry's most advanced 7NM line and 5NM line, it costs more than one million yuan per square millimeter.

"I RECOMMEND USING 45NM LINE TAPE-OUT, AFTER ALL, IT IS CHEAPER." Fang Yuanchu said.

Although he is already a veteran of the semiconductor industry, he is still nervous every time he comes to tape-out.

After all, it is too expensive, if the tape-out fails, the chip created cannot be used, or the performance is not up to standard, if you have to go back and redesign, it will be a loss of hundreds of millions.

Some smaller companies may even have cases of bankruptcy due to a tape-out failure.

Although it is crazy, this is the semiconductor industry, and people see that the inconspicuous black silicon wafers behind them are completely piled up with gold.

LUO JIA THOUGHT FOR A FEW SECONDS, "LET'S USE THE 28NM LINE, AFTER ALL, WE ARE A DRIVER IC DESIGNED FOR MOBILE PHONE SCREENS, AND MINIATURIZATION IS MORE COMPETITIVE IN THE MARKET." ”

Fang Yuanchu nodded, "Understood, then I'll go to SMIC now." ”

"I'll go with you." Luo Jia said.

In fact, he is also nervous, not because of the design and tape-out costs of more than 200 million behind him, but because this chip is his first puzzle on the huge blueprint of the display industry, which is of historical significance.

......

Pudong, Zhangjiang High-tech.

Luo Jia drove and Fang Yuanchu to the largest semiconductor factory in China.

SMIC can be called the country's important weapon, not a place where you can just go in and have a look, they are waiting outside the door for someone inside to pick them up.

Fang Yuanchu looked at the huge white factory building, and said with emotion: "This is the temple in our hearts for those of us who are engaged in semiconductors, in the field of display, there are thirteen overseas giants blocking the way in terms of raw materials, and there are more than a dozen mountains in panel manufacturing equipment, adding up to more than 30 giant companies, controlling the entire display industry." ”

"In the field of semiconductors, there are more than 100 mountains in front of you, from the most sophisticated lithography machines, to silicon wafers, and abrasives, all of which are giants!"

Luo Jia smiled, people who are engaged in semiconductors in China have a dream, when will the localization of the semiconductor field be realized.

Fang Yuanchu is afraid that he is looking at the company's internal and sprinting to show the scene of the industry in full swing, and he thinks of his old business, so he has a relation.

"I know." Luo Jia said, "If the five-axis linkage machining center is the most shining pearl in the crown of the machinery industry, then in the semiconductor industry, the crown belongs to the wafer processing center. ”

Fang Yuanchu shrugged his shoulders, "Yes, let's do it, we have invested almost 20 billion before and after, and we only won an eight-point five-generation line, and I don't know how much money to invest in the future, a lot of which is borrowed, and the company is under a lot of pressure." ”

"And if you are engaged in semiconductors, this number will increase at least tenfold, which is really scary, when I was in HiSilicon, the parent company was Huawei, which is a real giant in the domestic technology field, right? When it comes to semiconductors, several CEOs are also helpless. ”

"In the field of semiconductors, there are few people in the world who can afford to play, engage in machinery, and invest tens of billions of dollars is big news, but if you open your eyes every day, you don't know how many billions of funds have gone out."

Luo Jia is also very helpless, Xingchen Technology is not without money, but it can't come up with money at the moment.

Now every month, the Big Four and Xingchen Technology alone settle accounts, there are more than 20 billion, of which 40% are profits.

Suppose Luo Jia asked the Big Four to settle a year's accounts in advance, then he would have a huge amount of money to call in an instant, but in the same way, the Big Four would go bankrupt.

Business activities have an account period, and Luo Jia can only earn a little money now, so he will invest a little money in it to let the funds in his hand roll.

Unexpectedly, SMIC's boss Tang Boyun came out to greet him in person, startled the guards at the door, and hurriedly asked Luo Jia and Fang Yuanchu to brush their faces and hand them visitor cards.

"Mr. Tang, you are too polite, it's good if the secretary can't do this kind of thing." Luo Jia said with a smile.

Tang Boyun looked serious, "Then what is it, you are distinguished guests, I must come to greet you in person, this is a courtesy." ”

"Do you know, in the past two months, we have received orders and received soft hands, all thanks to your credit, laymen praise the Big Four for being powerful, but in my opinion, it is your Xingchen Technology that is powerful! Even the black technology of energy wave wireless charging has been made by you. ”

Luo Jia said with a smile, "In fact, what you should be grateful for is domestic consumers, and no matter how good the product is, someone must pay for it." ”

"Consumers think they just bought a domestic mobile phone, but in fact, they are supporting the entire mobile phone industry chain, and you SMIC and our Xingchen, as well as at least thousands of other domestic companies, have developed because of this."

"You're profound." Tang Boyun said, "This is the power of industrial clusters, an industry is up, driving the entire industrial chain behind it, as the so-called one trick is fresh, eat all over the world." ”

"Take Sweden as an example, it is nothing more than IKEA furniture, Scania heavy trucks, SKF bearings, Ericsson, Electrolux home appliances and other giants, but relying on these giants, Shengsheng has brought them to become a top developed country, which is the power of industrial clusters."

Luo Jia shrugged, "And South Korea, Samsung itself accounts for more than 20% of the GDP of the whole of South Korea." ”

Luo Jia and Tang Boyun chatted all the way, the production line was still preparing nervously, and Luo Jia went to his office first.

After the tea was served, Tang Boyun suddenly unexpectedly asked a question.

"Why don't you send SCI?" Tang Boyun asked curiously, "Not only the domestic academic circles, but also the foreign academic circles are going crazy now, and the whole world is waiting to see your papers." ”