Lin'an, School of Microelectronics, University of Sioux Province.

"Access to hexamethyldisilamine ......"

"The dehydration of the silicon wafer is completed, the viscosity enhancement treatment is completed, and the rotary gluing begins."

“……”

This is already an experimental process that they don't know how many times they have carried out, except for the process report from time to time by the operator, the experiment is silent.

Dozens of R&D personnel quietly stuck to their posts, occasionally looking up at the operation of the equipment and the old man standing in the middle of the console.

"After the gluing test was completed, no bubbles were found, and the drying ...... was started before exposure After the pre-baking, the lithography machine is ready to expose ......"

In the orderly progress of the experiment, it was finally time for exposure.

Every time he enters the exposure link, that short ten seconds make Wu Lihong feel like a century......

In the process of exposure, the measuring instruments attached to the workpiece table are also collecting frenzied data at the same time.

"The exposure is over, and the post-drying link is entered, and the exposure data is being analyzed......"

"The total gas production during the exposure process is ......" The researcher who reported the results paused for a moment, and then read out the value in a trembling tone, "289 cubic nanometers!" ”

Uproar——!

Hearing this, the entire laboratory fell silent, followed by a burst of exclamations.

"It's really a problem with the photoacid-producing agent BR-side bond!"

"Academician Wu is awesome!"

“……”

Although the specific data of post-drying has not yet come out, the data of this gas production alone can be called an unprecedented major breakthrough!

Coated with 12-inch silicon wafer photoresist, only 289 cubic nanometers of gas were produced in the process of exposure.

With such a small gas production, the exposure edge of the photoresist must be very smooth and flat.

This means more clarity and less process.

It can be said that they have completely solved the most difficult gas production problem of photoresist!

After Wu Lihong heard this data, he couldn't help but have a relieved smile on his face, but this made the wrinkles on his face even more......

After about 10 minutes, the exposed silicon wafer has also completed post-drying, and the photoresist in the exposed part has been dissolved and removed, and then another solid film baking has been carried out to strengthen the circuit protective film formed by the photoresist.

Next, it is the most important part of their experiment, the circuit image clarity analysis.

And the final analysis results are as they expected, after reducing the gas production by 98%, the surface of the circuit protection film they obtained is very smooth and flat, without any collapse and deformation!

"The film thickness is normal, and the overlay accuracy is normal!"

Hearing this result, everyone immediately looked at Wu Lihong excitedly.

In fact, at this point in the experiment, it is almost certain that their EUV photoresist has reached the 13.5nm process standard.

Because all their energy in Suzhou Province Microelectronics is used to develop photoresists, there is not much research on the process of compression processes such as multiple exposures, so 13.5 nanometers is only the smallest process technology in their research institute.

The specific minimum process of this photoresist has to be further verified by Shencheng Silicon Industry or Lion Micro, especially the Shencheng Silicon Industry, which was the first to get the EUV lithography machine, after several months of exploration and debugging, they have pushed the process to 5nm.

However, for the sake of safety, Wu Lihong still suppressed his excitement and said to everyone: "Immediately prepare for etching experiment verification, confirm that the final link is okay, and then send it to Shencheng silicon industry." ”

"Understood!"

When the researchers heard this, they immediately began to get busy again.

Originally, according to their previous experimental process, the experiment basically failed at this point, and this time they were not ready to enter the etching process at all.

But in the face of this unexpected surprise, everyone did not have a trace of 'temporary overtime' complaints, and began to prepare for the experiment again one by one.

Two hours later, the final results were finally in.

The photoresist developed by them has successfully withstood the baptism of high-energy particles in dry etching, and successfully completed the task of protecting the silicon wafer substrate, with a chip yield rate of up to 98%!

Under the leadership of Academician Wu Lihong, microelectronics researchers at Suzhou University have finally successfully developed a domestic top EUV photoresist that can handle the 13.5nm process!

Moreover, this 13.5nm process is only the preliminary experimental conclusion at present.

Judging from the overlay accuracy they got this time, this photoresist actually has a considerable possibility and can be competent for the manufacture of 5nm process chips!

Wu Lihong was also very calm, and did not choose to report the experimental results immediately, but asked the researchers to re-formulate a batch of photoresist according to the formula last time.

Then I repeated the experiment ten times and confirmed that the error of each result was within an acceptable range, and then flew to the magic capital with the photoresist and the main technical personnel of the team and came to Shencheng Silicon Industry Group.

At this time, Chen Yunming, the group president of Shencheng Silicon Industry, happened to be discussing the chip foundry of Huawei P6 with Mr. Yu and Mr. He of Huawei.

The main point of discussion between the two sides is the issue of output and cost.

In line with the principle of large quantities, Warwick wants to directly order 20 million Kir0 9000.

But now, there is only one Qinguang No. 1 in the silicon industry in Shencheng.

According to the throughput of 180 silicon wafers per hour of Qinguang No. 1 and the fact that each wafer manufactured can cut 500 chips, the daily production capacity of a lithography machine should be 2.16 million.

But in reality, the throughput of the lithography machine does not represent the manufacturing speed of the wafer, but multiple exposures and etching are performed according to the design of different chips.

Taking the Kirzero 9000 as an example, it needs to go through a full 19 lithography-etching cycles to complete the entire wafer fabrication process.

In other words, theoretically only 110,000 pieces can be made per day.

This is based on 24-hour non-stop rest and maintenance of the equipment, as well as 100% yield.

Therefore, the actual production capacity, an average of 80,000 pieces per day, is already very good.

The order for 20 million chips will take almost eight months to complete, and it is still necessary to squeeze all the production capacity to Warwick.

What's more, under such a high load of operation, their photoresist inventory does not know if it can hold up......

“…… We also have to consider the cost, and we also need time to develop the 3nm process, and I hope you can also consider our difficulties. ”

Chen Yunming really couldn't stand the soft grinding and hard bubbles of the two CEOs, and finally said,

"Otherwise, I'll give you two plans, one is 150 yuan and 3 million, and the other is 200 yuan and 6 million, 6 million is the limit, which is already very interesting."

"Uh......"

Mr. Yu immediately calculated an account in his heart.

According to the price of 13,400 US dollars per wafer in the 5nm process of Taielectromechanical, it is about 187 yuan for each chip foundry fee in the 5nm process.

But TSMC's foundry is calculated by wafer, and the waste products are all counted for you, and Chen Yunming just quoted the price of a chip, which is equivalent to removing the waste, so the foundry fee of 150-200 yuan is indeed quite generous in this special period.

"But Mr. Chen, how can there be a reason for this transaction to be more expensive......"

"Isn't this a special situation, if the domestic photoresist does not move before the stock photoresist is exhausted, then we have a lithography machine and we have no use, so we can only save a little money first......

"Actually, there is another way, that is, we went to Dr. Kang to borrow some photoresist for us, that kid is very good, let us help him with photoresist early, and now Dahan Xinye has more lithography machines than us!"

Every time he thinks of this, Chen Yunming regrets a little that he didn't listen to Kangchi at the beginning, and put more photoresist in advance.

Mainly, who would have thought that he would be able to get an EUV lithography machine so quickly......

Just when Mr. Yu was still thinking about how long the six million pieces could last, Chen Yunming suddenly received a call from Wu Lihong.

"Academician Wu? Wait a minute...... What did you say? Testing photoresists? Just downstairs?! ”

“……”

Chen Yunming, who put down the phone, relieved himself after half a ring, and then hurriedly called Dong Jianyuan and asked him to go down to pick up Wu Lihong.

After dealing with this, he turned his head to look at the two bosses of Warwick and said excitedly: "Our savior is here!" ”

(End of chapter)