Starting from a Fake University
Chapter 1275 - 682: 14nm Process Lithography Machine (Please Subscribe)

Chapter 1275: Chapter 682: 14nm Process Lithography Machine (Please Subscribe)

Mist City Arts and Science University, Research Base Center.

Inside the conference room.

Ding Yue had convened a meeting with some of the most outstanding teachers and students of Mist City Arts and Science University to discuss and decide on demonstrating the university’s capabilities in semiconductor research.

At the same time, it was also meant to address the chip shortage issue plaguing Feiyue Future New Energy vehicles.

"Principal Ding, Mr. Wang from Guoxing Technology Group is on the line."

Just as Ding Yue was about to start the meeting, his secretary Wen Ruohan came up to him, holding a mobile phone, and spoke in a low voice.

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Ding Yue nodded slightly and then said to everyone in the conference room, "Please wait a moment, everyone, I need to take a call."

After all, it was a call from Wang Liwu, Mr. Wang of Guoxing Technology Group—it could be about something important. Therefore, Ding Yue decided to take the call first before proceeding with the meeting.

He took the mobile phone from the hands of secretary Wen Ruohan and then turned to step out of the conference room, choosing to answer the call in the hallway.

"Hello, Mr. Wang, this is Ding Yue."

"Principal Ding, congratulations, the wave made by your Feiyue Future New Energy vehicles can be said to have created a miracle in automotive history," Wang Liwu said with a laugh over the phone.

"Thank you, Mr. Wang, but I’m not in the mood to celebrate right now. You know what I mean, don’t you?" Ding Yue spoke calmly.

"The chip issue?"

Wang Liwu didn’t really need to guess; he had called specifically to discuss this matter.

"Currently, we only have an order for 200,000 chips with Guoxing Technology Group, and that is far from enough," Ding Yue remarked.

"Principal Ding, I really can’t do anything about this matter. It wasn’t easy for our board to agree to those 200,000 chips during our last meeting, and afterwards, we even had to pay a considerable amount in damages to Penguin Auto Group," Wang Liwu expressed his powerlessness.

After all, there were countless enterprises in need of chips, and orders had been scheduled into the following year.

"No, for this matter, we still need the help of Guoxing Technology Group," Ding Yue suddenly said earnestly.

"Ah? Principal Ding, what can we at Guoxing Technology Group do to help you?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Liwu was somewhat befuddled.

What Guoxing Technology Group could do was manufacture chips, but now their production capacity had reached its limit—in other words, all their equipment was already running at full power. There was simply no way they could provide Ding Yue with more chips.

Should they breach the contract with Penguin Auto Group as they had done last time?

That clearly wasn’t possible, as Guoxing Technology Group couldn’t afford to offend or lose the business of other large manufacturers just for the sake of Feiyue Group.

"What if we could provide you with equipment like photolithography machines; would Guoxing Technology Group then be able to produce chips for us?" Ding Yue asked with a smile.

"What?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Liwu was completely astounded.

Yet he wasn’t entirely confounded, but rather, he was shocked, incredibly so.

"Didn’t I mention last time that Mist City Arts and Science University has a photolithography machine research project? Currently, this project has achieved certain results, and perhaps we have the potential to independently develop and manufacture photolithography machines," Ding Yue said confidently.

If the machines weren’t for processes like 7 nanometers or 5 nanometers but for 28 nanometers or 14 nanometers, then Ding Yue was very confident.

"Principal Ding, are you serious?"

Wang Liwu was incredulous.

This Mist City Arts and Science University was indeed extraordinary; could they actually independently develop and manufacture photolithography machines?

"Of course," Ding Yue responded.

"Then Principal Ding, what is the process size? 32 nanometers? But the competitiveness of 32 nanometers in the market is no longer very strong," Wang Liwu immediately asked again.

The process size of the photolithography machine is closely related to the chip level; for example, a 32-nanometer chip requires a 32-nanometer process photolithography machine to produce.

The lower the nanometer level, the higher the difficulty of chip production technology and the photolithography machine.

Currently, advanced chip technologies abroad have reached widespread commercial application at 7 nanometers, and chips at the 5-nanometer level can be manufactured, with technology relatively mature.

Whereas domestically, as exemplified by Guoxing Technology Group, the main chip levels and orders are still at 14 nanometers. Although 7 nanometers can also be produced, the quantity of orders is obviously less than that of 14 nanometers.

Because 14 nanometers can be used in a wide range of fields, such as computer and smartphone CPUs, as well as other smart electronic devices.

"Ha-ha, Mr. Wang, it’s not a 32-nanometer process," Ding Yue answered with a laugh.

"Then? Could it be 28 nanometers?"

"Nor is it that!"

Ding Yue didn’t keep Mr. Wang in suspense any longer and went straight to the point, "To speak frankly, Mr. Wang, our Mist City Arts and Science University’s photolithography machine project should be capable of developing and manufacturing machines for the 14-nanometer process."

"What! 14 nanometers?"

Upon these words, Wang Liwu was instantly shocked!

Chip technology was arduous enough, and several domestic technology companies and scientific research institutions had spent years of effort and a considerable amount of money to develop their own domestic chips—such as 14-nanometer chips, 7-nanometer chips, and even research into 5-nanometer chips was underway.