Chapter 1163
Coating Technology Reaches a Bottleneck! Self-Developed Technology Breaks the Monopoly
The challenges of ultra-precision machining of reflector substrates and complex multi-layer coatings are like two icebergs that must be overcome.
Su Dingping understood that even if Longxin Laboratory mastered the core technology, it was neither necessary nor possible to build a large-scale production line for this single link.
That's too extravagant!
Holding the new ion beam polishing blueprints and ALD process manual that embodied countless efforts, as well as several high-performance test pieces that had just been made using the new process on the Longxin pilot production line, Su Dingping personally approached the 927 Research Institute, which was responsible for the cutting-edge research and development of optical components in the Longxia tribe, with a letter of intent for technology transfer.
Director Zheng Yu, an elderly researcher with gray hair but sharp, eagle-like eyes, personally greeted them at the institute's entrance.
He knew what Su Dingping was doing and was even more aware of the immense pressure the Longxin Laboratory was currently under.
Inside the meeting room, Su Dingping didn't stand on ceremony and directly pushed the drawings and samples over.
"Director Zheng, the Longxin Laboratory has made some breakthroughs in the ultra-precision polishing and multilayer film deposition of EUV lithography machine mirrors. This is the process drawing and data report of the test samples."
Zheng Yu's expression was solemn at first.
He knew how demanding the requirements for EUV reflectors were. Taking the blueprints, he put on his reading glasses and only glanced at the first page, which outlined the core technological principles, before his hand trembled violently! His eyes suddenly sharpened like searchlights, staring intently at the words "ion beam atomic-level etching" and "dynamic compensation model" and the structural diagrams on the blueprints.
Then, his gaze fell on the thin ALD process optimization outline next to it.
"Temperature field gradient driven atomic adsorption", "Molecular-level pulse valve timing control"... His breathing suddenly became heavy!
"This...this blueprint..."
Zheng Yu suddenly raised her head, staring intently at Su Dingping, her voice trembling with excitement and disbelief.
"Chief Engineer Su! How...how did you manage to do this? This approach...this process! It's completely revolutionary! It's a completely different concept from the old methods our research institute has used for decades in optical and mechanical grinding and polishing! And the improvements to this ALD process are simply amazing!"
He put down the blueprints and almost snatched the few small experimental lenses next to him, examining their smooth, almost imperceptible surfaces against the light.
"The precision of the surface finish you've achieved..."
"The measured RMS error is 0.078nm, and all of the first batch of test pieces are within this value range."
Su Dingping said in a deep voice.
Zheng Yu gasped!
He rushed to the testing equipment and, disregarding his status, personally operated it, placing a test piece into the specialized spectrometer. Immediately, crystal-clear multilayer interference fringes appeared on the screen! The uniformity of the thin film and the sharpness of the interlayer boundaries made Zheng Yu's eyes widen in astonishment.
"Old Zheng?"
Several deputy directors nearby, seeing that he hadn't spoken for a long time, urged him anxiously.
Zheng Yu suddenly stood up, turned around, his face flushed with excitement, and slapped his thigh hard.
"Great! Great! Excellent! Chief Engineer Su! Amazing! Absolutely amazing!"
He practically yelled it out.
"This technology!"
This precision! Forget about meeting the minimum requirements!
This is even more powerful and stable than the top-of-the-line reflector used in ASM's flagship phone, as revealed in our most confidential documents! It's significantly better!
He grabbed Su Dingping's hand and held it tightly.
"Chief Engineer Su!"
We at Institute 927 will fully cooperate on these blueprints and technology! We have the best optical cold processing base in the country, and the most mature technical backbone for optical thin film coating production lines! I dare to pledge my commitment!
Based on this diagram and this process alone, we can not only provide you with stable mass production of EUV lithography mirrors that meet our requirements, but their performance will absolutely surpass ASM's! We will completely shatter their seemingly impenetrable monopoly in this market!
As Su Dingping felt the immense power emanating from his arm and saw the burning light in the eyes of the excited, incoherent old expert before him, a huge weight was finally lifted from his heart.
"Then I'll leave it to Director Zheng! Time is tight! The Longxin team will fully cooperate in any collaborative experiments needed!"
"no problem!"
Zheng Yu patted his chest.
"The arrival of your drawings and process specifications will be the starting call for our entire institute!"
Several months later, the first batch of EUV extreme ultraviolet lithography machine-specific multilayer film reflector systems, designed and manufactured entirely by Longxia Tribe and exclusively produced by the 927 Research Institute, completed their final performance tests in a rigorous external third-party testing laboratory.
When the report was delivered to the senior management of Longxin Laboratory and Su Dingping's desk, everyone saw the striking conclusion—"Core surface accuracy RMS error".
≤0.08nm; Thin film thickness uniformity error.
≤0.09nm; the overall light conversion efficiency and stability surpass the benchmark sample.
At this moment, no one cheered or jumped for joy; instead, there was a deathly silence.
Yuan Tao stared at the dizzying data comparisons on the report, his lips twitching slightly, but he only managed to utter a few hoarse syllables.
"It's done...it's fucking done...it's a success!"
A huge gap has been smashed into the towering wall of ASM, which was once considered insurmountable and built with countless patents and a century of technological accumulation!
Su Dingping leaned back heavily in his chair, looking up at the glaring fluorescent light on the ceiling.
The fatigue of the past few days surged up like a tide, accompanied by an immense, indescribable sense of accomplishment. The light source, the reflectors… the hardest core components of the EUV lithography machine, this fortress, were being pried open one by one by the craftsmen of the Longxia tribe!
"Finally... a significant step forward has been taken."
He closed his eyes and spoke softly.
However, the brief respite was only momentary. The next enormous shadow was already looming over them.
In the spacious but oppressive EUV assembly pre-research workshop, the massive vacuum system framework is already taking shape.
Su Dingping, Yuan Tao, and others stood in front of the huge design panel, their eyes focused on the two crucial core component icons in the center of the panel—the feeder platform and the mask platform.
"Dingping".
Yuan Tao's voice was unusually solemn.
"These two platforms, to put it simply, are like two hands that precisely align and rapidly move a silicon chip the size of a fingernail and a large-size photomask in three-dimensional space with nanometer-level precision."
He raised his hand, his fingertip pointing to the technical specifications on the panel; the numbers were alarming.
"The movement speed must reach several meters per second or more!"
"The accuracy of movement must be controlled to within 3 nanometers!" "This is equivalent to shooting a basketball from 10,000 meters away; the error cannot exceed the diameter of a single hair!"
“What’s even more deadly is…”
Yuan Tao emphasized his words, pointing to the huge vacuum chamber frame next to him.
"All of this must be done in an ultra-vacuum environment that is millions of times cleaner than the cleanest place on Earth! Ordinary mechanical bearings can barely move in that environment, let alone achieve nanometer-level precision! Friction, lubrication, shock absorption, heat control... it's all a dead end!"
Engineer Chen added from the side, his face also looking very grim.
"There's also a position feedback system, with a resolution reaching the sub-nanometer level! Existing laser interferometer technology struggles to achieve this level of stability even in ambient air, let alone in a vacuum where it must withstand various unpredictable micro-disturbances..."
"In other words, the core supporting the movement of these two platforms—the precision bearing system—must be able to stably achieve nanometer-level positioning accuracy and repeatability under a host of hellish conditions, including ultra-high vacuum, zero lubrication, extremely high speed, extremely strong dynamic load, and extremely low thermal deformation..."
Another engineer in charge of the mechanical systems almost groaned.
"This... is practically the Mount Everest of mechanical engineering! It's even more difficult than using a reflector!"
The office was deathly silent.
This is indeed one of the toughest challenges we face right now! It requires even more support from the entire national precision manufacturing industry system than multi-layered reflectors!
"I've looked at the information."
Yuan Tao broke the silence again, his tone as cold as the Arctic wind.
"The core technologies and key components that can meet these requirements... whether it's ultra-precision magnetic levitation bearing systems, air-bearing guide rail bearings, or nano-positioning platforms based on piezoelectric ceramics... are almost entirely monopolized by Dongying Precision Machinery of the Donghuang Tribe and a few companies of the Viking Tribe! Moreover..."
He paused, then spoke slowly and deliberately.
"According to the latest intelligence and confirmation from our procurement department, these core moving parts and technologies involving the most advanced lithography technology have been officially included in the highest-level embargo list against our tribe! Don't even think about buying a single thing from us!"
Another dead end!
A dead end, a hundred times more difficult than a reflector! The gateway to the project was completely welded shut and cast into an iron barrel!
Su Dingping's gaze was fixed on the two glaring component outlines on the design board, as if he wanted to burn them through. The pressure of funding, the urgency of time, the burning scrutiny of countless outside eyes... a heavy torrent once again pressed down on his heart and every pore of his skin.
"We have to make it ourselves!"
He suddenly raised his eyes, his voice not loud, but with an undeniable determination, like a chisel driven into granite.
"Notify the integrated military factory to suspend the current mission sequence! Top priority!"
He walked to the large table piled with blueprints, ripped off the protective film covering it, revealing the original design drawings that had already been laid out and marked with a large number of complex symbols and lines.
"Old Yuan, you all need to focus your efforts and assist me in completing the in-depth optimization of the core basic design of the workbench motion system! I need you to solve the key theoretical problems of system dynamics and magnetic circuit design!"
"Engineer Chen!"
Su Dingping turned to another one.
"Immediately, get people to build me a super-vacuum dynamic test chamber that closely resembles future operating conditions, based on our optimized design drawings! It doesn't need to be large, but it must be able to conduct dynamic simulation tests of the vacuum environment for core moving components! The faster the better! I need to verify the boundaries of all theoretical models! Money…"
He gritted his teeth.
"Keep burning while ensuring investment!"
"As for those precision bearings... whether it's the magnetic poles and coils of ultra-precision magnetic levitation, the microporous throttling structure of air bearings, or the core materials and driving chips of piezoelectric nano-actuators..."
He pointed heavily at several key points marked with red circles on the drawing.
"I can create the design drawings step by step based on the theory! But manufacturing! Manufacturing can only be done by our own factory!"
Tell the integrated factory staff: don't expect to buy foreign equipment for processing! Use the best machining centers we can get ourselves! Use praseodymium lathes! Use the most experienced level 8 lathe operators! Use the most basic turning, milling, planing, and grinding machines!
"You also need to painstakingly extract every single blank of the core components marked with red circles on the design drawings, with precision requirements at the 0.1 micrometer or even 10 nanometer level! Even if there are no conditions, create them! Tell them this is a death order!"
Su Dingping's voice echoed in the test workshop, carrying an almost tragic heroic spirit.
"Materials! Process! Testing! Assembly! No link can be allowed to fail! We'll work right here on these blueprints, in this factory, in this vacuum chamber, and we'll get this bone down!"
On the other side of the world, in the opulent White Eagle Palace, the atmosphere was equally oppressive.
In the chief's office, the expensive decorations did nothing to alleviate his bad temper. The ashtray was overflowing with cigar butts.
He slammed down the encrypted red phone on the table again—the receiver still emitted a harsh, drawn-out busy tone.
"Ah San! That damned bastard, Ah San Wang!"
The chieftain's face was ashen, like the gloomy sky before a storm.
"Two hundred billion! A full two hundred billion in upfront cooperation costs, and all he got in return was a bunch of worthless data and a bunch of empty promises about working hard! He even dares not answer my calls? Does he think he can get away with this?"
He paced back and forth on the thick carpet like a lion that had been thoroughly enraged.
His most trusted aide, a man with a hooked nose and an ever-expressionless face but shrewd eyes, whispered his advice.
"Your Excellency Chief, the Indian tribes have been getting too cocky lately."
They think they've grown too big for their britches, and it's time to... teach them a little lesson.
Let it understand who truly holds the reins in this world order.
"Teach them a lesson? How? We don't have any troops stationed there!"
The chieftain waved his hand impatiently.
"We don't need to do it ourselves."
The advisor's lips curled into a cold smile.
"There are so many tribes on the African continent, some of which are eager to seek friends and resources."
All it takes is the right moment, the right excuse, and... a tiny, insignificant bit of support that will just provoke the Indian king…
A few days later, several small transport planes silently landed on an abandoned military airfield runway in Denver Tribe, another small inland country near the northwestern border of the Indian tribes. There were no White Eagle Tribe military instructors on board, but the planes were piled high with brand-new individual weapon and ammunition boxes reeking of engine oil.
Assault rifles, machine guns, rocket launchers, mortars... all in brand new condition, enough to arm a reinforced company.
Several White Eagle envoys, dressed in plain clothes and claiming to be "international friends," made a meaningful remark to a minor warlord from the Denver tribe who was receiving the goods after a brief handover. (End of Chapter)