US-China Relations Updates

Recently, there has been a hot topic about Tsinghua University’s planned SSMB-EUV lithography factory in the Xiong’an New Area. Whether it is true or just a concept, the reason it has gained attention is that seizing an opportunity for overtaking is a matter of split-second decision. The Dutch company ASML has its own advantages in lithography machines and has also been hyped as the crown jewel of industrial civilization. However, when we aim to achieve our own high-process chips, relying on the path dependency of the Netherlands is not advisable. This is where we need creative thinking to accomplish our goals. The biggest advantage of the Dutch ASML lithography machine lies in its convenient transportation, but it has a low tolerance rate. Moreover, EUV lithography equipment is not the only route to take. Currently, China is progressing on three fronts simultaneously, and it is quite simple: the purpose is to manufacture chips, and selling them is secondary.

Popular Explanation of China’s Domestic Lithography Factory:

Imagine different wavelengths of light as a collection of balls of varying sizes. In a lithography machine, there is a filtering device that is used to obtain balls of a specific size. The impressive aspect of ASML is its ability to identify the desired 7nm balls within a few meters of the optical path and filter out the rest.

Now, the approach that China is taking is to create a circular track of several kilometers where the filtering within a few meters is not possible. Within this track, balls of different sizes will run, and as they run, the gaps between them will widen. However, balls of the same size will gather in specific intervals within this track.

The ultimate result is that within this circular track, different intervals ranging from 1 nanometer to 100 nanometers will be generated. If you need a specific nanometer size, you can simply take it from the corresponding position on the track.

Another story： When Wang Chuanfu（CEO of BYD） went to Japan to study battery technology, Japanese experts mocked him endlessly, saying, “Batteries? You Chinese can’t even build a cleanroom, let alone afford the protective clothing and disinfection procedures for each worker every day. Can you handle that?” After being humiliated, Wang Chuanfu returned to China in anger.

Within a year, BYD managed to become a supplier for Nokia’s batteries, and in less than three years, they pushed the original Japanese company off Nokia’s supplier list. Later, it was revealed that BYD never actually built a cleanroom but instead established a sterile assembly line. The workers only needed to put on sterile gloves and could operate in their designated positions. The total cost was less than one-tenth of the Japanese battery factory, yet the quality was just as good. Moreover, because the workers didn’t have to wear heavy protective clothing, masks, and goggles, their breathing was more comfortable, leading to higher efficiency…

Americans are feeling a great deal of anxiety.。。。