Chapter 153 Project 712 (4k)

Topological semimetals can be used in the chip field and are hailed as the most likely raw materials for the next generation of chips and have been touted by the academic community.

As an expert in the field of topological semimetals, Lai Jiachen has been engaged in research in this field for about ten years, from the time he learned about it to the time he is now engaged in research in this field. During these ten years, he has heard similar remarks many times.

But dreams are beautiful and reality is cruel. It was not until this year that researchers developed topological semimetal films. It is unknown how many more years it will take to go from the laboratory to industrialization.

Therefore, in his opinion, the application of this thing in the chip field is more or less the same as controlled nuclear fusion. Twenty years ago, it was said that it would take fifty years, and twenty years later, it still said that it would take fifty years.

I don’t know how many pitfalls there are waiting for people to step on.

What he sees now is that the biggest problem in the application of topological semimetals in the chip field has been solved: the contradiction between photosensitivity and stability. Solving this problem means that its progress was originally unpredictable, and you couldn't estimate how long it would take to produce it.

Now you can just make a plan and complete it according to the plan.

After Lai Jiachen got the answer he wanted from the other party, he sighed inwardly: People are indeed different. Problems that are difficult to solve for outsiders are easy to solve for geniuses.

After the discovery of room-temperature superconductivity, Chen Yuanguang disappeared after giving an exclusive interview to CCTV. Although he did not appear in public much before, he still participated in some activities.

This time, Chen Yuanguang did not attend a series of important events, including the opening of Guangjia Technology's human hibernation center, the opening of room-temperature superconductors to the public, the launch of Guangjia Aerospace's new reusable rocket, the completion acceptance of China's compound eye, etc.

The outside internet said that Chen Yuanguang was under house arrest, while the domestic internet said that he was under protection in light of Joseph's assassination.

As a professor at Shenhai Jiaotong University, Lai Jiachen has his own sources of information. He knows that Chen Yuanguang has been staying in the western part of China for some time, but he doesn't know whether it is in Shudu or somewhere else.

After seeing the topological semimetal this time, his first reaction was that no one except Chen Yuanguang could make this thing. After he asked, the other party kept silent.

Now that his conjecture has been confirmed, Lai Jiachen doesn't even feel jealous. They are not from the same world, so there is no point in being jealous.

He recalled a BBC report he had read not long ago, in which Chen Yuanguang was praised as the biggest X factor between China and America.

He thought this statement was exaggerated at the time, but now he thinks it is a bit conservative.

“So, using topological semimetals as raw materials can make chips have stronger computing power?” Lin Jia asked after meeting with Zhao Pu. She still didn’t quite understand.

Chen Yuanguang explained: "Originally we fixed the area of ​​the chip, for example, one square centimeter, and then we wanted to put as many transistors as possible on this square centimeter. 7nm refers to the size of the transistor is 7nm, not the size of the chip.

The smaller the transistor, the more transistors a chip can have in the same area, and the computing power of a chip is linked to the number of transistors.

Now we use new materials as raw materials for chips. We don’t have to stick to one square centimeter. We can place transistors on an area of ​​4 square centimeters or even 16 square centimeters. Although the volume of a single transistor is larger, the area we can place transistors on is also larger.

That is to say, the number of transistors in the chip we make using the 28nm process is the same as that of the chip made using the 5nm process, because our base is larger.

China's original idea was to catch up with foreign technology. Others are at 3nm, but we haven't even mastered 28nm yet. The gap is huge, but 3nm can be said to be the limit of the process.

Because the lattice structure and physical properties of silicon-based materials limit the further reduction of chip process, silicon-based materials have almost reached their limit at 3nm, and it is now difficult to guarantee the yield rate at 3nm.

In this process, Samsung has fallen behind, and the only one that can still maintain its yield rate is TSMC.

If we continue to catch up with lithography machines, it will require the joint progress of all upstream and downstream suppliers, which is too difficult.

By directly using new materials, we can achieve the same computing power based on existing technologies.

Even if the domestic ASML 7nm lithography machine is modified and topological semimetals are used to manufacture silicon wafers, the computing power of the chip can be better than 3nm and infinitely close to 1nm.

This means that their strategy has completely failed. Our chip computing power is more advanced than theirs. So who is being strangled?
If you give us the 3nm process, we can work together to break through the current constraints and max out the chip, or we can all stay at 1nm.

This is a win-win situation for both sides.”

Chen Yuanguang went on to say: "This new topological semimetal was undoubtedly discovered in the process of preparing room-temperature superconductors, but I have never figured out how to design polarized light to make the chip.

During my time in Mianyang, I finally figured this problem out.”

From the beginning to the end, Chen Yuanguang never thought of using lithography machines to solve the chip problem, because even if the lithography machine was solved, as long as you still have to rely on this technical system, others will always find the key technical points and make you uncomfortable.

There are holes all over a ship, you can fix one but not all.

Even if all of them can be made up, the energy required is far beyond imagination.

It would be better to just replace the engine. Originally, people were used to row the boat, but now if we add an engine, as long as the speed is fast enough, water will not leak in.

Topological semimetal is also a technology carefully selected by Chen Yuanguang. It is suitable for the current environment and does not require too much effort to transform the existing technology system.

After listening to this, Lin Jia asked: "Can't quantum computers also solve this problem?
Why do it multiple times? "

Chen Yuanguang went on to say: “Quantum computers are still in the research process, and it will take at least three to five years for them to really play a role. Moreover, quantum computers are difficult to export, and foreign countries will not adopt our technical architecture. At best, they will buy it back and reverse crack it.

They will not help you adapt the software for quantum computers. It is more of a tool for enterprise use.

Or as critical infrastructure for cloud computing.

Topological semimetals can produce chips with performance comparable to that of foreign chips in just one year, or even less, which will have a greater impact on them.

It will better achieve our goal and force them to cooperate."

Lin Jia asked: "What if they still refuse to cooperate?"

“When their manufacturing process approaches 1nm, quantum computers will have been researched, and then everyone will see whether silicon-based computing power is more powerful or quantum computers are more powerful.

They can't catch up in the field of quantum computers unless the process of very-low-temperature superconductors is leaked." Lin Jia nodded: "Now you have to pay more attention to safety. You should stay in Mianyang for the time being. The safety factor here is much higher than Shenhai.

If we surpass American in chips, who knows what they will do.

Originally, Mr. Lei invited you to attend the Xiaomi Automobile launch conference, hoping that you could go on stage and say a few words, and asked me to invite you. In this case, I still declined on your behalf.

Or I can attend in your place."

With the help of Chen Yuanguang, Lin Jia has become the vice president of marketing at Xiaomi Auto. For girls, cars are obviously more interesting than aerospace and human hibernation.

"Okay, please help me refuse. There are too many people and too diverse people at the press conference. I definitely won't attend." Chen Yuanguang said.

Lin Jia then asked: "Since we want to develop chips, we must cooperate with consumer companies, right?
Who are you going to cooperate with this time? Huawei? Xiaomi? Or the Blue and Green Factory? "

Chen Yuanguang said: "Huawei, only Huawei.

They did not dare to cooperate with the other three companies, as it meant they only wanted the domestic market and not the foreign market.

Moreover, the other three companies do not have the chip design capabilities. It is impossible for the Kirin chip designed by Huawei to be used in Xiaomi phones.

Huawei is an indispensable partner in chip technology. They have already mastered the 7nm process. If we can discuss it, we may directly use the 7nm process and use topological semi-metal to bring the computing power close to that of 1nm chips. "

Lin Jia murmured, “If this really works, Apple will be driven crazy by you.

Apple's market share has been declining. If Huawei surpasses Apple in computing power, Apple will be out of the game and Huawei will dominate the high-end market.

Other brands should stop playing, what is the concept of a domestic chip with 1nm process computing power, and cooperate with Huawei's marketing. "

Chen Yuanguang said: "It's not certain yet. It depends on whether they dare to take the gamble and transform the 7nm process equipment. If they mess up, their current 7nm production capacity will not be guaranteed."

“You have to gamble. This is not an economic calculation. If we can surpass American in chip technology, it will cause a huge shock to the world. It will be a big joke if 3nm is stuck with 1nm.

America can forget about raising interest rates any further, even if they block China's new energy vehicles and rely on the trick of falsifying data to make the whole world continue to pay for the dollar. Due to the impact of room-temperature superconductivity, the U.S. stock market is struggling to support itself with OpenAI and GPU.

Every time Yellen comes, she ostensibly persuades us to give up our support for the green energy industry, but in fact she wants us to cooperate with the Federal Reserve on the issue of interest rate cuts.

Every time, they just make promises but fail to deliver. They want us to buy U.S. Treasury bonds and dollars so that the appreciation of RMB against the dollar can be within a controllable range during the Fed's interest rate cuts. However, when it comes to key issues such as allowing China's new energy vehicle industry to enter America and opening up the chip supply chain, they always avoid the question.

In this case, we will use 1nm chips to knock on the door of the global market and let Apple’s plunge sound the death knell for the US stock market.

We will see whether the Fed will raise or lower interest rates at that time.”

The Federal Reserve's one-year interest rate hike has had a significant impact on the global economy, cutting profits around the world through rate hikes, but it is impossible to keep raising interest rates. American banks and commercial real estate are struggling to survive in a high-interest environment.

Silicon Valley Bank is a victim of the crazy interest rate hikes.

Once the interest rate is lowered, the US dollar will depreciate significantly against the RMB, which means that the prices of goods imported from China by America will increase significantly, and domestic inflation in America will easily get out of control.

However, the inertia of the U.S. stock market and the many interest chains maintained on it lead to a limited duration of the crash.

After all, room-temperature superconductivity is the future, and once chips with 1nm process technology are released on Huawei phones, it will be a direct attack on America's present.

"If I can have a mobile phone chip with a 1nm process, then Huawei's Ascend chip process can also reach 1nm. If the versatility is not enough and the adaptive architecture is not enough, we can make up for it with the process.

Once the breakthrough is made, the former will hit Apple, and the latter will hit Nvidia. A100 and H100 will not be sold to China, and some castrated GPUs will be sold to Chinese companies. Then we will directly use the Ascend with the latest process. "

Ascend is a chip launched by Huawei for artificial intelligence training.

"This is a rare opportunity, we must plan carefully, coordinate with the financial layout, and give the Americans a hard blow.

We can appropriately disclose the news to institutions such as Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Sequoia Capital, and they will definitely cooperate with us to short the US stock market.”

"The prerequisite is that this thing can be made. Chen Yuanguang's credibility is beyond doubt, and the experts' response is also very positive. The application of topological semimetals on chips is completely feasible.

However, in terms of technology, whether 7nm can match 1nm as Chen Yuanguang said, and what the final stability of the chip will be, this needs to be confirmed.

Let Huawei get involved, and don’t use their own 14nm lithography machine. Instead, allocate the Hongxin machine to this project.

It just so happens that the 7nm lithography machine is idle anyway, so why not use it?

Set up a new company to be responsible for this project, give some shares to Jiangcheng State-owned Assets, and fill this bad debt."

Hongxin Semiconductor can be regarded as the tears of the times. When various places were engaged in semiconductor projects, Hongxin suddenly emerged, attracted some TSMC executives to join, and then bought a 7nm lithography machine from ASML. This lithography machine is still the only 7nm lithography machine in China today.

As a result, Hongxin went bankrupt before the lithography machine even started production. The lithography machine was mortgaged to the investor, namely Jiangcheng State-owned Assets, and hundreds of billions of yuan were wasted.

"Chen Yuanguang's investment is considered a technology investment. It depends on whether he invests in his personal name or in the name of Guangjia Aerospace.

The foreign investors in Guangjia Aerospace must withdraw their shares as soon as possible. They have to withdraw even if they don’t want to. This is not a negotiation. Don’t give them a chance to bargain.”

Under China's coordination, the 7nm lithography machine mortgaged by Hongxin was directly allocated to this project, and Huawei also entered the site. The project was internally named Project 712.

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