The US$30 million that GCA invested in the research and development of EUV technology projects at that time could acquire 40% of ASML's equity, which is not a small amount of money!
GCA's cash flow on the books at that time was only more than 3 million US dollars, and the company had many places to spend money.
In his previous life, Sun Jian had read many articles about ASMLEUV lithography machines on the Internet. The authors lamented that it is difficult to develop and produce EUV lithography machines. It is called an alien technological level and is the highest level in the field of human science and technology so far. The most cutting-edge technology possible, bar none.
In order to break the blockade, huge sums of money have been invested, but the efforts of the whole country have not seen results.
Previous life in the late 1990s, dry type 193n]
Intel planned to invite Nikon and ASML, the first and second largest companies in the lithography industry, to join EUVLLC. However, the U.S. government was worried that the most cutting-edge lithography technology would fall into the hands of foreign companies and opposed Nikon and ASML's joining.
In order to show its sincerity, ASML agreed to establish a factory and an R&D center in the United States to meet all domestic production capacity needs. In addition, it also guaranteed that 55% of its components will be purchased from American suppliers and undergo regular reviews. After making many concessions, it finally successfully joined EUVLLC and was able to enjoy its basic research results. However, Nikon did not have the opportunity to join and lost the opportunity to compete with ASML.
A few years later, the feasibility of EUV was finally demonstrated, so EUVLLC's mission was completed, the company was dissolved, and each member embarked on their own research and development path.
After ASML joined EUVLLC, the research results it enjoyed greatly accelerated its EUV research and development progress. Moore's Law came to a standstill in 2005. Extreme ultraviolet lithography technology was considered to be the key to the breakthrough of the 10n process. However, due to the EUV lithography machine is almost approaching The limits of physics, materials science, and precision manufacturing require extremely high light source power, extremely precise lens and mirror systems, and a vacuum environment. The yield rate of supporting resists and protective films is not high, let alone for the Japan, the Netherlands, and even the United States, the world's number one in science and technology, can only dream of breaking through the world's most cutting-edge technology on their own.
Due to the extremely high technical difficulty and the need for huge R&D funds, Nikon and Canon had no choice but to give up and completely become mid- to low-end lithography machine manufacturers.
ASML becomes the only candidate!
ASML has received 5.3 billion euros of funding from Intel, Samsung and TSMC to develop EUV lithography machines with a 23% stake, and these three customers have also received priority supply rights.
ASML has also become a Dutch high-tech company controlled by a large American consortium!
From 1997, when Intel and the U.S. Department of Energy took the lead in establishing EUVLLC, it was not until 2017, before Sun Jian was reborn, that ASML successfully mass-produced the first EUV lithography machine, gathering the technological achievements of global physics, materials science and precision manufacturing extremes. , and it took a full 20 years!
It is no joke that it is difficult to successfully develop an EUV lithography machine.
Sun Jian predicts that by investing another US$100 million, Thompson's team will be able to successfully research EUV. In the face of EUV lithography machines, the most complex and ambitious project in human technology, GCA cannot successfully produce it alone even if it spends billions of US dollars in R&D funds. , it is necessary to concentrate the world's top scientific and technological achievements in physics, materials science, precision manufacturing, etc. Only the United States has such organizational capabilities.
GCA produces high-end lithography machines, and BSEC produces mid- to low-end lithography machines. This was the positioning Sun Jian gave the two companies when acquiring GCA, and it was not based on his will.
With GCA reborn, ASML will lose the opportunity to enter the EUV LLC. ASML's successful development of an EUV lithography machine on its own is just a dream, and neither can BSEC!
After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Eastern European countries headed by Russia have moved towards the Western camp. Countries that are friendly to us do not have strong economic and technological strength. Under today's technological and economic conditions, with the efforts of the whole country, BSEC develops EUV lithography machines. , without 20 years, no results can be seen.
The reborn are not gods!
With the technical and financial support of the U.S. government and high-tech companies, only GCA is possible in the world
Successfully develop EUV lithography machine, otherwise, the R&D funds spent may bring down GCA.
After all, GCA is a high-tech company that produces semiconductor equipment in the United States. Once China and the United States have a diplomatic relationship, the U.S. government will take back the GCA shares held by TIC on the grounds of national security. Unless they become American citizens, Sun Jian has already been mentally prepared to sell them when the time comes. For GTER or IBM, it should not be a big problem to recoup the investment of several billion dollars.
Only the public can believe the perseverance spirit of Americans!
The longer it takes GCA to successfully develop an EUV lithography machine, the more beneficial it will be for BSEC. Once the immersion lithography machine is successfully developed before the EUV lithography machine, BSEC will become a dark horse in the lithography machine industry!
BSEC is the child that Sun Jian needs to really care about, but it is not easy to raise this child.
------
"Chairman, I got conclusive news from a friend who works in the Ministry of Commerce. Relations between TH and TH are now tense. The Export Control Committee of the Ministry of Commerce will not approve the company's application to export the 250n process semiconductor production line to PGCA unless President Clinton comes forward to authorize it!"
Three days later, Adrian reported to Sun Jian with a look of regret on his face, hoping that Sun Jian would go directly to President Clinton.
"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Adrian. I will return to China tomorrow."
Sun Jian had long expected this result and was not very sorry. He would not go to the Presidential Palace for the benefit of GCA and PGCA and ask Clinton to give GCA and PGCA a chance. In today's sensitive period of tense TH relations, even if he succeeds, once he is Someone will take advantage of it and spread it to the domestic Internet, groveling, men and women doing it, slaves...
