Time goes back to one day ago, during the day in the United States and late at night in China.
No. 1200 New York Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., less than one kilometer away from the world-famous White House in Washington, D.C., is the headquarters of the editorial office of Science magazine.
Speaking of this magazine, the most famous thing is probably that when it was founded, the world-famous inventor Edison was one of the magazine's sponsors. However, after experiencing several financial crises, it was taken over by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and Technology, and it gradually became a world-renowned technology magazine.
Another well-known incident is that at the beginning of the 21st century, "Science" magazine and "Nature" magazine had a fierce battle over who could be the first to publish a map of the human genome. It’s hard to say who won, but in 2008, the first complete genome sequence map in human history was published in the magazine Nature.
Of course, this does not mean that "Science" is worse than "Nature", after all, the national power lies there.
And for many scientists, publishing in Science does not require publication fees. Of course, the premise is still that the content of the paper must pass a more careful review.
The current editor-in-chief, Bull Wilson, not only graduated from the prestigious Ivy League school Harvard University, but is also the president of another world-renowned school, Stanford University. He is also an expert professor in materials science.
Very high grade.
But in fact, magazines like Science are extremely friendly to ordinary readers.
After all, this is a comprehensive journal that covers all scientific research directions. Unlike professional journals such as mathematics and physics, most people can understand the papers published in Science.
Because he was busy with other matters, Bull didn't have much time to come to the magazine. Most of the time, we work remotely, and the deputy editor of the editorial office can also make the journal run well.
Today, when he came to the editorial office, he heard a very interesting news.
A while ago, the young Chinese mathematical genius who stirred up the world's mathematical community with watermarks actually submitted an article to Science, and even submitted two articles directly.
This is indeed an interesting thing.
Many editors in the editorial office even began to bet on whether the papers submitted by Qiao Ze also added watermarks.
Well, Qiao Ze is not the first mathematician to contribute to Science.
However, Bull was still very interested in Joze's paper.
Obviously, it didn't matter that he wasn't interested, because the deputy editor-in-chief Kangna said to him with a serious face: "Bull, I think you should take a serious look at Joe's two papers. Especially the one about manufacturing lithography machines."
"Lithography machine? Did I hear you correctly? You mean the paper that math guy sent us was about how to make a lithography machine?"
"Yes, you heard it right, it's about lithography machines! I don't know how to describe it, but how should I put it? His paper is a bit vague in its presentation. I also sent it to some experts, but this paper It’s really strange…”
Bull looked at his right-hand deputy strangely.
Because this statement obviously sounds very disorganized.
It is hard to imagine that a rigorous associate editor of a top journal would appear logically confused when making simple statements.
"Okay, I get it, Connie, I suggest you relax first. Why don't you go have a cup of coffee first? Let me read through the paper first and then talk. If you can't find a more suitable reviewer, I We will find a way. You know, there are many teams at Stanford University conducting related research, such as the high-density elastic circuit monolithic optical microlithography technology in the college, and they will definitely be interested in this paper."
Bull Wilson interrupted deputy editor Connie directly.
"Okay, Mr. Wilson, you'd better read the paper first."
After saying that, Connie turned around and walked out of the editor's room.
After watching the deputy editor leave, Bull pulled up Qiao Ze's paper from the computer, settled down and started reading.
After spending two hours carefully reading Joe Ze's paper, Bull Wilson probably understood why the deputy editor lost his temper.
This paper probably gave him the feeling that everyone who read it would be confused.
According to the wording and sentences in the paper, it can be said that this is just a paper of pure theoretical derivation, but the paper provides very detailed data to support it, and the sets of data are indeed like those produced in the laboratory. And the analysis of these data is really detailed.
The most important thing is, if this is just a machine on paper, who would be bored enough to develop an adapted control system for a machine that has not yet been built?
You must know that the control system that controls 28 beams of light at the same time has almost abnormal requirements for stability and accuracy.
Just like ASML's most advanced extreme ultraviolet lithography machine, the high-power carbon dioxide laser pulse must first be reflected by several absolutely flat mirrors, then irradiated onto a tin droplet target with a diameter of only 30 microns, and then excited It generates high-power 13.5nm plasma, and relies on these plasmas to generate EUV light sources with a wavelength of 13.5nm to expose and engrave the wafer.
The high precision requirements of its control unit are evident.
Although Qiao Ze’s design in the paper has reduced the requirements for instrument accuracy a lot. But this is a photolithography machine after all, and its function is to carve countless transistors on a silicon wafer. The requirements for stability and accuracy are there.
More importantly, if this thing is true, it is equivalent to twenty-eight lithography equipment working at the same time, processing and producing chips with different processes and different functions at the same time, and each channel can also perform light source processing according to production needs. Adjust on the fly.
Its production efficiency and production flexibility are much higher than the current traditional photolithography equipment.
Indeed, Boole was so stunned after reading the first paper that he didn't even bother to open the second paper.
Thinking about the many current policies, if the Chinese really build this kind of equipment, they don't need many. Even if they can only produce one unit a year, this will directly defeat ASML. And with China’s industrial reserve potential and desire for high-end lithography technology, it is almost impossible to produce just one unit a year if this thing really leaves the laboratory.
In probably a few years, this thing will be everywhere.
Once it blooms, Bull doesn't dare to think about what might happen next.
This is really outrageous.
Excited, he immediately called deputy editor Connie into his editor's office.
…
"Connie, has this paper been reviewed by someone? Tell me the opinions of those professionals."
"Yes, Editor-in-Chief Wilson, they have even used computers to conduct a certain degree of deduction and verification. According to the current calculation results, the authenticity of the data given in the paper is more than 80%. And that control system, try Using a virtual machine for verification means simulating the components described in the paper, and then using that system for simulation control. Well...how should I put it...except that the operation interface is too simple, the final evaluation score is very high , not to say perfect, at least it is excellent. For example, the system supports programming of each channel and can also simulate production effects.”
"But what this paper clearly says is that he only conducted theoretical derivation and design. Look at the description of the beam device here. He even used the word conception..."
"Yes, yes, this is what everyone thinks is contradictory. Let us assume that these are theoretical derivation, but how to interpret those data? And under normal circumstances, I can't imagine that it is completely possible without physical objects. Just by imagining, you can develop an adapted system, which even includes drivers for each device at the lowest level, as well as fine adjustments to the resolution."
Bull Wilson stopped talking and didn't know what to say.
After all, he has never seen such a strange paper in all his years of working in the industry. It was so strange that he even had to sit down with the deputy editor to analyze whether the things written in this paper actually existed or whether they were just ideas on paper.
"Bull, it feels weird, right? I just talked to Walter about this paper again, do you know what he said?"
Bull Wilson nodded slightly and signaled Kangna to stop showing off.
"This paper feels like a little grandson who wants to show off some good things he has seen, but is afraid that others will think this thing really exists and will snatch it from him, so he uses a lot of vague words and some Real data was stitched together, and this paper was born.”
Having said this, Bull Wilson suddenly felt enlightened.
Yes, he actually felt the same way, but it was so weird that he didn't know how to describe it.
After all, the lithography machine is not a child's toy.
"That Qiao Ze seems young?"
"Yes, I heard he is less than twenty years old."
"So what Walter actually means is that Joe showed talent in mathematics, and then he was invited by the school to visit a laboratory that studies lithography machines. He came into contact with some data and systems, and then directly wrote a paper? But this is also Doesn’t it make sense? Shouldn’t these laboratory data be kept confidential? Even if the laboratory data is open to visitors, the source code of the control system will not be disclosed to a visitor, right? Moreover, Qiao Ze wrote the paper, and other people involved in the project Where are the people?”
"That's what I think. You should know that Joe's first two papers were about causal coupling in group theory, and he built an intelligent platform based on it. Is there a possibility that the lithography machine project team invited Joe because they encountered There are some difficult-to-solve problems. After all, controlling twenty-eight beams with high precision and stability at the same time requires extremely high intelligence for the system. Then Qiao participated in the optimization project, so he had access to the latest data and source code?"
"You mean, after he completed the commissioned work, out of a desire to show off, he even ignored the confidentiality agreement, then wrote this paper and submitted it directly to us? Let me see... Ha, corresponding author His name is the only name on every work!"
"I don't know, Mr. Wilson, the above are just guesses based on the assumptions of this paper. But as far as the current situation is concerned, I can't think of a more reasonable guess. Unless we believe that this paper is indeed just a description A theoretical technical possibility, and all the data in it are indeed, as stated in the paper, derived through computers based on the theorems and formulas of basic physics. Then the author of the paper also incidentally explained that this only exists in the theoretical conception machine and developed a control system.”
"One more thing, Connie, the author of this paper was still researching basic AI algorithms twenty days ago."
"Yes..., you should feel it. This inference feels even more ridiculous to me... I would rather believe that he completely ignored the confidentiality agreement he may have signed."
"Then what are you waiting for? Connie, publish this article immediately. We can let everyone help us figure out the problems we can't figure out. If it is true, this can also be regarded as a reminder to our semiconductor companies, Let them take it seriously. If it's false... well, damn it... the paper says that these are all his speculations and ideas. We don't even need to worry about the possibility of retraction in the future."
"Okay, Mr. Wilson, I will publish this paper on the official website immediately."
"Put it directly on the home page. By the way, this paper can be used as the cover of the next issue of the magazine. By the way, if the other paper has been reviewed, I can send it directly."
"knew!"
…
In this way, after the two had a long conversation, Qiao Ze's paper was published on the official website of Science magazine as expected.
The first hurdle passed amid the doubts of the editor-in-chief, deputy editor-in-chief, and reviewers.
When the paper was published on the official website of Science magazine, it was like dropping a pebble into calm water and causing ripples.
After all, the title of this paper is the idea of a new lithography machine.
At this sensitive moment, this product, known as the crown of modern industry, is already deeply concerned by countless people.
Coupled with the credibility of Science magazine itself, this paper was soon downloaded to the computers of many scientists in the industry.
This time it is not limited to pure scholars, but more scientists who are already studying related projects are more interested in this kind of highly application-oriented paper.
"Joe? This name seems familiar."
"Huaxia, Xilin University of Technology? Photolithography machine?"
"New lithography machine? New light source? Are you kidding me?"
This was the reaction of many people when they first saw the paper. After a few hours, when the first batch of scientists and engineers who downloaded the paper and finished reading it, many related forums and technical exchange teams began to become lively. .
"Hey John, have you read the paper in Science about the new lithography machine?"
"What paper?"
"You haven't read it yet? I suggest you put down what you are doing and take a look. Or if you open the internal forum now, you will find that it is too late if you don't read it. There will probably be a meeting for this paper today! By the way, it is " That article on the front page of Science!”
In this way, the same topic began to spread like a virus in the industry.
