Reborn 80s

As a chip foundry, Motta Semiconductor’s manufacturing capabilities are not that big compared to the world’s most advanced semiconductor companies.

In addition to importing photolithography machines from abroad, Mota Semiconductor is also using photolithography machines produced by Mota Microelectronics.

To produce chips, it is not enough to just have a photolithography machine. This is an industrial chain with a lot of technologies that are not available in China at this time.

Motta Semiconductor has invested a lot of money in research and development of silicon wafers, photoresists, bonding wires, molding resins and lead frames.

If it weren't for the support of meta investment behind it, it wouldn't be possible at all.

It's just too much of a waste of money.

In addition to funds, talent is also needed, and the Ministry of Industry will coordinate this.

"Mr. Zhang, thank you for your hard work!"

The first thing Chen Huaiqing said when he saw Zhang Rujing was to say thank you for your hard work.

It was indeed too hard.

In the past, China also invested a lot of money in the semiconductor industry.

It has always been led by the central government, focusing on technological breakthroughs and ignoring market transformation.

The problem of industrialization has not been well solved, so semiconductor investment rights have been decentralized to local governments, hoping to use market-oriented means to find a path for the development of domestic chips.

The situation is not very good. Most of the outdated wafer production lines introduced and eliminated from abroad have no commercial value at all.

Money is wasted. You know, the price of a production line is 3 to 6 million US dollars.

Faced with this situation, the Fourth Machinery Department is also anxious and is preparing to implement the 531 strategy, which is to popularize 5-micron technology, develop 3-micron technology, and tackle 1-micron technology.

Then at this time, Chen Huaiqing came to the door.

After understanding Chen Huaiqing's past achievements, no one dares to ignore Chen Huaiqing.

Although Chen Huaiqing had no experience in semiconductors before, who dares to say that Chen Huaiqing is not good at it?

Although the establishment of Mota Semiconductor received strong support from the Fourth Ministry of Machinery.

However, Motta Semiconductor really got on the right track and began to develop rapidly after Zhang Rujing took office.

With the support of Chen Huaiqing, Zhang Rujing would have no problem controlling Mota Semiconductor.

But in the Mainland, there is really a shortage of semiconductor talents.

Zhang Rujing was building the factory and cultivating it at the same time.

In China, there is never a shortage of smart people, and there is no shortage of smart people who work hard.

Zhang Rujing smiled and shook hands with Chen Huaiqing: "I finally lived up to Director Chen's trust."

Chen Huaiqing: "Are you still used to life here in Chengdu?"

Zhang Rujing smiled and said: "My father has lived in Yuzhou for several years and can cook a few Sichuan dishes. He is not uncomfortable here."

Sichuan cuisine is not just about spicy food.

After chatting for a while, we started talking about the development of Motta Semiconductor.

In addition to processor chips, Motta Semiconductor's current foundry products also include memory chips.

Compared with processor chips, memory chips are much less technically difficult.

In the office, Zhang Rujing poured a cup of tea for Chen Huaiqing.

Chen Huaiqing flipped through Mota Semiconductor's current customer list, and the one at the top of the list was Sixiang Technology.

Sixiang Technology was established in Beijing in 1987 by Meta Investment. It is a company specializing in chip research and development. It has set up R&D centers in Rongcheng, Shanghai and Shenchuan.

Sixiang Technology has named its four R&D centers respectively as Jingcheng Xuanwu R&D Center, Shenchuan Zhuque R&D Center, Rongcheng Baihu R&D Center and Shencheng Qinglong R&D Center according to their scope.

Each R&D center has different research and development directions.

For example, the Xuanwu R&D Center in Beijing mainly focuses on computer chips.

The Shenchuan Zhuque R&D Center focuses on communication chips, the Chengcheng Baihu R&D Center focuses on automotive chips, and the Shencheng Qinglong R&D Center focuses on industrial chips.

Is it difficult to design a chip?

It's hard to say it's difficult, of course.

For those who have never touched the door, it is naturally quite difficult.

But it’s not difficult to say!

There are not many companies in the world that can design chips.

In the past, chip design was the patent of large companies anyway.

A small company that wants to enter the field of chip design is just messing around.

The reason is very simple. Once the chip is designed, it must be produced.

Designing a chip only requires a chip designer and a computer.

If it can be produced, a chip manufacturing factory is required.

Building a factory is an asset-heavy project, and it is impossible for a small company to afford it.

The industry has barriers to entry, and it seems to be difficult.

But after Sixiang Technology was established, it quickly produced the designed chips.

In terms of talent, Sixiang Technology has the financial support of Meta Investment, and directly uses the money to poach people with lists in various research institutes.

Where did the list come from?

Of course I got it from the Fourth Machinery Department.

R&D funds are insufficient, so it would be a good thing for Sixiang Technology to make use of these talents.

In addition to talent and funds, there is another very important factor that allows Sixiang Technology to get on the right track so quickly, which is that the current chip design is not too complicated.

There is a gap between China and the world's top, but it has not widened much.

It's not like ten years later, when chips were already very complex and the development of China's semiconductor industry was unsatisfactory. It relied too much on the introduction of technology and ignored the research and development of independent technology.

The technological gap is constantly widening, to the point where people feel desperate.

Until the emergence of Zhongwei HiSilicon chips, facts have proved that there is no problem for Chinese people to make the world's top chips.

It's a pity that the chip design is the best in the world, but it is stuck in the manufacturing process.

I remembered that after the founding of the People's Republic of China, a large number of scientists returned from overseas. They designed the most advanced equipment in the world. However, when the blueprints of the equipment they designed were taken to the factory, the factory could not build them.

Then, these scientists go to the factory, inspect the actual production capacity of the factory, and then redesign it.

Design must match manufacturing capabilities, otherwise there will be no good design.

Zhang Rujing: “Our biggest customer now is Sixiang Technology.”

As he spoke, he looked at Chen Huaiqing.

Chen Huaiqing invested in the entire semiconductor industry chain, and allowed the companies in the industry chain to cooperate with each other and operate independently.

The OEM price offered by Sixiang Technology to Mota Semiconductor is still quite high, in order to support the continued development of Mota Semiconductor in technology.

"How is the 0.8 micron chip manufacturing process?"

"We are also conducting trial production and it is expected that we will be able to form mass production capabilities in the second half of this year at the latest."

The 0.8 micron chip manufacturing process was mastered and popularized by foreign chip manufacturers last year.

Motta Semiconductor is only about a year behind.

According to the 18-month cycle of Moore's Law, Motta Semiconductor is actually almost a generation behind.

Last year, Mota Semiconductor achieved mass production of 1-micron process chips, and now this is Mota Semiconductor's main business.

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