Chapter 639: Academician quota? HFOB structure! Li Xuwu: What a stingy boss!
In the early summer afternoon, a ray of golden sunlight seeps into the floor-to-ceiling window, as if it were coated with a layer of gold foil.
The light passed through the window and finally shattered on the floor, shining brightly, like gold scattered all over the ground.
In the office, Chen Yansen leaned against a soft leather sofa, holding an Orange X2 Plus in his left hand. The screen was stuck on Toutiao, and a headline could be vaguely seen: "Ali invests US$1.22 billion in Youku."
"It seems that Ma has big ambitions. He wants to do O2O and doesn't want to let go of the big entertainment industry."
Chen Yansen thought secretly.
Ali and Yunfeng Capital will purchase 720 million Class A common shares of Youku for US$1.22 billion.
After the transaction is completed, Ali’s shareholding ratio is 16.5% and Yunfeng Fund’s shareholding ratio is 2%.
The major shareholder behind Yunfeng Fund is Ma Liyun!
At this point, the market structure of the three major domestic video websites has been determined. Penguin is backed by Chen Yansen and Ma Wenteng, Youku is backed by Ma Liyun, and iQiyi is controlled by Robin Li.
Before Chen Yansen left, Youku was the strongest and firmly ranked first in the industry, followed closely by iQiyi and Penguin. LeTV had the strength to impact the first tier, and Sohu Video and PPTV were considered the best in the second tier.
However, once Pinbei's Prime super membership was launched, it brought 10 million paying users to Penguin Video, making it a leader in the industry.
With the establishment of Orange Interactive Entertainment, its products have basically formed a complete industrial chain from IP incubation to comic adaptation, short dramas and film and television production, and then to broadcasting platforms.
Seeing that the situation was not right, Gu Yongqiang immediately wanted to find a financial sponsor for Youku, but Chen Yansen lowered the price too much, so he turned to Ma Liyun.
Just then, the phone suddenly vibrated.
Chen Yansen came to his senses, picked up the phone and saw that it was Liang Jinsong calling.
He thought about it and pressed the answer button.
"Boss, it's done! Thanks to your hybrid FinFET structure solution."
Liang Jinsong reported straight to the point, his tone revealing joy and excitement.
When he first joined Star Source Technology, he promised Chen Yansen that he could achieve mass production of 28-nanometer chips in as little as 18 months, and he finally achieved the goal in just 6 months.
On the one hand, he benefited from the team he recruited from TSMC and Sanxing, as well as his own 30 years of technical accumulation and process management experience; on the other hand, he relied on the strong financial support of Sunlink Capital, first acquired an existing chip manufacturing plant, and with the help of the R&D strength of the China Science and Technology Association, he greatly shortened the trial and error cycle.
Of course, the hybrid fin transistor structure (Hybrid FinFET on Bulk, or HFOB) provided by Chen Yansen combines planar and FinFET structures, effectively balancing the chip's performance, power consumption, cost, and yield rate.
"What is the yield rate?" Chen Yansen asked.
"The latest batch of Tiangong A100 chips has a yield rate of 96.4%. If we continue to adjust the process and technology for large-scale production, I am confident that within three months, we can increase the yield rate to over 98%."
Liang Jinsong said confidently.
"Lao Liang, thank you for your hard work! Starting from July, your annual salary will increase by 20%. For the other R&D engineers in the team, please make a list based on their performance and output contribution and send it to me. I will adjust their base salaries in the first half of the year.
If we can further break through to 20nm and 16nm processes, we can get another salary increase this year."
Chen Yansen announced slowly.
In his opinion, as a boss, if his subordinates have made contributions, he can just give them money.
In addition, he knew better than Liang Jinsong the strategic importance of conquering the 28-nanometer process in 2014.
For Xingyuan Technology, the first thing is to enhance its reputation. Just with this technological achievement, it should not be a problem to exchange it for two academician seats, right?
Secondly, would the Big Fund dare to turn a blind eye? If the total amount of bonuses, free policy subsidies, and factory construction subsidies is less than 3 billion, would it have the nerve to ask for it?
Liang Jinsong was slightly stunned and thought to himself: He is worthy of being the most generous boss in the country. He didn't ask about production capacity or the details of process optimization, but asked for a salary increase right from the start.
This is completely different from those entrepreneurs who can only make big promises!
His original annual salary was 5 million US dollars, and if it increased by 20%, it would be 6 million US dollars.
This salary level is considered upper-middle among European and American semiconductor companies. If it can be increased again by the end of the year, it will reach the top level in the industry.
No one would complain about having too much money, and Liang Jinsong is no exception!
The wrinkles on his face deepened under the pressure of his smile. He swallowed hard and quickly thanked him, "Thank you, boss! I thank you on behalf of everyone on the team!"
"TSMC just signed a foundry agreement with Apple for the A8 processor. Currently, there's still a two-generation technology gap between Star Source Technology and TSMC and Sanxing. If you can help me catch up, I'll give Star Source Technology 10% of our net profit as dividends at the end of the year."
Chen Yansen said slowly.
10% net profit dividend!
Liang Jinsong's hand holding the phone suddenly tightened, and his breathing paused for a beat.
Although the Shanghai branch has limited production capacity, it can still produce 50 million chips a year, with a net profit of at least US$200 million, and 10% is equivalent to US$20 million.
"Don't worry, boss! I'll split the team into three groups. One will focus on stabilizing the mass production yield, one will analyze the A8 processor's process parameters, and the last will specialize in 20-nanometer etching technology! I promise that Xingyuan Technology's technology will catch up with theirs before the end of the year!"
Liang Jinsong responded immediately with an uncontrollable tremor in his voice.
After hearing this, Chen Yansen smiled faintly and said lightly, "Don't be so radical. Technological research and development requires steady progress. The company will take care of the equipment and material suppliers. Just focus on achieving technological breakthroughs."
"Okay, boss." Liang Jinsong replied.
Afterwards, the two chatted about the details of improving the process for more than ten minutes before hanging up the phone.
Chen Yansen put down his phone, walked to the water bar, took out a bottle of mango juice from the freezer, and took a sip.
"Chen Yansen, you really are a pervert! What kind of good person would pour mango juice here? Don't bite, it hurts!"
A picture flashed through my mind.
But even though Wang Ziyan cursed him harshly, she still satisfied his little habit.
Chen Yansen smiled and shook his head, suppressing these surging memories back into the depths of his heart.
at the same time.
Huaxin International is still working on the Poly-Sion technology it acquired from Qualcomm, but due to process bottlenecks, its yield rate has always been difficult to break through 50%.
You know, a too low yield rate means that mass production is impossible; if mass production is impossible, there is no question of commercialization; and without commercial profits as support, it will be difficult for Huaxin International to have strong R&D motivation.
After all, who would want to do something that doesn't make money?
What's more, too low a yield rate will lead to increased production costs, and such products are destined to be uncompetitive in the market.
For example, the manufacturing cost of a Tiangong A100 chip made with a 28-nanometer process by TSMC is US$8, but that by Huaxin International is US$16. Who is willing to pay for it?
After learning that Star Source Technology mastered the polishing and coating processes for aspheric mirrors, the European and American Semiconductor Association immediately commissioned Zhang Weili of MediaTek to act as an intermediary and proposed to sell the previously banned NXT 1980i lithography machine to Chen Yansen.
To put it bluntly, they simply want Xingyuan Technology to develop the idea that "research and development is not as good as purchasing."
From a cost perspective, this option is indeed tempting, and if it were Huaxin International, it would most likely be readily accepted.
But what they don’t know is that Chen Yansen doesn’t care about the investment in R&D costs at all.
On the contrary, the more people involved in R&D and the higher the R&D funding, the greater the benefits he can obtain.
"Mr. Li, the batch report is out, and the yield rate is 53.7%!"
The assistant pushed the door open and placed a document on the desk of Li Xuwu, Vice President of Technology R&D at Huaxin International.
"Alas, we were screwed by Qualcomm. The gate leakage of the Poly-Sion technology solution is too serious. In terms of performance and power consumption, it is not as good as HKMG's high-k value, gate-last process.
Even if we achieve mass production of the 28nm process, the chips we produce will not be as good as those of Sanxing and TSMC."
Li Xuwu glanced at the report and said worriedly.
These foreigners are so sinister!
Deliberately coming up with problematic technical solutions and leading Huaxin International astray!
But what makes people frustrated is that no matter how difficult a detour is, it is still a road.
Without the technology provided by Qualcomm, Huaxin International would not even be able to find its direction and would have to grope in the dark.
"Mr. Li, our optimization speed is very fast. Last year, the yield rate was less than 30%, but this year it is almost close to the passing line."
The assistant stood aside and comforted him patiently.
"But what's the use of passing the exam?" Li Xuwu said bitterly.
He paused, then added, "TSMC already has mass production capabilities in the 20nm process. It's a shame Liang Jinsong was poached by Star Source Technology. If he had come to Sinochip, with his experience at TSMC and Sanxing, combined with the technological expertise of Europe and the US, he would have been able to commercialize the 28nm process by 2015."
"Mr. Li, Xingyuan Technology has offered Liang Jinsong an annual salary of 5 million US dollars. I'm afraid Mr. Liu is reluctant to give it up."
The assistant lowered his voice and spoke boldly.
"How can you possibly retain talent if you're always being stingy?"
Li Xuwu spread his hands, looking helpless.
"Knock knock knock!" There was a knock on the door.
"Come in!" the assistant replied.
"Click" sound!
A middle-aged man in his thirties, dressed in a suit and tie, opened the door, but instead of going in, he stepped aside and gave way to the person behind him.
"Boss, why are you here?"
When Li Xuwu saw Liu Xunfeng outside the door, he immediately stood up to greet him.
He felt a little uneasy because just a few seconds ago, he was still secretly criticizing the boss.
"Just received a new piece of news. Xingyuan Technology's yield rate on the 28nm process has reached 96% for the first time."
Liu Xunfeng frowned and spoke as he walked.
96%?
Hearing this, Li Xuwu was stunned.
He is an insider with a technical background and understands the industry significance behind this number very well.
This is a huge technological leap for China's semiconductor industry!
This means that the generation gap between domestic chip manufacturing technology and the world's most advanced level will be instantly shortened from "4-5 generations behind" to "1-2 generations behind".
28nm is an extremely important and long-lived process node!
It has a very high cost-effectiveness and can be widely used in fields such as the Internet of Things, automotive electronics, microcontrollers, analog chips, RF chips and CMOS image sensors.
Whoever can master this technology first will receive various honors, policies and cash subsidies.
The economic benefits behind it are also particularly considerable.
In addition, the operation of an advanced production line can also drive the development of the entire upstream industrial chain, thereby accelerating technological iteration and process maturity.
Take EDA software as an example. As the name suggests, EDA stands for electronic design automation, which is also an electronic tool for chip design, manufacturing and packaging.
Only with industrialization as a prerequisite can we develop EDA software with higher adaptability and stronger functions.
Why did Chen Yansen start writing Mass V1.0 only after he bought the production base of Zijing Semiconductor?
The reason is simple. Industrial practice is a prerequisite. You must first be familiar with the manufacturing process before you can design electronic software that meets your needs.
If there is no Fab factory, directly developing EDA software is as ridiculous as asking a person who is proficient in computer programming to develop an electronic cookbook.
Liu Xunfeng walked to his desk and happened to catch a glimpse of the 53.7% figure on the report. He sighed softly, "We've been pursuing this for three years, and our yield rate has barely passed 50%. Star Source Technology has reached 96% in just six months. This gap isn't just a tiny bit; it's a chasm!"
Before this, he was still complaining about Hu Ruihui of the Science Association and the Big Fund, asking why they did not give the technology and financial resources to Huaxin, but instead invested in a newly established semiconductor manufacturing plant.
Now he understood that compared with Xingyuan Technology, what Huaxin lost was never resources, but vision and courage.
Chen Yansen dared to spend tens of billions to buy factories, equipment, and recruit teams, and dared to let Liang Jinsong make mistakes with an annual salary of 5 million US dollars. What about Huaxin?
They are reluctant to let go of the defective technology given by Qualcomm, and even have to check the cost again and again before giving a salary increase to the R&D team. How can they compete with others?
"Boss, we are halfway there," Li Xuwu said, hesitating to speak.
"I'm not asking you to give up, I'm just expressing my feelings. I know that Poly-Sion technology has disadvantages and flaws compared to the HKMG solution, but it is ultimately a genuine 28nm process technology.
Even if Xingyuan Technology nails the production process, what good will it do? Chen Yansen only has 12 NXT 1950i immersion lithography machines, and annual production capacity is limited. Once we raise the yield rate to 90%, we'll still have plenty of orders.
Liu Xunfeng sat down by himself, waved his hand and said.
"Boss, TSMC has a lot of top talents like Liang Jinsong. How about we spend a lot of money to poach a team from them?"
Li Xuwu asked tentatively.
"Well, I'll think about it first."
Liu Xunfeng frowned slightly.
He came here originally to advance the progress of the project, but unexpectedly Li Xuwu raised the demand first.
"Hey, it's really boring to work with such a person."
Li Xuwu complained silently.
…
…
Although Xingyuan Technology achieved a technological breakthrough on June 10, it was not announced to the public until June 16.
After careful consideration, the decision was made to have CCTV, National Daily and Xinhua Evening News jointly report the event.
"Big bomb! Xingyuan Technology has achieved a major breakthrough, and its 28nm chip has reached mass production standards!"
(End of this chapter)
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