Chapter 526: As Long as the Hoe is Swung Well, No Corner Cannot be Dug

Kodak is still the arrogant Yellow Giant, with hundreds of thousands of Kodak film printing shops around the world, more than 140,000 employees, and a market value exceeding 28 billion USD. Wherever in the world film is needed, Kodak is there.

In recent years, although digital cameras, which Kodak hates, have a trend of rising, Kodak is still a giant existence.

In fact, as early as the 70s and 80s, Kodak developed digital cameras, but they were shelved because digital cameras couldn't sell film.

Just like vinyl records, which should have been swept into the history pile long ago, they ushered in a revival in the digital music era, and their sales once exceeded CDs and other discs. It can be seen how big the market for sentiment and memory killing is. The first time you hear it is in the third year of high school, and when you hear it again, you are already "three highs" (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high blood lipids). Things you couldn't afford in the third year of high school can be bought when you have "three highs."

It is definitely unrealistic to want to buy Kodak now. The cost is too high. But when it goes bankrupt, taking its brand down and letting Lin Benjian play with it is no problem.

If Lin Benjian can join Dongxin Semiconductor, help Dongxin Semiconductor build a chip production base, and help develop the latest model of lithography machine, then not to mention the crippled Kodak, even the full-blooded Kodak, Dongxin Semiconductor might let Lin Benjian have his wish once.

"I also hope there will be such a day, I must ask Kodak management why they didn't look at my resume back then!" Lin Benjian said with a smile.

Looking at that antique camera, and then listening to Li Dongling's words just now about giving Kodak to him, the taste of buying a horse bone with a thousand gold was simply not strong enough. How could Lin Benjian not hear it?

"Unmerited rewards are not accepted. What is the purpose of Li Zong looking for me this time?"

Lin Benjian's personality is gentle, as if he would never get angry, but when he asked Li Dongling this time, his eyes carried a bit of solemnity.

Li Dongling looked at Lin Benjian and said straight to the point, "To tell you the truth, Hanxi Dongxin Semiconductor Company is preparing to build a chip production base and hopes to invite Lin Boshi to serve as the chief engineer!"

"Go to Hanxi to serve as the chief engineer of the chip factory?"

Lin Benjian's expression was obviously a bit surprised. He had thought of all kinds of possibilities, but he never expected that Li Dongling would actually want to poach him back to the mainland.

"Not only the chip production base, but inside Dongxin Semiconductor, there is also an R&D team for lithography machines. If Lin Boshi is willing, this lithography machine R&D team can also be handed over to Lin Boshi for management!"

Li Dongling made a statement that the entire Dongxin Semiconductor lithography machine and chip production base would be handed over to Lin Benjian for management. In fact, it was giving him the power.

Currently, Dongxin Semiconductor's lithography machine team is an R&D team mainly composed of Zhou Shi, Zhang Shiying, Wang Xia, and others from the 45th Research Institute of the Ministry of Machinery and Electronics.

This lithography machine R&D team cannot be said to be bad. This is already the best lithography machine R&D team Dongxin Semiconductor can find in the country. It is currently developing a 450-nanometer lithography machine for Dongxin Semiconductor.

Dongxin Semiconductor's 450-nanometer lithography machine now has a clue. If they grit their teeth and invest funds, it is estimated that they can develop it.

But going further, wanting to catch up with the latest models of lithography machines from Japan's Nikon and Canon, and developing lithography machines below 450 nanometers, is a bit beyond the reach of Zhou Shi's lithography machine R&D team, let alone conquering the 193-nanometer lithography machine that blocks chip production plants all over the world.

"I have retired from IBM for several years and have not returned to the front-line R&D post for several years. I am afraid that I am a bit disconnected from the mainstream technology now!"

Lin Benjian hesitated a bit after hearing Li Dongling's words. Technology is one aspect, and on the other hand, Lin Benjian has been in America for nearly thirty years. Letting him suddenly go to a strange environment, it is inevitable that he will have entanglement in his heart.

Hearing Lin Benjian's words, Li Dongling was not disappointed, "Lin Boshi, you worked at IBM for 22 years and were responsible for the lithography machine project. Isn't it a pity that the deep ultraviolet DUV technology couldn't break through 193 nanometers?"

Lin Benjian's expression changed suddenly. For a technical person, not being able to solve the problem that plagued his entire career is probably a lifelong regret.

And when he was at IBM, although Lin Benjian insisted on DUV technology, IBM's executives liked the X-ray lithography machine project, which made Lin Benjian unable to prove his theory and technology to the world until he retired.

Lin Benjian's eyes were exceptionally sharp at this moment, looking straight at Li Dongling. After a while, he let out a sigh.

"Whether it is DUV, X-ray, ArF, or excimer laser, no one knows who the winner is until the end, which path can break through the shackles of the 193-nanometer light source!"

Lin Benjian's tone carried a bit of unwillingness and a bit of helplessness. Where is the most helpless place for R&D practitioners? It is that the road ahead is vast, and no one knows which road is correct.

History will only remember the winners, and for those who failed on the R&D road, and even spent a lifetime studying a project, if they fail, their entire career is basically denied.

Now all kinds of lithography machine companies and R&D teams are desperately trying to conquer the 193-nanometer light source, with countless paths, but it is destined that there is only one winner, and the rest are all cannon fodder used to set off the winner.

Whether deep ultraviolet DUV technology can win and break through the 193-nanometer process before the current lithography machine hegemons Nikon and Canon—to be honest, Lin Benjian has no bottom in his heart. If this road were easy to walk, IBM would not have given it up directly back then and went to engage in some X-ray lithography technology.

"But until the end, who dares to say that deep ultraviolet DUV will not be the final winner?" Li Dongling looked at Lin Benjian and said.

Lin Benjian smiled helplessly, "But the cost is too high. To prove whether this road is correct, it may require investing hundreds of millions of USD, and if it fails, it may all be thrown into the water!"

"But without trying, who knows if it can be done?"

Lin Benjian was already moved at this time. Li Dongling is willing to support his DUV project, so maybe he can really make up for the regrets of his career.

But having Dongxin Semiconductor willing to pay the bill does not mean that he can sit back and relax. If the R&D fails and the huge R&D expenses are thrown into the water, then Lin Benjian can be said to be unable to protect his integrity in his later years.

Li Dongling saw that Lin Benjian still had a hesitant look and released another big move.

"Lin Boshi, I am not a professional in the lithography machine and chip industry. What I said is just a whim. Lin Boshi should just take it as a joke."

"Now, whether it is ion projection, ArF, X-ray, DUV, etc., all belong to dry lithography machines using air as a medium. But what if air is replaced by water or other media..."

Li Dongling is indeed not an expert in lithography machines, but he has heard a lot of rumors about lithography machines in his past life, and the most famous one is using water as the medium for lithography machines, shortening the light source through the refraction of water and projecting it onto the circuit.

Hearing Li Dongling's words, Lin Benjian only smiled at first, and then his face became more and more serious.

Lin Benjian naturally understood Li Dongling's meaning. At first glance, it felt a bit unreliable. As an old gun who had been in the industry for a lifetime, he could find all kinds of loopholes in Li Dongling's method, such as using water as a medium, whether it would produce bubbles, whether it would pollute the equipment, and other problems such as waterproofing, water expansion, evaporation, and affecting accuracy.

"Li Zong, you are a genius. If you had chosen the semiconductor industry back then, you would definitely have achieved shocking results!" When Lin Benjian looked at Li Dongling, his eyes had changed.

Li Dongling shook his head, "I'm just talking nonsense, Lin Boshi should not take it seriously!"

"This road is indeed worth trying. Theoretically, changing the air medium can indeed shrink the light source!" Lin Benjian said seriously. At least this theory made him moved.

"If Lin Boshi is willing to join Dongxin Semiconductor, Dongxin Semiconductor is willing to give full support and use DUV technology to research this theory!"

Li Dongling is equivalent to handing over Dongxin Semiconductor's chip production base and lithography machine project to Lin Benjian. Compared with IBM, which was stingy to Lin Benjian, this has already shown enough sincerity to Lin Benjian.

"I..."

At this time, Lin Benjian was already moved, but when the words reached his lips, he still carried a bit of apology and said to Li Dongling, "I need to discuss it with my wife!"

Li Dongling had long heard the rumors that Lin Benjian and his wife were deeply in love, "Of course, if Mrs. Lin and Lin Boshi's family are willing to go to the mainland together, Dongxin Semiconductor and Dongling Gao Ke can make arrangements for work and life!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 527 =====