Chapter 32: Looks like a 7-nanometer chip

Chapter 32: Looks like a 7-nanometer chip

Chapter 32: Looks like a seven-nanometer chip
Wang Chengdong said, “Open it and take a look.”

Xu Zhijun hesitated for a moment and said, "Take it to the testing department first and ask Zhou Hua to come and look at it together."

Zhou Hua is a senior chip testing engineer who is most familiar with chips.

You can tell with the naked eye whether a chip is well made.

Of course, the specific performance still needs to be tested on the development board and the entire process to be determined.

At the same time, at Huayao headquarters, hardware testing department.

Chip testing engineer Zhou Hua had just finished a department meeting and was walking towards his workstation.

The atmosphere of the meeting was too lax and everyone was not very energetic.

This is normal. The company is currently in a crisis-ridden situation and major changes may occur at any time.

Of course, everyone still retains hope. After all, Huayao has come through many storms and it is not so easy to be defeated.

Colleague Liu Sanyang followed and asked in a low voice: "Brother Hua, do you think we still have a chance?"

Zhou Hua asked: "What do you mean?"

Liu Sanyang said: "I think the situation is not right recently. Others also say that Huayao may not be able to hold on any longer."

Zhou Hua raised his eyebrows: "What nonsense are you talking about? Why can't you hold on any longer?"

"Well... we may not have chips available in the future."

Zhou Hua was silent.

Anyone who is not a fool can see this trend.

In the past, their chip testing department was very busy, testing several chips every week, but recently the work has been extremely light and there is almost nothing to do.

Liu Sanyang added: "Brother Hua, I think we should find another employer as soon as possible. The department will be eliminated sooner or later."

Zhou Hua waved his hand: "Okay, go find it if you want, I won't look for it anyway."

Liu Sanyang glanced at Zhou Hua as if he was looking at a stubborn fool.

Just then, someone called Zhou Hua.

"Zhou Hua, come here for a moment."

Zhou Hua and Liu Sanyang were shocked. It turned out that the big guys had come, and there were two of them at once.

The people who came were Xu Zhijun and Wang Chengdong.

I saw Xu Zhijun holding a box in his hand.

The employees in the testing department were very familiar with that kind of box, which was the box that contained chips and wafers.

Zhou Hua hurried over and greeted the two bosses.

Xu Zhigang said: "There is a chip inside, I need you to take a look."

Zhou Hua was stunned for a moment: "Boss Xu, new one?"

Xu Zhigang casually said, "These were sent by other companies. Let's take a look at their quality first."

Zhou Hua responded and took the box.

The three of them walked towards the workshop.

Liu Sanyang hesitated for a moment and followed behind, wanting to see what the bosses had brought.

It’s really strange, why would other companies send new chips at this time?

Arriving at the workshop, Zhou Hua placed the box on the workbench and prepared to unpack it.

At this time, Wang Chengdong and Xu Zhijun were actually a little nervous.

In fact, the two of them didn't have much hope.

Wang Chengdong asked in a low voice: "Mr. Xu, what level of chip do you think is inside?"

Xu Zhijun answered without hesitation: "Fifty nanometers would be good."

Wang Chengdong nodded.

In 2018, the mature process of chips was above nanometers. Although the -nanometer process is outdated, there are many related chip products, and semiconductor manufacturing companies with this technology are considered to be of good level.

Semiconductor companies that can produce processes below 20 nanometers are extremely rare and can be counted on one hand.

There is only one company in mainland China that can make chips with a process below 20 nanometers, and that is Huaxin International. It is unlikely for other companies to do so.

With a "click", Zhou Hua had already opened the lid of the box.

There are twelve grooves in the box, and each groove contains a chip.

And on the lid of the box, there is a round object fixed.

The three were stunned.

It turned out to be a 12-inch wafer! A 12-inch wafer means that it is used in chips at least at the 28-nanometer level, otherwise a 9-inch wafer would be used.

Wang Chengdong and Xu Zhijun looked at each other with disbelief on their faces.

Xu Zhijun said: "No way, twelve inches..."

Wang Chengdong immediately said to Zhou Hua: "Let's take a look at the level of the wafer first."

Zhou Hua responded, carefully took out the wafer, and looked at the transistors on it with his naked eyes.

Wang Chengdong and Xu Zhijun also stretched their necks and stared intently.

Zhou Hua looked at it for two or three minutes before gently putting the wafer down.

They both asked at the same time: "How is it?"

Zhou Hua was confused: "Okay, it seems to be less than ten nanometers..."

"what!?"

"impossible!"

"Did you see it wrong!"

Zhou Hua quickly said: "I, I just judged based on experience. The exact number of nanometers still needs to be tested with instruments."

Wang Chengdong and Xu Zhijun only then realized that they were too excited just now.

Zhou Hua said again: "Then let me take a look at the chip?"

"Look, let's see what's going on."

Wang Chengdong seemed a little anxious when he spoke.

Wang Chengdong is a real science and engineering man who has seen countless wafers. Although his ability to distinguish with the naked eye is not as good as Zhou Huagao's, it is not bad either.

As soon as Wang Chengdong saw the surface of the wafer, he knew that this thing was not simple and it was definitely not something that could be made by a small factory or even a small workshop.

A glimmer of hope actually arose in Wang Chengdong's heart.

Zhou Hua carefully took out a chip and said, "This chip...is packaged very well."

Zhou Hua turned the chip over and looked at the pins carefully with a look of astonishment.

Xu Zhijun asked: "How is it? What is the level of this chip?"

Zhou Hua looked carefully, left and right, up and down, front and back, and finally answered: "This, this... seems to be a seven-nanometer chip."

"Wha, what!?"

"Seven nanometers!?"

Xu Zhijun and Wang Chengdong shouted so loudly that they almost jumped up on the spot.

There's no way. I can't help it.

What Zhou Hua said was like thunder to their ears.

The attention of employees not far away was also attracted, but they could only watch from afar, whispering to each other.

"What's going on? Why are Mr. Wang and Mr. Xu so excited?"

"They seem to be looking at the chip."

"Where did the chip come from at this time?"

"Who knows? Why don't you ask?"

"Don't make trouble..."

At this time, Wang Chengdong also took out a chip from the box and looked at it carefully.

The stitches are dense and neatly arranged, and at least there is no flaw visible to the naked eye.

This illustrates at least two points.

First, this chip uses advanced manufacturing process, with a design of at least less than ten nanometers.

Second, the packaging level of this chip is very strong, reaching the level of first-tier large manufacturers.

However, Wang Chengdong is also very clear that this is only what the naked eye sees. Comprehensive testing is still needed to draw conclusions about the actual level of this chip.

After a while, Wang Chengdong, Xu Zhijun and Zhou Hua found a meeting room.

Xu Zhijun asked: "This chip still needs to be fully tested."

Wang Chengdong nodded: "We must do it, and do it as soon as possible."

Xu Zhijun looked at Zhou Hua and said, "By the way, this must be kept secret. No one else can know about this. Do you understand?"

Zhou Hua nodded quickly and agreed.

(End of this chapter)