The international conference center at Singapore's Marina Bay Sands Hotel now seemed a micro‑cosmos of the global semiconductor industry. The air hummed with the low‑pitched confluence of multiple languages; industry elites in tailored suits and business‑casual attire wove through the space. Massive brand logos and screens rolling technical videos collectively fostered an atmosphere that was high‑end, cutting‑edge, yet tinged with undercurrents of competition. This was the annual International Advanced Lithography Technology Summit—one of the most prestigious, and most fiercely contested, stages in the lithography field. In the past, the center of this stage had almost always been occupied by those Western giants with decades of technological accumulation and their supporting research institutes; they represented the rule‑setters and the technology leaders.
Today, however, all eyes—whether curious, scrutinizing, skeptical, or carrying a subtle guardedness—were focused on that figure from the East about to take the main‑forum stage: Xiuxiu. She wore a well‑tailored, deep‑blue business suit, posture erect, makeup precise yet not ostentatious, perfectly blending the rigor of a technical expert with her growing leadership presence. Standing in the wing beside the lectern, she could clearly hear her own heart beating powerfully and steadily within her chest. This was not nervousness, but a highly focused excitement akin to stepping onto a battlefield.
She knew that today, standing here, she represented not merely herself or her team; she represented **China's formal declaration** in the field of high‑end lithography technology—a shift from long‑term pursuer and learner to equal runner, and potentially, in certain directions, a leader. Her presentation would no longer be the kind of report that focused on learning takeaways or partial improvements; it would be a systematic release of a technology roadmap that showed their own muscle and future ambition.
In the front row of the audience sat two individuals who seemed out of place at this technological gala, yet were tightly connected to the fate of the speaker on stage. Mozi wore a low‑key dark‑gray suit, exuding a calm, sharp‑eyed demeanor that swept across the hall as if assessing this "market's" potential reactions. Yue'er sat beside him, dressed in an elegant beige dress, expression serene, her gaze filled with support and anticipation for Xiuxiu. They had been specially invited by Xiuxiu—as the most important companions in her life—to witness this historic moment.
The host introduced Xiuxiu and her team's "remarkable progress" with impassioned tones. Xiuxiu took a deep breath, a composed, confident smile appearing on her face, and strode with firm steps to the center of the lectern. The spotlight bathed her, enveloping her in a bright halo.
"Ladies and gentlemen, colleagues in the lithography field," Xiuxiu's voice, transmitted via high‑quality sound systems, filled the venue—clear, steady, carrying an undeniable professionalism. "It is an honor to stand here and share with you some of our explorations and practices in advanced lithography technology, particularly in deep‑ultraviolet and extreme‑ultraviolet lithography."
She dispensed with excessive pleasantries, diving directly into the topic. The large screen began displaying meticulously prepared slides—no grandiose rhetoric, only concise charts, clear data, and highly impactful experimental results.
She first reviewed the evolution of **immersion DUV lithography technology**. This wasn't mere rehashing; she demonstrated how the team, building upon existing foundations, had unlocked new potential through a series of original engineering optimizations and physical modeling.
* **Light‑source stability and bandwidth control:** She presented breakthrough data on laser‑stability and spectrum‑purity control—via innovative feedback algorithms and thermal‑management designs, they had elevated source‑power stability and bandwidth‑control precision to world‑class levels, directly yielding better line‑width uniformity and lower stochastic defects.
* **Immersion‑fluid system and defect control:** She detailed the team's distinctive solutions in immersion‑fluid materials, flow‑channel design, and nano‑bubble/contaminant control, showing compelling defect‑density data meeting mass‑production requirements, addressing reliability issues that had long plagued large‑scale adoption of immersion technology.
* **Computational lithography and process co‑optimization:** She highlighted results from tightly integrating more advanced inverse‑lithography technology with process models—by algorithmically optimizing patterns before manufacturing, they effectively overcame optical‑proximity effects, achieving higher‑resolution pattern fidelity with existing hardware. She even displayed electron‑microscope images of key areas from a chip taped‑out for a domestic design house using their optimized process; the line clarity and edge‑roughness elicited faint murmurs of admiration from the audience.
This segment alone made many Western engineers and scholars, who had initially carried dismissive attitudes, set aside casual expressions and begin taking serious notes and contemplation. What Xiuxiu presented wasn't simple imitation, but systematic innovation with proprietary intellectual property, built upon deep understanding.
Yet the real storm arrived when she switched to the **extreme‑ultraviolet lithography** section.
When the screen displayed the title "EUV Technology Development and Roadmap," a palpable stir rippled through the hall. Everyone knew this was the current crown of lithography competition—the sole key to future smaller process nodes. Previously, Chinese teams' voices in this domain had been almost negligible.
Xiuxiu, appearing oblivious to the audience's reaction, continued in the same steady tone, though suffused with a resolute confidence. She began systematically expounding the team's full‑chain breakthroughs in EUV technology:
* **Source power and stability:** She directly disclosed the team's EUV‑source stable‑operation power data—**above 250 watts**—and showed fault‑free operating records spanning hundreds of hours. She didn't evade early challenges like tin‑droplet control and debris contamination but focused on how they overcame these fortresses through innovative dual‑pulse laser shaping, novel target‑material design, and plasma‑control strategies. She even mentioned a conceptual next‑generation source architecture based on "resonance‑state" ideas, sparking intense interest and whispered exchanges among experts below.
* **Optical system and aberration compensation:** She exhibited a self‑developed projection‑optics system comprising over a dozen multilayer‑coated mirrors with ultra‑low defect rates, detailing how they maintained nanometer‑level surface‑figure accuracy under vacuum and thermal‑load conditions through complex online monitoring and active aberration‑compensation techniques. The precision manufacturing, inspection, and control capabilities this represented left many seasoned experts in attendance astonished.
* **Mask technology and defect management:** She candidly addressed the challenges facing EUV masks, then immediately presented the team's progress in defect detection, localization, and repair. She mentioned introducing advanced mathematical tools (at this point, Yue'er in the audience subtly straightened her back) to statistically model defect distribution and grade severity, significantly improving mask yield and usability.
* **Double‑patterning process verification:** Finally, she unveiled the most stunning achievement—showing electrical‑test data and partial electron‑microscope images of a test chip successfully taped‑out using their self‑developed EUV prototype combined with double‑patterning technology. Though merely a test chip, this irrefutably proved one point: **China has now fully mastered the complete set of EUV lithography technologies—from source, optics, mask to process integration—and achieved functional verification from zero to one!**
Lastly, Xiuxiu presented a clear, forward‑looking technology‑development roadmap: from optimizing the current prototype, to R&D plans for next‑generation higher‑power sources and higher‑numerical‑aperture optical systems, even envisioning potential lithography directions beyond silicon. Her exposition was logically rigorous, data‑rich, detailed—not only answering "what was done," but clearly indicating "what will be done" and "why."
When the presentation concluded, the hall fell momentarily silent; then, applause—like a delayed tide—started sparse, grew warm, and finally erupted into thunderous waves! Regardless of the complex emotions held by those in the audience, none could deny one fact: a powerful competitor, possessing a complete technology system and a clear strategic path, had formally ascended to the center stage of global high‑end lithography. Countless camera flashes converged on Xiuxiu; she bowed gracefully to the audience, wearing a victor's smile—a brilliant confidence born from technological prowess and national pride.
Below, Mozi watched Xiuxiu shining under the spotlight, his eyes filled with ineffable admiration and pride. He knew she had conquered this top‑tier technology stage not through capital's might, but through genuine technological hard power and that unyielding tenacity. Yue'er also applauded vigorously, her eyes slightly moist; she was happy for Xiuxiu, and deeply moved by this manner of earning respect through wisdom and sweat.
That evening, the summit hosted a reception cocktail party at Singapore's iconic Gardens by the Bay. Giant supertrees shimmered with dreamlike lights in the night, like a forest leading to the future. Xiuxiu was undoubtedly one of the party's focal points; people continually approached her for conversation, exchanged business cards, discussed technical details. She handled it all with ease and grace.
As the party neared its end, the crowd gradually dispersed. Xiuxiu, Mozi, and Yue'er, in tacit understanding, detached from the noisy center and strolled to a relatively quiet viewing platform that overlooked the Marina Bay Sands complex and the distant harbor.
The night breeze was gentle, carrying the distinctive fragrance of tropical flora. In the sky, stars were sparse, but city lights painted the horizon in warm orange‑red hues. After the day's tension and brilliance, this tranquility felt especially precious.
The three stood without speaking, simply savoring this rare moment of quiet companionship, far from the core of their respective battlefields. The day's success still resonated within Xiuxiu; she looked at Mozi beside her—his calm gaze held profound strength; then she looked at Yue'er—her serene profile appeared especially gentle in the night, containing cosmos‑like wisdom.
An indescribable emotion quietly flowed and warmed beneath this foreign sky. All the past moments—shoulder‑to‑shoulder in the lab, candidness in the hospital room, late‑night phone‑call reliance, sparks of intellectual collision, and that deep affection already tacitly acknowledged yet never spoken—seemed now to find their outlet.
Mozi turned to face the two women. His eyes moved slowly over Xiuxiu's and Yue'er's faces—there was admiration, gratitude, and tenderness thick enough to melt.
"Today," his voice low and clear in the night breeze, "I saw the power of light, and felt the wisdom of strings. And I…" He paused, his gaze deepening further. "All I can do is use my own way to guard these two most precious lights in the world."
He stepped forward, extending both hands, taking Xiuxiu's and Yue'er's hands respectively. His palms were warm and firm, carrying a reassuring steadfastness.
Xiuxiu's heart jumped; she didn't pull away, but instead instinctively clasped his hand in return. She raised her eyes, meeting Mozi's gaze—there was the sharpness she knew, and now, unmistakably, love and possession she recognized in this moment. Yue'er's hand trembled slightly, her cheeks flushing—unclear in the darkness—but she didn't withdraw either, merely lowered her head slightly, long eyelashes descending, tacitly accepting this unconventional intimacy.
No more words were needed. Mozi gently tightened his grip, drawing them closer. He lowered his head, first kissing Xiuxiu deeply on the lips. This kiss carried the lingering warmth of the day's victory, the accumulated fervor from long‑standing partnership, and a kind of declarative possession and cherishing. Xiuxiu closed her eyes, feeling this long‑awaited, yet utterly certain sense of belonging, responding ardently.
Then Mozi released Xiuxiu, turning to Yue'er. His movements became exceedingly gentle, as if fearing to disturb a fragile dream. He cupped Yue'er's face, gazing into her clear eyes reflecting starlight, then, tenderly, with an almost reverent air, kissed her lips. This kiss differed from the one given to Xiuxiu—more lingering, more profound, filled with intellectual admiration and deep spiritual attraction, like exploring an infinite‑mystery universe. Yue'er was initially stiff, but soon softened within that extreme tenderness and understanding, responding awkwardly yet sincerely.
It was a scene that broke all conventional norms—three exceptional souls, beneath this foreign starry sky, confirming each other's irreplaceable place in life through a mode transcending convention. No jealousy, no rivalry, only a strange, abundant harmony and fulfillment. The torrent of capital, the edge of light, the vibration of strings—in this moment, merged perfectly.
After a long while, lips parted. All three breathed somewhat rapidly, faces flushed with emotion. They gazed at each other, the usual sharpness and depth gone from their eyes, leaving only the most pure emotional exposure.
Mozi still tightly held their hands, his voice hoarse yet brimming with feeling: "We… just keep walking like this, alright?"
Xiuxiu and Yue'er exchanged a glance, seeing the same answer in each other's eyes. They didn't speak, only squeezed his hands tightly in return, giving the firmest response through action.
The stars above witnessed this unique covenant—beginning with technology, loyal to ideals, ultimately returning to deep affection. The road ahead might still be fraught with challenges, but at least now, they had each other, possessed this light composed of capital, light, and strings—sufficient to illuminate any darkness—this thing called love.