The ultraclean laboratory on the third underground floor of the String Light Research Institute had always been where Xiuxiu most keenly felt the beauty of order and control. Air flowed silently in precisely calculated laminar streams, while the constant temperature and humidity system maintained a stable environment seemingly entirely isolated from the seasonal changes outside; even the color temperature and intensity of the lighting were optimized to minimize any potential interference with the precision instruments and photoresist. This was her sacred workshop, where she led her team to transform abstract physical principles and intricate design blueprints step by step into reality--those chips capable of carving nanometer-scale transistors, bearing the future of the global information civilization. Yet at this moment, this once perfectly ordered space was pervaded by an almost stagnant sense of oppression.
The source of the problem lay not in the EUV light source's tens of kilowatts of power sufficient to vaporize tin droplets, nor in the aspherical mirrors within the optical system demanding picometer-level (one-thousandth of a nanometer) surface shape accuracy, nor even in the dizzying 'dance' of the dual wafer stages that must maintain nanometer-level synchronization precision under high-speed motion. These challenges, once regarded as the ultimate barriers of lithography machines, had been conquered one by one through years of relentless effort by Xiuxiu's team, now crystallized within the massive frames of 'String Light One' and subsequent prototypes.
The real crisis lay deeper, and more fundamental. It stemmed from certain core components that on the grand blueprints and exploded views of lithography machines often occupied only a small corner, marked with standard part numbers, seemingly inconspicuous yet akin to joint bearings and nerve endings--a batch of high-precision bearings and specialized sensors now explicitly listed within the embargo scope of the sanctions.
'Dr. Xiu, the LBS-07 model vacuum high-precision ceramic bearings--inventory cleared to zero. The last batch of spare parts was used for maintenance on the 'String Light Two' prototype. It's just been confirmed that no replacements can be obtained through any original channels, including third-party re-export.' A supply chain engineer reported in a dry voice during the morning project meeting, his face as pale as the white anti-static suit he wore. The LBS-07, used to support and precisely guide the fine-tuning mechanisms for some key mirror assemblies within the EUV optical cavity, required materials that could withstand long-term extreme ultraviolet irradiation without trace outgassing, demanded nanometer-level stability across the entire operating temperature range, and needed a lifespan of tens of thousands of hours of continuous operation. It wasn't large, but it was critical.
'And the FTS-203 series ultra-high-resolution grating scale displacement sensors,' another engineer responsible for metrology and feedback control immediately followed, his brows furrowed into a knot, 'we've finally confirmed that the only two suppliers in Switzerland and Germany capable of stable supply have formally sent letters terminating all cooperation. Without it, the real-time position closed-loop control accuracy of the wafer stage will drop by an order of magnitude, and overlay accuracy simply cannot be guaranteed.' The FTS-203, like the 'eyes' of the lithography machine's motion system, provides real-time feedback of the precise positions of the silicon wafer and reticle stage with picometer-level resolution, forming the cornerstone ensuring that circuit patterns with linewidths of several tens of nanometers can be accurately layered.
Dead silence fell over the conference room. Only the low hum of the ventilation system seemed to play a dirge for this sudden technological cutoff. These components were not Xiuxiu's team's primary focus; they came from highly specialized upstream suppliers, crystallizations of decades or even centuries of industrial accumulation, jewelsembeddedat the pinnacle of global precision manufacturing. In the past, String Light, with its ample funding and the international business network established by Mozi, could smoothly procure these core components of 'industrial mother machine' caliber. They were considered stable, reliable background elements in the R&D process, akin to water and electricity.
And now, the water source had been cut off.
Xiuxiu sat at the head of the conference table, her fingers unconsciously caressing the cool metal casing of a laser pointer. She didn't speak immediately, her gaze sweeping over faces filled with anxiety, frustration, or unwillingness. These team members were top talents she had painstakingly recruited from overseas or nurtured domestically. Together they had endured countless all-nighters, overcome the power barrier of the EUV light source, tamed the aberration demons of the optical system, and achieved the synchronized dance of the wafer stages. They thought they had reached the pinnacle of world lithography technology, could catch their breath a little and gaze toward farther horizons--High NA EUV, even more forward-looking technical paths.
Yet this sudden sanction struck like a blunt blow to the back of their heads. In the most naked, cruelest way, it revealed a reality they were reluctant to face yet was undeniably true: the String Light Research Institute, and indeed the entire Chinese high-end manufacturing industry behind it, on the long road toward self-sufficiency and controllability, still possessed many seeminglytiny' Achilles' heels'enoughstrangle the neck. The lithography machine, thisultimatecomplex system hailed as the 'jewel in the crown of industry,' its breakthrough ultimately doesn't rely merely on flashes of genius from a few individuals or leaps insingle itemtechnology, but is deeply rooted in a nation's overall industrial system, especially the comprehensive strength of those most fundamental, mostunderlying, mostinconspicuousyet indispensable 'root technologies.'
What are 'root technologies'? Xiuxiu's thoughts sharpened toward this concept. They don't refer tothosedazzlingterminalproducts or system integrations under the spotlight, but rather the most fundamental industrial capabilities that enable these products and systems to be realized. It's materials science capable of smelting special alloys and advanced ceramics with specific purity andperformance; it's ultra-precision machine tools able to design and manufacture processes for these materials, achieving atomic-level surface finish and nanometer-level shape accuracy; it's specialized sensors and micro-actuators producible that remain stable and reliable under extreme environments (high vacuum, high-low temperature, intense radiation); it's specialized chemicals and composite materials synthesizable to meet specific optical, electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties... These are the true industrial foundations.
Without high-purity, low-defect monocrystalline silicon material, chip manufacturing is impossible; without optical processing and inspection equipment achieving sub-nanometer precision, EUV mirrors are just worthless glass; without stable, long-lifetime vacuum acquisition and maintenance technology, the EUV light path would be entirely absorbed in air. And the precision bearings and specialized sensors they now face are precisely two concrete microcosms within this vast 'root technology' system. They represent long-term accumulation andultimatecraftsmanship at the intersection of multiple foundational disciplines: materials, precision machining, microelectronics, control theory. Building these capabilities cannot be achieved overnight; it requires the sedimentation of time, accumulation of experience, andsynergyevolution of the entire industrial chain.
'Could we... try to find other domestic suppliers? Or, design them ourselves?' A young engineerproposalin a tone tinged with uncertainty.
The supply chain engineer shook his head with a bitter smile: 'It's not that there are no domestic companies making bearings and sensors; some even do decent work. But those capable of meeting the performance, reliability, and lifespan requirements of levels like LBS-07 and FTS-203... currently, zero. Material formulations, heat treatment processes, precision machining technology, packaging and testing standards... the gaps arecomprehensive. This isn't something that can be solved by usinvestmentfunding in the short term. This involves the 'soil' issue of the entire industrial foundation.'
'Soil...' Xiuxiuwhisperrepeated the word. She recalled her years working at ASML headquarters in the Netherlands; those seemingly ordinary components often stoodbehindby century-old family firms hidden in small German towns, or precision instrument companies deep in Swiss mountains serving only a handful oftop-tierclients. These enterprises might be small in scale, but they possessedreaching the peak'unique skills' in niche fields, the results of decades or even centuries offocus,legacy, and iteration. This deep industrial 'soil' cannot be rapidly replicated simply through capital investment or policy support.
A heavy sense of powerlessness, like the ubiquitous filtered air of the underground lab,quietlywrapped around her. She had led her team,almostsingle-handedly, to advance China's lithography technology from catching up to running alongside, even achievinglocalleadership in EUV within a relatively short time. This was undoubtedly a glorious achievement. Yet now, the foundation of this achievement had several key cornerstones pulled away. This made her realize that while personal and team technological breakthroughs were crucial, without a nation's solid, comprehensive, self-sufficient and controllable 'root technology' system as support, any skyscraper could collapse due to unstable foundations, anycutting-edgesystem couldparalysisdue to an insignificant 'screw.'
She lifted her head, her gaze sweeping over the team once more. Amid the initial shock andfrustration, she saw flamesreignited in some eyes--that refusal to admit defeat, that instinctive resistance when pushed to the brink. Wasn't she herself the same? From the day sheresolutelyreturned to China, she had anticipatedheavilydifficulties, but never expected the mostfatalattack to arrive in this 'root-cutting' manner.
They couldn't wait passively for death. They couldn't entrust the nation's and industry's fate to the goodwill of others' supply chains. This wasn't merely a survival issue for the String Light Research Institute; it was a strategic matter concerning whether China's high-end manufacturing could truly stand firm in the world, free from being controlled by others.
Xiuxiu slowly stood up, her movements not swift yet carrying an undeniable force. All eyes in the conference roomfocuson her.
'Everyone,' her voice resonated clearly in the silent lab, shedding its previous heaviness, replaced by adecisivedecisiveness, 'we once thought that by conquering the light source, taming the optics, and mastering the wafer stages, we had grasped the entirety of lithography machines. Today, reality has taught us the most profound lesson. What we lack is not merely the jewel's brilliance, but the most solid pedestal that lifts this jewel!'
She walked to the whiteboard at the front of the conference room, picked up a black marker, and forcefully wrote four large characters:
**Root Technology Tracing Plan**
The sound of the pen tip scraping across the whiteboard wassharpand loud.
'From today onward, we can no longer focus only on the lithography machine as a whole!' Xiuxiu turned, her gazebrilliantfixing on her team. 'We must dig downward, all the way to the veryunderlying! For the LBS-07 bearings, we need tofigure outtheir material composition, sintering processes, grinding techniques! For the FTS-203 sensors, we must master their optical design, signal processing algorithms, packaging technology! Not just these two--all critical components, core materials, foundational software that could potentially be choke points,fully incorporatethis plan!'
Her tone grew increasinglypassionate, carrying aburning one's boatsspirit: 'I know this is difficult. It's harder than designing the EUV light source, because what we need to make up for is the most foundational, mosttedious, and most patience-demandinglinkwithin the entire national industrial system. This may take five years, ten years, or even longer! It may require us toinvestmentmore manpower, material resources, and time than we previously spent developing the whole machine!'
She paused, her gaze scanning each face, seeing shock, contemplation, and gradually ignited fighting spirit.
'But we have no retreat!' her voice suddenly sharpened, like metal striking stone. 'Foreigners can use a tiny bearing, an inconspicuous sensor, togripour throats, turning the lithography machines we painstakingly built into piles of scrap iron! Can you swallow this breath?'
'No!' Several young researchers below almostshouted, their faces flushed with excitement.
'Can we let the nation's and people's expectations be ruined by these 'root technology' shortcomings?'
'No!' More voices joined in, converging into a low surge.
Xiuxiuheavilyslapped the whiteboard, making the characters 'Root Technology Tracing Plan' seem to vibrate.
'Good!' Her eyesgleamingwith laser-like sharpness. 'Then I hereby, on behalf of the project team, pledge a military order to the research institute, and to ourselves!'
She spokeword by word, her voice clear throughout the conference room:
'Withoutthoroughlysolving the self-sufficiency and controllability of these 'root technologies,' I, Xiuxiu, will never leave the R&D frontline! String Light's lithography machines will never halt theiradvancesteps because of any single choke-point component! Even if we have to smash pots and sell iron, using the clumsiest methods, trial and error again and again, we willtacklethis hardest bone!'
'Pledge the military order!' Someonefirstshouted.
'Pledge the military order!'
'Count me in!'
'And me!'
For a moment, the conference room erupted withpassionate, the earlier gloomdispelledby asolemn and stirringyethigh-spiritedatmosphere. Frustration transformed into motivation, powerlessness turned into resolution. They realized this was a war longer, more arduous, yet more strategically significant than conquering EUV. This was a war to 'strengthen roots and solidify foundations' for the entire Chinese high-end manufacturing industry.
Xiuxiu looked at these companions who hadreignited their fighting spirit, her heartmixed emotions. The path ahead wasdestinedstrewn with thorns, but they had no choice but to face the difficulties. Sheas ifalready saw, in the not-too-distant future, not only would chip factories bearing 'String Light' cores rise one after another, but behind them would be built a completely self-sufficient, controllably solid 'root technology' forest spanning materials, processes, equipment, and metrology. And this would be their most powerful, mostthoroughlycounterstrike against this unjust sanction. This 'tracing' journey nowofficialset sail.