"ASML, those shoddy products and companies!" Kimura Makoto's eyes revealed disdain. Nikon currently held a 30% market share worldwide, while ASML had less than 10%, and that was only through low-priced models in price wars. Therefore, Nikon truly didn't take ASML seriously.
Or rather, in Nikon's eyes, ASML was indeed a trash company. Hearing the name ASML, Kimura Makoto instinctively dismissed it.
"So what?" Kimura Makoto retorted with great disdain, "ASML cut your orders, so why are you coming to Nikon?"
"If ASML's lithography machines are gone, then I naturally have to buy them from someone else. I believe Nikon's equipment is excellent, and its technology is currently the strongest. Therefore, I hope to purchase a batch of lithography machines from your company!" Huang He said with a smile.
"I see!" Kimura Makoto's expression improved significantly. So, an order was being delivered, and it was a large order for lithography machines, a major client worth tens of millions of dollars. Thinking of this, Kimura Makoto forced a genuine smile, "Mr. Huang, if you need lithography machines, we are certainly very welcome. However, because you are a Chinese enterprise, according to regulations, we can only export lithography machines of 200 nanometers and above to you."
"But rest assured, even for models above 200 nanometers, Nikon's equipment still possesses the world's most excellent quality and performance. You can discuss the specifics with our commercial department head. I will have him visit you proactively tomorrow. Today, let's just enjoy the delicious cuisine and not talk about work," Kimura Makoto said with a somewhat forced smile.
He was actually very unhappy. Although lithography machines were indeed large orders, he didn't expect to personally handle the initial business negotiations. He would have been content to just show up and sign the order later.
As a result, this Huang He had cunningly tricked him into coming out for this meal for such a matter, which made Kimura Makoto extremely displeased. In Japan, where rules were highly valued, this was an extremely irregular act.
"No, this order can only be discussed with you, the President. Your business department head is likely not qualified to discuss these matters with me!" Huang He said with a smile.
"Why?" Kimura Makoto asked with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Because the price of $15 million per unit is too expensive. We hope to buy a Nikon 200nm lithography machine for $8 million!" Huang He said with a smile.
"That's impossible!" Kimura Makoto forcefully slammed his chopsticks onto the tabletop, revealing an uncommon loss of composure that startled the surrounding waitstaff. "Mr. Huang, Nikon's prices have always been fixed. We will not change our pricing strategy for anyone. You have miscalculated by inviting me out today. If you have business, please find our business representative tomorrow!"
With that, Kimura Makoto stood up, ready to leave immediately.
"What a shame!" Seeing Kimura Makoto stand up, Huang He gently sipped the Japanese sake in his hand and smacked his lips. Tnd, the taste was too bland, not even as good as Erguotou. "Nikon's current market position and status will likely only last for another two years. After two years, all companies will have to bow down to ASML, begging them to sell them lithography machines!"
"Pitiful. I am now offering you the only hope, and you treat me like this. It seems fate has decreed the destruction of Japan's lithography machine industry!" Huang He lamented dramatically.
"Alarmist talk," Kimura Makoto said, though he continued to speak. However, the footsteps of his departure halted. He then heard Huang He continue, "President Kimura, don't you find it strange? ASML has to price its lithography machines at a relatively low cost to gain market share. Their attitude towards all the clients who visited them before was extremely courteous and enthusiastic. Because they were struggling to survive, without orders from companies like ours, they would have gone bankrupt!"
"But now, ASML has proactively cut my order, an order for 10 units priced at $10 million each, totaling $100 million. Why would ASML do this?" Huang He asked, looking at his sake cup without even glancing at Kimura Makoto.
Meanwhile, Kimura Makoto stood by the door, which was already half-open, but his other foot couldn't move forward. He was captivated by Huang He's words.
Yes, this was not in line with ASML's usual practice. ASML wouldn't just turn away 10 lithography machines... Wait, this guy wanted to buy 10 lithography machines?
This was a major order worth over a hundred million dollars!!
Kimura Makoto forcefully withdrew the foot he had already stepped forward with. Without hesitation, he sat back down opposite Huang He and took the initiative to bow his head, "Mr. Huang, please forgive my earlier impoliteness. You should understand my attitude. I am very sorry!"
The fact that the esteemed President of Nikon, Kimura Makoto, so readily apologized to Huang He was almost unbelievable. After all, the Koreans had spent decades without receiving an apology from the Japanese, yet Kimura Makoto apologized so readily now.
This is where the duality of the Japanese people must be mentioned. In Japan, apologizing is both the easiest and the most difficult thing. When it doesn't involve interests or would mean losing interests, it's absolutely impossible to get a Japanese person to apologize. Even if you were to smash their embassy in anger, it would still be impossible.
Conversely, if an apology could bring huge benefits, then they would readily find a tatami mat, kneel on it, and apologize to you respectfully.
Kimura Makoto was likely in such a situation. Regardless of the ASML matter, if the ten lithography machines were real, then no matter how much Kimura Makoto apologized, he had to win over this customer, Huang He.
"There is indeed a reason why the Japanese are successful!" Huang He exclaimed, then continued, "Since President Kimura's attitude is so sincere, I will not beat around the bush. I will tell you directly, ASML has already obtained the key to surpassing the 50nm technological limit. Within two years at the latest, ASML's first 48nm lithography machine will be on the market."
"This is impossible!" Kimura Makoto exclaimed "impossible" for the second time, but this time his forehead was covered in sweat, and the kimono he was wearing was even soaked with sweat at that very moment.
The 50nm technological limit was a noose around the necks of all lithography machine companies worldwide. Since reaching this limit ten years ago, both Nikon and Canon had invested a huge sum of $100-200 million annually to research ways to break through this limit.
To overcome this limit, experts in the global lithography machine industry had proposed several approaches, including 157nm F2 laser, electron beam projection, ion projection, EUV, and X-ray, forming the following major factions:
Among these, the F2 laser technology was the most mature in terms of theory and technology. Before the advent of immersion lithography machines, almost all lithography machine companies were researching this technology. Currently, the US company SVG and Japan's Nikon were the furthest along in these technologies, especially Nikon. They estimated that in about five years, they would be able to release the final product.
However, this technology had a significant drawback: the production cost was enormous, and the conversion cost was even greater. Moreover, the ceiling for this technology was only increased from 50nm to around 40nm, an improvement of only 20%. It was a typical case of high input and low output.
If chips manufactured using this method were to be produced, their price would be at least more than three times that of chips of the same grade. If they were to be launched on the market, the starting price of all flagship high-end chip mobile phones would have to increase by at least 2,000 yuan RMB.
However, this was still the most likely successful technology at present.
EUV technology had the most promising technical prospects, but it was also the most difficult technology. This was because this technology required a direct reform of the light source, changing the current lithography machine light source to ultraviolet light, directly raising the 50nm limit to the 13.5nm limit from the light source itself. The increase in scope was immense, and it was definitely a technology with the broadest market prospects.
Not only was the technical difficulty extremely high, but the key was that almost all patents and thresholds were held by the Americans, distributed among units such as Intel, AMD, Motorola, and the US Department of Energy. Nikon possessed almost no technological patents in this area.
As a junior partner to the US, perhaps in the past, Japan might have had a chance to join such a patent alliance. However, ever since the Plaza Accord was signed, all Japanese knew that the United States was determined to suppress Japan's semiconductor industry. They would absolutely not allow Japanese companies to enter the EUV technology alliance, otherwise, the Plaza Accord would have been signed in vain.
Here, it must be said that the United States is a very fair and just country. For opponents who can threaten its technological advantage, it will immediately suppress them.
Similarly, if its own dog threatens its technological advantage, it will also be suppressed.
For instance, in the late 1990s, Japan's semiconductor industry was almost tearing apart America's semiconductor industry, holding over 90% of the market.
As a result, with the signing of the Plaza Accord, Japan's semiconductor industry collapsed instantly. By 2020, Japan's semiconductor industry no longer had the qualification to even linger on, becoming a corpse. And the Japanese government could only be submissive to the United States, not even uttering a word of protest.
Unlike China, which says, "Come, let's fight head-on."
Ahem, back to the point. In fact, there was a more fantastical technology than EUV, called proximity X-ray technology. This technology could increase the light source from 13.5nm to 1nm, which was clearly a more insane lithography machine technology.
This was also the technology that the entire Japanese lithography machine industry was investing heavily in. They dreamed that once this technology bore fruit, even if EUV excluded Japan, it would be useless, because everyone would be on a completely different level.
However, Ni Guangnan once described this technology faction very vividly, saying it was a romantic technological faction, and everyone should just read it as science fiction.
In fact, there were even more fantastical technologies later on, such as the eBdw technology with a light source wavelength of 0.0004 nanometers.
And even more terrifying was the ipL technology with a light source wavelength of 0.00005 nanometers. These technologies would likely only be seen after defeating the Trisolarans.
In summary, the F2 laser technology, which Nikon and other companies were fully investing in, was currently the most likely to succeed, and it was also the technology where Nikon had progressed the furthest. But even with such technology, it would take time to complete the technology and then proceed with production... Commercialization would likely not be until around 2010.
As a result, Huang He was now telling Nikon that ASML only needed two years to produce a breakthrough lithography machine, leading Nikon by more than three years. It was normal for Kimura Makoto to faint on the spot.