Chapter 1625: Should I send you a platoon?

After visiting the two shocking test projects, the group finally left the underground test center and stood at the entrance of the main building of the Torch Laboratory, bathing in the slightly chilly sunshine of the early winter afternoon again.

As the cold wind blew, Luan Wenjie felt his mind became much clearer.

The previous huge shock brought by technological breakthroughs and the subsequent concerns about trade conflicts have now been replaced by a strong confidence.

The results you witness with your own eyes are the strongest confidence.

He looked around subconsciously.

The Torch Laboratory park is well greened, with several modern laboratory buildings scattered around. Security personnel are on duty in inconspicuous positions in the distance, and the overall environment appears quiet, clean and orderly.

However, this peaceful scene inexplicably made him feel a little uneasy.

Those “little things” that we just saw in the clean room, which are related to the country’s destiny, are of immeasurable value.

"Academician Chang," Luan Wenjie turned his head and said with unprecedented seriousness, "Do you think the current security force of Torch Laboratory needs to be strengthened?"

He paused, as if considering his words:

"What I mean is, should we apply to the higher authorities to transfer a PAP platoon here for garrison? The level can be higher."

Chang Haonan looked at the lingering nervousness in Luan Wenjie's eyes, almost like he was worried about losing something, and couldn't help but smile:

"Director Luan, I am still very confident in the security environment in Beijing and the protection force currently provided by our security department."

His tone was relaxed and a little teasing:

"Of course, if you think it's necessary to strengthen the security force, I personally have no objection. After all, safety is no small matter... just take it as a way to seek peace of mind."

Unfortunately, Luan Wenjie didn't hear the joke at all at this moment. Instead, he nodded very seriously as if he had received some kind of confirmation, and said to himself:

"Yes, safety is of paramount importance! Especially here! I will coordinate when I get back!"

The corners of Chang Haonan's mouth twitched involuntarily, revealing a somewhat awkward expression.

He actually wanted to complain that if the situation was so serious that more than a dozen comrades from the Security Bureau could not control it, then adding thirty or so people would not make any essential difference.

But after thinking about it, he still didn't say anything.

Just like I said just now.

Just seek peace of mind.

But Luan Wenjie felt that he had not yet raised his head, and raised a more core question.

"And the negative refractive material mentioned earlier... Ga-Ge (0001), right? The finished product of this material, including the relevant formula, process parameters, test data... does the confidentiality level also need to be increased accordingly?"

His speech speed became faster and faster, and he even revealed a bit of anxiety.

"My idea is to set up an extremely strict 'restricted scope of knowledge'. Non-core and non-essential personnel are not allowed to touch the physical objects! The confidentiality level of relevant researchers and engineers should also be raised accordingly!"

This time, Chang Haonan did not play the role of a good guy.

Instead, he shook his head with a clear attitude:

"Director Luan, I have a different opinion on this."

Luan Wenjie's expression changed slightly, but he still didn't interrupt, and signaled Chang Haonan to explain first.

"The objective lens group of the lithography machine is ultimately just a subsystem, and will eventually be delivered to Shanghai Microelectronics (SMEE), which will complete the integration and debugging of the whole machine. The whole machine will then be delivered to Huaxin International for actual wafer tape-out production."

Chang Haonan half-raised his hands, constantly expanding the range of his gestures, and analyzed clearly:

"There are many levels of units and personnel involved in this chain... As you know, in fact, for restricted materials and technologies, our country has actually established a relatively complete set of internal regulations and laws and regulations that have been in operation for many years."

"From the control of material processing loss ratio, the recycling process of scrap materials, to the review and management system of confidential personnel, there are clear and detailed regulations to follow, and they are all balance points formed through long-term practice."

Chang Haonan looked at Luan Wenjie:

"If we add unlimited steps on this basis, the marginal benefits in terms of security will be very small. Instead, it will greatly increase the communication costs of each collaborative link, slow down the progress of R&D verification, and ultimately affect the entire ArF-1800 lithography project and even the schedule for subsequent wafer production."

"This is a typical case of losing more than gaining. What we pursue is to build up combat effectiveness quickly and steadily, rather than locking ourselves in a safe that is absolutely safe but difficult to move."

Luan Wenjie's frown still hadn't completely relaxed.

It was clear that his worries had not been completely resolved:

"Academician Chang, I understand what you are saying. The complicated process does affect efficiency, but..."

He took a deep breath and looked across the main building of the Torch Laboratory again: "The significance of this material for my country's semiconductor industry and the entire high-tech field in the next few decades... is really too great!"

"What if, I mean what if, due to omissions in some link, the technical details or even the physical samples are lost... We cannot afford this loss!"

Looking at the anxious expression on Luan Wenjie's face, as if he was protecting his child, Chang Haonan smiled knowingly.

"Such concerns are understandable." His tone was soothing, but more of it was strong confidence. "However, Director Luan, you may have oversimplified the negative refractive material system."

Luan Wenjie's expression froze.

He hadn't heard such straightforward words for a long time.

But couldn't refute it.

"Ga-Ge (0001) material itself is of course the core and the foundation," Chang Haonan explained, "but material alone is far from enough."

He held up a finger and said: "How can we use this material with disruptive optical properties to design and manufacture a practical lens set with the lowest possible loss rate and stable and reliable performance? This requires a completely new design theory and process route."

"Second," he raised another finger, "how to establish a complete 'surface plasmon waveguide negative refraction theory' that can accurately describe and predict the interaction between this material and light? This is another huge project."

"Third," he raised his third finger, "how do we repeatedly iterate and optimize the design of the metal-dielectric multilayer film structure that makes up the lens to achieve the best performance?"

"Fourth, how can we combine the physical properties of the 'waveguide resonator' to enhance the intensity of the evanescent wave and precisely control its propagation, thereby maximizing imaging efficiency and resolution?"

"..."

Chang Haonan took his hand back and concluded:

“These are our real moats.”

“Even if our Torch Lab puts the Ga-Ge (X) series of negative refractive materials on its official website tomorrow and sells the finished products directly at a marked price…there will never be another institution or company that can truly understand and successfully apply it to manufacture devices that reach the level of our lab, let alone the level of engineering.”

These words, along with the strong confidence in his tone, finally completely dispelled the last doubts in Luan Wenjie's heart.

He let out a long, relieved breath, and his tense shoulders visibly relaxed.

His face showed the most relaxed and down-to-earth expression in recent times:

"Since you said that, then I have a complete understanding in my heart!"

"With these breakthroughs and the trump card of the ArF-1800 lithography machine," Luan Wenjie's tone became firm and powerful, "we can completely ignore the so-called "reconciliation plan" proposed by the Americans. To hell with it!"

The heavy stone in his heart fell to the ground, and Luan Wenjie felt relaxed.

He turned and prepared to walk down the steps to get into the special car waiting nearby.

"I think..."

Chang Haonan's voice came from behind again.

Luan Wenjie paused and turned around in surprise: "Academician Chang? Anything else?"

Chang Haonan looked into the distance and said slowly:

"I think it's not enough to just ignore it, passively wait for the opponent to make a move, and then respond accordingly."

Luan Wenjie narrowed his eyes slightly: "What do you mean?"

"Once sanctions are launched, our country may be able to remain largely unaffected and achieve internal circulation thanks to our complete industrial chain and these core technological breakthroughs," Chang Haonan analyzed. "But if the scope of sanctions continues to expand and become long-term, then most of the world's foreign markets may not have our strong ability to withstand pressure and complete industrial chain support."

"These markets will eventually be impacted and disrupted. Normal international trade and technological exchanges will be seriously distorted."

He retracted his gaze and looked at Luan Wenjie: "In the past nearly 20 years, many major scientific and engineering projects in our country have been deeply integrated into the global industrial chain and market system. Whether it is the procurement of raw materials and key equipment, or the export of products, they are highly dependent on this system."

"If this technological, economic and trade conflict provoked by the United States eventually turns into a protracted, all-round confrontation..."

Chang Haonan's tone became low:

"Then, it will have a significant and long-term negative impact on the speed of our country's subsequent technological progress, the pace of industrial upgrading, and even the sustained and healthy development of our comprehensive national strength. What we need to fight for is time and development space, rather than getting caught in a war of attrition."

Luan Wenjie was silent for more than ten seconds.

In the end, he did not go down any further, but instead stepped up another step and returned to Chang Haonan:

"That means... we have to take the initiative to counterattack."

It is not a question, but an affirmative sentence.

Obviously, this choice had already appeared in his mind.

Chang Haonan nodded. This was exactly what he thought.

"Then, the choice of countermeasure areas is crucial." Luan Wenjie quickly got into the state and analyzed the difficulties at hand. "The import and export of various industrial products in our country is relatively balanced. It is difficult to find an area that has little impact on us but can accurately hit the core industries or people's livelihood of the United States."

"If we choose downstream products close to end consumption, the impact will be too broad, easily hurting innocent third parties, and easily triggering a chain reaction in the global supply chain, which will backfire on us."

"If we choose the upstream raw materials or core components of the final product," he continued, "the Americans can also easily circumvent it through re-export trade, third-country OEM, etc., and with their huge alliance system and financial hegemony, they have more room for maneuver than we did back then."

This is a dilemma.

It is extremely difficult to hurt the opponent while minimizing one's own losses and avoiding harming innocent people.