Chapter 241: The Experiment Was Successful
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
“First, place the high-purity polysilicon in a quartz crucible, and heat it until it melts!” Zhou Jilong pressed the button on the machine, while Xiong Lao and Chai Lao watched the changes inside through the glass window.
“Lao Zhou, what’s the temperature now?” Xiong Lao looked at the high-purity polysilicon in the quartz crucible, which had just started to change slightly, and then turned to Zhou Jilong.
“It just reached 1000 degrees Celsius. It hasn’t reached the complete melting point yet; the temperature is still rising.”
Soon, the temperature reached the melting point of high-purity polysilicon, which was 1420 degrees Celsius. The melting process accelerated noticeably, and in no time, the polysilicon in the quartz crucible had completely melted.
“We must be careful in making the crystal rod, especially when inserting it. We need to control the temperature as well!”
As time passed, a perfect crystal rod gradually appeared before everyone’s eyes.
“Lao Zhou, has the crystal rod reached 12 inches?” Chai Lao looked nervous as he watched the machine measure the crystal rod.
“It has! And it’s very uniform. We’ve trimmed the ends, and everything else is 12 inches!”
“Excellent!” Xiong Lao and the others applauded.
“Let’s proceed with the next steps! You can be happy once we’ve produced the finished product!” Xiong Lao’s words made Zhou Jilong and Chai Lao instantly quiet, calming their excitement, and they continued with the next steps.
First, they lightly polished the outer diameter to correct any discrepancies caused during manufacturing. This ensured that the crystal rod’s outer cylindrical surface was smooth and had dimensions, shapes, and surface finish within acceptable tolerances.
Due to the manufacturing process, Zhou Jilong only needed to perform a simple polishing.
Next, they went through a series of processes, including cutting, grinding, etching, defect removal, polishing, and cleaning. Twenty exquisite wafers appeared before them.
“L-Lao Zhou! Y-you should check if t-these wafers m-meet the specified dimensions, shapes, surface smoothness, and flatness, and p-please check carefully!” Chai Lao stammered a bit as he looked at the wafers in front of him.
“We must carefully check every aspect, and we also need to discuss the production process later. It took us over an hour to make twenty wafers. If we want to achieve mass production at our current speed, it’s just wishful thinking!”
“Yes, don’t worry! I’ll conduct the inspection right away.” Zhou Jilong took out the wafers and began a meticulous examination.
Soon, Zhou Jilong’s face lit up with excitement as he said, “There are absolutely no issues. I believe they meet world-class standards!”
“Really!” Several voices echoed simultaneously.
“Yes!” Zhou Jilong nodded firmly.
“Alright, let’s manufacture a few more batches and see if the yield rate of the wafers remains this high.”
“Good!” Zhou Jilong carefully placed the wafers and continued the operation. This time, with the parameters set correctly, it proceeded even faster.
In less than 40 minutes, the second batch was produced, but Zhou Jilong’s expression didn’t look too good.
“What’s wrong, Lao Zhou? Did something happen?”
“There are some irregularities, probably due to not paying enough attention during the polishing process. We need to do it again.”
They continued working until well past 8 in the evening. Everyone’s face showed signs of exhaustion as they looked at the wafers on the side, which were far from matching the quality of the first batch.
“Alright, gentlemen, it’s getting late. Let’s continue our research tomorrow. Besides, my current success rate is already quite high. We just need to improve the yield rate. If you tire yourselves out, the boss will surely give me a hard time!” Lin Wu looked at their tired expressions and couldn’t help but step in to ease the situation.
Zhou Jilong nodded in agreement, saying, “Exactly. Let’s take a break for now. Tomorrow, we’ll involve some subordinates in our research, and it will be easier for us. Moreover, with three experts working together, we might find a solution!”
Xiong Lao and Chai Lao nodded after hearing the two. They tidied up a bit and prepared to leave the factory.
“LaoZhou, I’m thinking of showing the first batch of wafers to the boss!” Lin Wu’s words stopped everyone who was about to leave in their tracks.
“Alright! Go ahead and show the boss our research results!”
Lin Wu didn’t hesitate, carefully handling the wafers with gloved hands, placing them in an anti-friction bag, and then he followed the others out of the factory.
“Wang Feng, tonight, let Da Wu know that we need to assign more manpower to the factory and emphasize safety!”
“Understood!”
Lin Wu and Zhou Jilong bid farewell to the others and, with great care, carried the wafers to the car. They slowly made their way towards the research institute.
As Lin Wu drove, he made sure not to speed, fearing any mishaps on the road that could lead to the wafers being shattered, which would be a grave mistake.
By the time Lin Wu returned to the hotel, it was nearly 10 PM. Zhou Chao was lying on the bed, having a video chat with Jiang Li.
“Knock, knock, knock.” The bedroom door was knocked, and Zhou Chao, who had been chatting, immediately sat up.
Following that, Lin Wu’s voice came through, “Boss, are you asleep?”
“Is something wrong?”
“Mmm, there’s something 1 need to report.”
“Just wait for a moment.” Zhou Chao said as he kissed Jiang Li twice and then ended the conversation. He lifted the covers and sat up.
“Click!” The bedroom door opened, and as Zhou Chao stepped out, he immediately saw Lin Wu holding something round in his hands.
“Is this… the wafer?”
“Yes, boss. Zhou Jilong and the others have already produced it. However, the current yield rate isn’t very good, and they will continue experimenting tomorrow.”
“Good, it seems that mass production won’t be too far off. Are there any issues with the process?”
“Well, the yield rate is low, with only the first batch being slightly better.”
“No problem, just experiment a few more times. It’s getting late now; you should go back and rest!” After handing over the wafer to Zhou Chao, Lin Wu turned and went back to his room.
After playing with the wafer for a moment, Zhou Chao put it back in the bag.
In his room, Zhou Chao’s mind was already active. Once the wafer production succeeded, it meant a continuous cash flow.
He could also try to research chips himself, and even if he couldn’t, he would surely receive chip-related items as rewards for future check-ins. So, Zhou Chao was not worried at all. He lay on his bed, lost in thought until he fell asleep.
The next morning, Zhou Chao woke up early. He carefully placed the wafer in a handheld bag, and Lin Wu was already sitting on the couch.
“Boss, you’re up!”
“Yes, grab your keys. We’re going out!” Zhou Chao said as he headed out.
“Are we going to the wafer factory, boss?”
“No, we’re going somewhere else.”
“Somewhere else? Where?”
“The Municipal Committee compound!”