Chapter 181: Materials, Parts, and Equipment
Breaking News: Dojin Tech Establishes Joint Venture with Busan Optic… Full-Scale Development of Next-Gen EUV Mirror Underway
Dojin Tech has established a joint venture with optical component specialist Busan Optic to internalize extreme ultraviolet mirror technology.
This technology is considered a core element in next-generation semiconductor processes, previously monopolized by Japanese and German companies…
Breaking News: Radian Solutions Successfully Develops Alternative Material to Hafnium Oxide… Exclusive Supply to Dojin Tech
Radian Solutions announced it has secured development and mass production capabilities for a new material, ZrO₂-FM (zirconium oxide-formaldehyde), which can replace hafnium oxide.
Simultaneously with securing this technology, Radian Solutions established a joint venture with Dojin Tech and plans to begin full-scale production next month.
…
Newspapers, the internet, and social media.
The same articles kept circulating across all platforms.
Among them, Deputy Manager Han Jin-guk of Samwoo Chemical was called into the CEO’s office with a bewildered expression.
“Is this… real?”
Han Jin-guk winced as CEO Lee Kyung-soo thrust his smartphone screen forward.
The CEO’s office was eerily silent, as if time had stopped.
“Just a while ago, you said zirconium oxide formaldehyde had no potential, right?”
“Yes… that’s what we thought. We believed it would take at least a few years to resolve the FM polymer thermal stability issue and the CMP process compatibility problem…”
“It must be a bluff. No, it’s definitely a bluff.”
CEO Lee Kyung-soo muttered to himself like a madman.
“It must be. There’s no way a small company like Radian Solutions could develop something this fast when it took us over five years.”
According to the article, the zirconium oxide formaldehyde developed by Radian Solutions showed overwhelming performance compared to the zirconium oxide they were producing.
-
Leakage current reduced by over 40%
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CMP process thickness variation under 3%
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Thermal stability above 416 degrees
If this were true, Samwoo Chemical was in real trouble.
“CEO… actually, we’re seeing a surge in order cancellation requests from clients.”
“Which clients?”
“Almost all companies using our products, including Intech, TSMD, AMC, and Qualcomm.”
Lee Kyung-soo snapped at Han Jin-guk’s words.
“We haven’t even confirmed if the article is true yet. And they’re already canceling orders?”
At that moment…
Ding-.
An alarm went off on CEO Lee Kyung-soo’s smartphone.
Normally, he would have ignored it, but the words Best Feed Arrived caught his eye on the screen.
He absentmindedly tapped the screen.
A moment later, his hand froze as a familiar name appeared on the brightened screen.
[KTalk Feed] -@Kang Tae-joon | Followers: 23,157,482
We’ve known for a long time that hafnium oxide wasn’t the answer.
What we need is a material that’s faster, thinner, and more precisely cut.
That’s exactly what ZrO2-FM (zirconium oxide formaldehyde) is.
Thermal stability exceeds 416 degrees.
Leakage current is 40% lower than hafnium.
Don’t doubt it. I know best, as I’m the one who created it.
Semiconductors… this is just the beginning.
ZrO2-FM #DojinTech #EUVMirror #SamwooChemicalIsDone #Thieves #SemiconductorHegemony #Luna #ComingSoon
After reading the entire feed, Lee Kyung-soo uttered a short, intense phrase.
“F**k… we’re done.”
He grabbed the hafnium oxide sample bottle from the desk.
Then…
Smash-!
He hurled it to the office floor.
Solid fragments scattered, and glass shards flew everywhere.
“Hyung, most of the major issues are resolved now.”
I nodded at Seong-hwan’s report.
“No word from Busan Optic?”
“You saw Cho Cheol’s face at the last agreement ceremony. His grin was ear-to-ear.”
At the joint venture establishment ceremony, he was so ecstatic that he drank several bottles of wine alone and had to be carried out by his staff.
“And the stock price is insane right now.”
“What’s it at?”
Seong-hwan turned on the monitor and pulled up Busan Optic’s stock chart.
“Wow, what’s this?”
I couldn’t help but gasp as Busan Optic’s stock graph appeared.
The chart was perfectly trending upward.
“Insane, right?”
“Yeah… what’s the market cap now?”
“8.5 trillion won!”
Just one week after the article about the joint venture with Busan Optic and semiconductor equipment production was released…
The stock price had surged by over 60%.
“The comments are even more insane.”
Seong-hwan laughed, clicked the mouse a few times, and switched the screen to a securities community forum.
[Busan Optic is Insane lol]
☞ Likes: 24,392 / Comments: 1,982
└ Where are Dojin’s limits?
└ Dojin Tech, please go public already.
└ Did you see Cho Cheol’s interview? His grin wouldn’t leave his face.
└ lol A company that used to make 2,000 won lenses now has a market cap nearing 10 trillion. I’d be overjoyed too.
└ But can Dojin really achieve meaningful results in semiconductors?
└ Who knows, but from their moves, they seem serious.
└ I knew they had the tech since they made Quantum and AGE. But to start with creating Zicorate (zirconium oxide formaldehyde abbreviation) is impressive.
└ Exactly. That’s why Busan Optic’s stock is soaring. Right now, Busan Optic is the only place to invest in Dojin-related semiconductor stocks.
└ Might as well pull together all my funds and buy as many shares as possible.
└ …..
Seong-hwan closed the window after showing me the comments.
“Thanks to this, securing infrastructure costs has been much smoother.”
“12 trillion, right?”
“Yeah, to match the infrastructure of Zeiss, who broke our contract, we need at least that much.”
By officially designating Busan Optic as our strategic partner for semiconductor development…
We successfully attracted investments from government funds, policy loans, and Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds.
“We also invested 3.5 trillion won to secure a 35% stake in the joint venture.”
“What about Cho Cheol’s stake?”
“He also has 35%.”
The rest seemed to be distributed evenly among other investors.
“Not bad. If we had collaborated with Zeiss in Germany, securing this much equity would’ve been tough.”
“I think as long as the EUV mirror development succeeds, the outcome won’t be bad.”
“Surely you don’t think it’ll fail?”
Seong-hwan laughed at my playful question and shook his head.
“Didn’t I tell you? From now on, even if you say you made bean paste from red beans, I’ll believe you.”
“Oh, that’s a great attitude.”
Maybe because it was just Seong-hwan and me, silly jokes kept slipping out.
“Anyway, since we’ve started, we should secure more infrastructure.”
“Like you mentioned last time?”
After Ahsung pressured me using equipment delivery delays and Zeiss…
I had already shared my intentions with key figures like Seong-hwan.
Seong-hwan connected his laptop to the screen and pulled up some data.
“As you said, I’ve compiled a list of materials, parts, and equipment companies to bring around the Pyeongtaek factory.”
A map appeared on the screen,
with red dots marking companies around the new Pyeongtaek factory.
“Quite a few, huh? What kind of companies are they?”
“Mainly companies that collaborated with Ahsung in the past, had their technology stolen, and were left abandoned.”
Seong-hwan flipped through the data to show the detailed list.
“First is Donghyun Chemical. They produce high-purity argon fluoride (ArF) gas used in semiconductor etching processes.”
According to the data…
During their collaboration with Ahsung, they had their process stabilization technology stolen and were pushed to the brink of bankruptcy after losing a patent lawsuit.
“Looks like their production facilities and manufacturing capabilities are still intact, though.”
“Their employees are surprisingly loyal. But the atmosphere isn’t great due to the technology rights dispute.”
“Any chance of reclaiming the patent?”
Seong-hwan shook his head at my question.
“You know how powerful Ahsung’s legal team is.”
A small company like Donghyun Chemical stood no chance against them.
But…
“What if we help them?”
“Help them?”
Seong-hwan’s eyes widened as he continued.
“Wait, you’re not thinking of developing new technology but helping Donghyun Chemical reclaim the stolen technology?”
I nodded.
“Bypassing Ahsung’s high-purity argon fluoride patent to create an alternative material isn’t as easy as it sounds.”
“Well… if we help, it’s not impossible.”
From what I could tell, with our support, they had a fighting chance.
“First, meet with Donghyun Chemical’s representative and ask their intentions.”
“They’ll probably say yes, but I’ll ask anyway.”
“Got it. Next?”
“Second is Gyeonghan Ceramics. They produce high-density ceramic materials used in EUV processes. They also collaborated with Ahsung Electronics, had their new material patent stolen, and were discarded.”
Similarly, they had strong technical capabilities but were blocked from market entry due to funding issues and patent disputes.
Seong-hwan continued explaining as he flipped through the data.
“Third is Korea Precision. They make precision measurement equipment and process automation robots. After Ahsung unilaterally terminated their joint development contract, they completely lost technological control. Their core tech seems solid, but they’re blocked from funding and clients.”
Additionally, the screen displayed a list of about 20 companies, including Segwang Technology, which develops wafer inspection equipment, and Daeshin Precision Chemical, which produces ultra-high-purity chemicals for deposition and etching equipment.
All of them were technically capable but marginalized in the market due to past conflicts with Ahsung Electronics.
“Stolen patents during tech collaborations, unilateral contract terminations causing liquidity crises… definitely Ahsung’s style.”
Having done similar things during my time at Ahsung, I knew their tactics better than anyone.
“Still, these companies have solid tech. They just couldn’t flex their muscles because of Ahsung.”
Seong-hwan paused to catch his breath, then continued.
“I think with just a little support from us, they could easily regain competitiveness.”
I slowly nodded.
“Since we’re gathering materials, parts, and equipment companies around our factory, let’s not just collaborate but create joint ventures like with Busan Optic or Radian Solutions to secure them firmly.”
Seong-hwan agreed immediately.
“These companies won’t oppose after what Ahsung did to them. I’ll get started right away.”
“Great. Move as fast as you can.”