pertwk Chapter 205 Rift
Chapter 205 Rift
April 25th.
Milan.
On Bertoli's desk lay a newly received report—a preliminary research plan from Kosuke Yamamoto's team.
The title is: "Applicability Verification of Third-Order Nonlinear Thermoelastic Coupling Model in Piezoelectric Ceramic Systems".
This is the first action taken within a week of the tripartite call. STMicroelectronics provided a six-month research grant to Kosuke Yamamoto's team at Kyoto University under the guise of "joint academic research." The amount wasn't large—150,000 euros. But this money didn't buy the research itself; rather, it bought them a legitimate status for "academic discussion."
Bertoli flipped through the project proposal. Kosuke Yamamoto's research direction was very precise: using piezoelectric ceramic MEMS data accumulated jointly by STMicroelectronics and Kyoto University, to test the prediction accuracy of a third-order model on non-silicon-based material systems.
If the third-order model performs as well on piezoelectric ceramics as it does on silicon-based MEMS—which is entirely possible, since Su Chen's original model was indeed derived from a silicon-based system—then this result could be a strong argument in the standard-setting discussion.
"I'm not against the third-order model. I'm just pointing out that its scope of application needs further definition."
Bertoli silently repeated the sentence to himself. This was the wording he had prepared—it was impeccable, whether in front of the standards committee or the media.
He closed the file, turned on his computer, and began drafting an email to the liaison of the IEC MEMS working group. The email suggested adding a discussion topic on "standardization of MEMS thermoelastic coupling modeling" to the working group meeting in the fourth quarter of this year.
The email was worded in an extremely formal and academic manner. It made no mention of Wei Lan or the third-order model; it simply stated, "Given the recent rapid progress in the field of MEMS thermoelastic coupling modeling, it is recommended that the working group assess the necessity of developing a unified modeling standard."
Everything is within the rules. Everything is reasonable and legal.
But Bertoli knew that once standards discussions began, according to the IEC process, it would take at least two to three years from project initiation to official release. During those two to three years, the "non-standard" status of the third-order model would become a concern for any company that wanted to adopt it on a large scale—including Bosch.
This is a meticulously designed slowdown strategy.
……
the same day.
Tokyo.
Kosuke Yamamoto sat in his temporary office at the Tokyo branch of Kyoto University, with a research plan and funding agreement from Italy and France spread out in front of him.
He read the agreement three times.
Then he did something Bertolli hadn't anticipated—he sent an email to Su Chen.
The email was very short:
Mr. Su Chen:
I am about to conduct a study on the applicability of third-order models in piezoelectric ceramic systems. This study is funded by STMicroelectronics. I believe you have the right to know about this.
If you are interested, I would be happy to maintain technical exchanges with you during the research process.
Yamamoto Kosuke"
Kosuke Yamamoto is a pure scholar. He accepted Italian financial aid because the research topic itself had academic value—exploring the boundaries of any theory's applicability is meaningful work. However, he was unwilling to become a pawn in a commercial game without his knowledge.
So he chose transparency.
……
April 26th.
Beijing.
Su Chen saw Yamamoto Kosuke's email.
He read it twice. Then he leaned back in his chair and thought for about a minute.
Italian and French companies funded Kyoto University to study the applicability of the third-order model to non-silicon-based systems. This is not surprising in itself—the researchers knew when constructing the third-order model that the original derivation was based on the thermoelastic parameters of silicon-based MEMS. In other material systems, the coefficients of the third-order correction terms may need to be recalibrated.
This is not a flaw, but a normal part of the theoretical expansion process.
However, he was also keenly aware that this "normal academic research" could very well be interpreted in ways that went far beyond the scope of academia in the current industrial context.
If Kosuke Yamamoto's research finds that the third-order model's prediction accuracy on piezoelectric ceramics is significantly lower than that on silicon-based systems—which is possible—then once this result is published, the headlines in industry media will most likely be:
"Third-order models face significant challenges: accuracy drops dramatically on non-silicon-based MEMS"
instead of:
The applicability of the third-order model has been further clarified: non-silicon-based materials require parameter recalibration.
The same facts, presented in different ways, can have drastically different effects.
Su Chen thought for a moment and replied to Yamamoto Kosuke with an email:
"Mr. Yamamoto:
Thank you for letting me know. I strongly support this research—any theory needs to be tested to determine its boundaries of applicability.
If you require details of the derivation of the original parameters of the third-order model on a silicon-based system, or if you need to discuss methods for calibrating the model's parameters on different material systems, I am happy to provide assistance.
Su Chen
He spent fifteen minutes writing this email. Every word was carefully considered.
He showed no signs of tension or defensiveness. He even offered technical assistance.
This wasn't because he was naive. Rather, it was because he had calculated that if Kosuke Yamamoto's research could complete the parameter calibration with his assistance, the final conclusion would be more likely to be that "the third-order model is equally effective on piezoelectric ceramics after parameter adjustment," rather than "the third-order model is not applicable to non-silicon-based systems."
Active participation is better than passive waiting. This is a lesson he learned from triple independent verification.
……
April 28th.
Shanghai.
A notification letter appeared on Lin Wei's desk.
The sender was Yongsheng Microelectronics—a mid-sized company in the alliance specializing in MEMS packaging and testing. The content was almost identical to that of Xingchen Packaging: the contract would not be renewed upon expiration.
The number of companies has decreased from 28 to 27.
Lin Wei was not surprised. Yongsheng Microelectronics' second largest customer is STMicroelectronics' foundry chain in the Asia-Pacific region. Like Xingchen Packaging, they face the pressure of "choosing sides".
But what caught Lin Wei's attention this time was not the withdrawal itself, but the timing of the withdrawal.
Xingchen Packaging launched its product at the end of March. Yongsheng Microelectronics launched itss at the end of April. There was a full month's gap.
If Italy and France are indeed exerting pressure through supply chain relationships, then this pressure won't be released all at once—but rather gradually and rhythmically. They'll be sending one company away each month, keeping the alliance in a state of constant unease.
This is a greater impact than the loss of five businesses at once. Because continuous uncertainty is more taxing on people's will than a one-time blow.
Lin Wei picked up the phone and dialed Mr. Wang, the general manager of Jingce Microelectronics.
"Mr. Wang, are you aware of Yongsheng's withdrawal?"
"knew."
"Have you received any... hints?"
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.
"Not yet. But my Japanese partner called last week for a routine business review. They asked about some details of our cooperation with Vilan, saying they wanted to 'understand the supply chain distribution.'"
Who hit him?
"He's a mid-level manager in Tokyo. I checked, and he's also in charge of coordinating some of ST's parts procurement in Japan."
Lin Wei tapped her fingers lightly twice on the table.
"Mr. Wang, what's your opinion?"
"I already stated my position last month, Mr. Lin. I will not leave."
"I know. What I'm asking is, what do you think the other people in the league think?"
Another silence.
"To be honest... some are wavering. Especially those companies with close ties to Japanese suppliers. You know, many core components in the MEMS industry come from Japan. If STMicroelectronics is really exerting influence through Japanese suppliers—even if it's just hinting at it—those companies will be in a very difficult position."
"Does it have a specific name?"
"There's no confirmation yet. But I've heard that Ruiheng Precision has recently been internally discussing the issue of 'business focus.' Their approach is to reduce non-core collaborations."
Ruiheng Precision. Lin Wei frowned slightly. Ruiheng was one of the few companies in the alliance that could provide high-precision MEMS testing services. If Ruiheng withdrew, the impact would be much greater than that of Xingchen and Yongsheng.
"I understand. Thank you, Mr. Wang."
After hanging up the phone, Lin Wei opened the "Alliance Risk Assessment and Response Plan" and added a red mark next to Ruiheng Precision's name.
Then she turned to the third part of the plan—alternative supply chains.
The self-built packaging line will begin production in mid-May. This is the most crucial timeline at present. Once the self-built packaging line is operational, Vilan's reliance on external packaging and testing services will be significantly reduced. The gap caused by the exit of Xingchen and Yongsheng can also be filled.
However, testing services are different. Ruiheng Precision's high-precision MEMS testing equipment cannot be replaced in the short term.
Lin Wei added a new note to the document:
"Urgent: Assess the feasibility of building our own high-precision testing capabilities. Timeframe: Q3."
……
April 29th.
Beijing.
Su Chen completed the first draft of his third patent application in the laboratory—"A method for predicting deviations in MEMS sensor systems under multiple temperature gradient environments".
Including the first draft (process parameter optimization method) and the second draft (large-size wafer application algorithm) that were completed earlier, the initial drafts of all three patents were completed before the end of April.
It was one day earlier than the deadline he had set for himself.
He packaged the three documents and sent them to Lin Wei. He included the note: "Three drafts, please review. The fourth (production line simulation system) requires reproduction data."
He then opened the draft of Chapter 4 of the second paper.
This is the chapter on methodology for multi-platform validation. It systematically describes how to apply the third-order model to different experimental platforms—Vilan's own equipment, Zhenxin's commercial-grade production line, and Ishikawa Akira's independent laboratory. Three sets of data, three types of equipment, three process conditions—yet the predictive accuracy of the third-order model remained consistent across all platforms.
This is precisely the core selling point of this paper: not "how accurate my model is," but "how accurate my model is under any conditions."
Universality. This is the true foundation for a theory to become a standard.
Su Chen wrote for about two hours. During that time, he received a reply email from Yamamoto Kosuke.
Kosuke Yamamoto expressed his gratitude to Chen Su for his proactive technical assistance and raised a specific technical question: How should the κ₃ coefficient in the third-order model be recalibrated for non-silicon-based materials? Is additional experimental data needed to determine material-specific parameters?
Su Chen spent forty minutes writing a detailed reply. He not only answered Yamamoto Kosuke's question, but also attached a general parameter calibration framework—a framework that allows the third-order model to adapt to different material systems by adjusting three material-specific coefficients.
He called this framework the "Materials Extension Protocol".
This approach serves two purposes. First, it helps Kosuke Yamamoto's research reach more accurate conclusions—rather than the erroneous conclusion that "the third-order model is inapplicable" due to a lack of calibration methods. Second, this "materials extension protocol" itself constitutes a new intellectual property point. If the third-order model needs to be extended to non-silicon-based systems in the future, this protocol will be essential.
After sending the email, Su Chen added a sixth entry to the IP page on his laptop:
6. Third-order model material extension protocol—a calibration method for thermoelastic coupling parameters in non-silicon-based MEMS
Then he drew an asterisk.
……
April 30th.
Shanghai.
Lin Wei received three draft patents from Su Chen, along with his explanation of the "Material Expansion Protocol".
She first read the initial draft of the patent. Pages 34, 28, and 22. A total of 84 pages of technical documents. She spent an entire afternoon reviewing it page by page, making annotations in twelve places—mostly about refining the wording of the claims to ensure that the scope of patent protection was as broad as possible without sacrificing precision.
Then she read Su Chen's email about the material expansion agreement.
After she finished reading, she stood up and walked around the office twice.
This 23-year-old once again demonstrated strategic intuition beyond his years.
Kosuke Yamamoto's research was part of Bertolib's scheme. The aim was to create "academic controversy" regarding the applicability of the third-order model. Su Chen's response was not defensive—but rather proactively providing calibration methods, transforming the possible conclusion that "the third-order model is not applicable to non-silicon-based materials" into "the third-order model, after parameter calibration, is applicable to all material systems."
Even more ingeniously, this identification method itself has become a new intellectual property right.
Lin Wei returned to her desk and added another line to the "Intellectual Property Rights" section of the draft authorization plan:
"Materials Extension Protocol (Non-Silicon-Based Calibration Method) – Separate License. Priority: High."
Then she dialed the legal department's number.
"Xiao Zhang, I've finished reviewing the three initial patent drafts, and my comments are attached. Please expedite the process and submit them to the State Intellectual Property Office before May 5th. At the same time, prepare materials for the PCT international patent applications—in the US, Europe, and Japan."
"Mr. Lin, the PCT application fee is not low—it will cost approximately eight to one million for all three categories combined."
"Approved. This expense cannot be saved."
"clear."
After hanging up the phone, Lin Wei glanced at the calendar.
April 30th.
In mid-May, the self-built packaging line went into production.
The results of the second round of peer review by NM were released in late May to early June.
In mid-June, the Vogt Thematic Conference was held.
The deadline for TianShu chip solution 3 was reached at the end of June.
The patent application process has now begun. The application layer intellectual property rights for the third-order model will be finalized before the paper is officially published.
He Wentao mentioned three challenges: production capacity, standardization, and intellectual property rights.
The capacity issue was alleviated after the packaging line went into operation in May. The window for intellectual property rights is being opened.
Standardization is the only path forward that Bertoli has already taken the lead in.
But standardization is a long-term battle. And the outcome of a long-term battle depends on whose fundamentals are more solid.
……
the same day.
An article has appeared on the internet that has caused a huge uproar.
The source is the preprint server of *Advanced Materials Research*. The authors are Kosuke Yamamoto's team at Kyoto University. The title is:
"Preliminary Assessment of Third-order Nonlinear Thermal-Elastic Coupling Model Applicability in Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) MEMS Structures"
The paper has not yet undergone peer review. It's only a preliminary result. However, one sentence in the conclusion section was quickly picked up by industry media:
"In PZT-based MEMS structures, the uncalibrated third-order model shows a prediction deviation of 12.7% compared to experimental data, significantly higher than the reported sub-2% deviation in silicon-based systems."
A deviation of 12.7%. In contrast, the deviation is less than 2% for silicon-based systems.
This number spread throughout the entire MEMS industry within 24 hours.
Semiconductor Industry Watch was the first to publish a news flash. The title was "Bias of Third-Order Model on Non-Silicon-Based MEMS Draws Attention." The wording was relatively restrained, but the figure of "12.7% bias" appeared in the title.
When Huxiu's technology channel reposted the article, the title became "Third-order model encounters its first major challenge: Non-silicon-based MEMS deviation exceeds six times".
36Kr went even further: "The applicability of the Vilan three-tier model may be seriously overestimated."
The most sensational headline on TMTpost was: "The Myth of the Third-Order Model Shattered? Kyoto University Research Reveals Key Flaws."
The same set of data, four titles, a progressively twisting narrative.
From "attention" to "challenge" to "overestimation" to "myth shattered".
This is exactly the effect Bertolli wanted.
……
On Zhihu, the discussion erupted within hours.
The "Microsystems R&D Dog" has posted a new question: "What does it mean that the third-order model has a 12.7% deviation on non-silicon-based MEMS?"
Two completely opposing opinions emerged in the highly-rated answers.
The opposing side was represented by a user with the ID "Piezoelectric Ceramic Engineer":
"A 12.7% deviation is unacceptable in engineering applications. If the third-order model is only effective on silicon-based MEMS, then its applicability is much narrower than we previously thought. All those claims about 'digital twins' and 'design paradigm revolutions' need to be taken with a grain of salt."
The most compelling response from the affirmative side came from "Twelve Years of Chip Design"—the author of the previous answer that received 5200 likes:
Have you all read the paper? Pay attention to the keyword: uncalibrated.
This means that Kosuke Yamamoto's team directly applied the parameters of the silicon-based system to piezoelectric ceramics without any parameter calibration. It's like putting a size 42 shoe on the foot of someone who wears a size 38 and saying, "These shoes don't fit."
The problem isn't the shoes. The problem is that you didn't measure your feet.
The core framework of the third-order model is universal. However, material-specific parameters need to be recalibrated for different systems. This is a standard procedure in cross-system applications of any physical model.
To dismiss an entire model framework based on an uncalibrated result demonstrates either a lack of understanding of basic physical modeling methodologies or malicious intent.
This answer received 2,800 likes in three hours.
In the comments section, "Semiconductor Veteran 2003" left a message:
"Check who the funders are."
It only had five characters, but it received 1,200 likes.
Because Kosuke Yamamoto's preprint clearly states in the acknowledgments section:
"This research was supported by STMicroelectronics through a collaborative research agreement with Kyoto University."
STMicroelectronics.
This finding sparked a second wave of discussion on Zhihu and Weibo. People began to question the independence and motivation of the study.
"First Bosch conducted its assessment, and now Italy and France are funding Kyoto University's research on 'deficiencies.' What are these three companies afraid of?"
"The more they suppress it, the more valuable the third-order model becomes. If it were truly useless, would Bosch, STMicroelectronics, and Infineon be so concerned?"
"Capital's reaction is more honest than any academic paper."
Contrary to Bertolli's expectations, public opinion did not overwhelmingly turn to skepticism. Instead, a more interesting phenomenon emerged—more and more people began to interpret the "attention" from the three giants as evidence of the value of the third-order model.
However, Bertoli's strategy wasn't a complete failure. Beyond the discussions among ordinary netizens, the real key factor was the attitude of industry clients. Some of the potential clients considering contacting Vilan—mid-sized MEMS design companies, automotive electronics suppliers, and consumer electronics chipmakers—were indeed influenced by the "12.7% deviation" figure.
It's not a complete rejection, but rather a "wait and see" approach.
"Let's wait and see"—these four words are enough. In business competition, making your competitor's potential customers "wait and see" is equivalent to buying yourself time.
……
May 1st.
Beijing.
Su Chen read through the discussions on Zhihu and the reports from various media outlets about Kosuke Yamamoto's preprint in the laboratory.
His expression remained unchanged.
He had anticipated this. From the moment he received Yamamoto Kosuke's first email, he knew how the results of this research would be interpreted.
The difference is that he had already made plans in advance.
The material extension protocol has been sent to Kosuke Yamamoto. Three core patents have been submitted for review. The framework of the second paper already includes a methodology for cross-platform verification.
All preparations were completed before the enemy's attack arrived.
Su Chen closed the browser and opened the latest email sent by Yamamoto Kosuke yesterday.
In an email, Kosuke Yamamoto apologized, explaining that the preprint was released earlier than he expected; he had originally planned to release the full version after completing parameter calibration. However, a doctoral student on his team uploaded the preliminary results without sufficient communication.
"I deeply regret this. Rest assured, the full paper will include validation results of the parameter calibration method you provided. I anticipate a significant reduction in bias after calibration."
Su Chen read the email but did not reply.
He wasn't sure if Yamamoto Kosuke was telling the truth or offering a polite apology. But that didn't matter. What mattered was that the calibration results would tell the whole story.
He opened his notebook and added a line to the timeline:
"Kosuke Yamamoto preprint → Preliminary results → Standardized version expected in June → If standardization is valid → Reversal"
Then he closed the notebook.
He didn't have time to pay attention to public opinion. More important things were on his schedule.
Second paper. Patent application. Vogt Conference in June.
Each one is a hundred times more important than the discussions on Zhihu.
……
May 2nd.
Shanghai.
Lin Wei received a phone call in her office that made her sit up slightly.
The caller was Jiang Mingyuan, the legal counsel for Weilan and one of the most experienced intellectual property lawyers in the MEMS field in China.
"Mr. Lin, there's something I need to tell you."
"What's going on?"
"While conducting a search report on PCT international patent applications, we discovered something. Bosch filed a patent application in March related to the optimization of MEMS thermoelastic coupling processes."
Lin Wei's fingers stopped on the keyboard.
"March?"
"Yes. March 15th. A month and a half earlier than ours."
What about the patent details?
"I read the abstract. The direction overlaps somewhat with our first patent—both involve process parameter optimization based on a thermoelastic coupling model. However, the technical approaches differ. Bosch's patent is based on their own second-order model framework, then reserves an interface to accommodate 'higher-order modified models.' They didn't directly mention a third-order model, but that 'interface' is clearly intended for a third-order model."
Lin Wei frowned.
"They submitted it in March. That was before the three-way call."
"Yes. This shows that Bosch had already begun its patent strategy in March—around the same time the NM Major Revision results came out. They acted faster than we expected."
Lin Wei remained silent for ten seconds.
"Attorney Jiang, do our three patents conflict with Bosch's?"
"Currently, there is no direct conflict. The technological approaches are different, but there is overlap in application areas. This means that if commercial negotiations proceed in the future, the patents of both parties may be subject to cross-licensing."
"Cross-licensing."
Lin Wei repeated the word.
Cross-licensing means that both parties hold patents that the other needs, and a mutually beneficial licensing agreement needs to be negotiated. This is not a bad thing—in a way, it is a form of "cooperation" as described by Stein.
"Continue to process our application. Expedited."
"clear."
After hanging up the phone, Lin Wei added a new paragraph to the draft authorization plan:
Bosch's patent portfolio: In March, it submitted patents related to MEMS process optimization. The technical approach is different from that of Vilan, but the application areas overlap.
Conclusion: Bosch is preparing for cooperation/negotiation. Intellectual property rights will be a bargaining chip.
Adjustment: Upgrade patent strategy from 'defense' to 'bargaining chips'.