Recently, chip giants such as NVIDIA and AMD have been banned by the United States from supplying chips used for artificial intelligence to China.

Throughout history, the United States has not only once imposed sanctions on China in terms of ideology, economic trade, and scientific technology.

During the Korean War, the United States prohibited China from entering the sea; in 2018, the United States imposed trade sanctions on China; now, in the field of science and technology, the United States has blocked the technological output from Western countries to China.

However, few people know that there was once a scientist in China who developed a piece of stone that blocked the United States for 15 years, causing the United States to lose tens of billions of dollars. He is the academician of the Third World Academy of Sciences - Chen Chuangtian.Chen Chuangtian dedicated his entire life to the study of optical crystals. In this field, his firm stance against selling to Americans severely dampened the arrogance of the United States.

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What kind of stone is this, and what kind of magical power does it possess?

In 1937, Chen Chuangtian was born in a small village in Fenghua, Zhejiang. His father was an accountant, which was considered a rare intellectual family at that time.

Chen Chuangtian was naturally intelligent. Despite growing up during wartime, he always maintained a thirst for knowledge, firmly believing that knowledge could change destiny and aspiring to contribute to his motherland when he grew up.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, at the call of the nation, Chen Chuangtian and his family moved to Shenyang to support the reconstruction of the Northeast.In 1954, Chen Chuangtian was admitted to Shenyang No. 2 High School, a key high school, with outstanding academic performance.

During his high school years, the living conditions at school were very challenging. A dormitory of about 10 square meters was packed with 10 classmates, and the daily diet was a monotonous combination of sorghum rice and pickles. Sometimes, there was not even a supply of hot water.

Despite the hardships, Chen Chuangtian never complained and found joy in learning. His favorite activity at school was to discuss problems with his classmates, analyzing and solving them from various perspectives, and he was always tireless in doing so.

In a physics class, the teacher's lecture on the "luminiferous aether" deeply fascinated Chen Chuangtian, sparking a strong interest in physics.

The term "aether" was first used in ancient Greek times to describe the upper atmosphere.However, in the 17th century, the philosopher Descartes introduced it into the field of mechanics, proposing the idea that any space is filled with a medium called "ether."

By the 19th century, scientists gradually discovered that light is a type of wave, and waves in daily life require a medium for propagation, such as sound waves relying on air and water waves relying on water. So, what is the medium for light waves?

Thus, scientists hypothesized that there exists a substance called ether in the universe that acts as a medium.

This colorless and odorless yet omnipresent medium piqued the intense curiosity of Chen Chuangtian.

He began to think deeply, constantly questioning, and even after class, he remained immersed in contemplating this question. Such a thirst for knowledge and curiosity also motivated Chen Chuangtian to go further and further on the path of physics in the future.In 1956, Chen Chuangtian's dream came true as he was admitted to Peking University and chose his favorite major in physics.

Chen Chuangtian's thirst for knowledge in physics was like an eternal flame, burning brightly in his heart.

Whenever he delved into physics, Chen Chuangtian often neglected sleep and meals. If he couldn't figure out a problem, he would consult his teachers. Sometimes when the teachers' answers were not comprehensive enough, he would seek advice from other teachers across different disciplines until he fully understood.

Chen Chuangtian had consulted almost every professor in the physics department of the university. His spirit of striving for perfection and his humble and eager attitude towards learning earned him the recognition of many teachers.In 1962, upon graduation, Chen Chuangtian was recommended by his teachers to work at the East China Institute of Material Structure, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Since he was engaged in the study of material structure, a solid foundation in chemistry was needed in addition to knowledge of physics. However, for Chen Chuangtian, he was still a novice in the field of chemistry.

But he did not become discouraged. He believed that knowledge has no boundaries and that chemistry and physics are closely related. Therefore, he settled down to learn from Professor Lu Jiaxi.

In addition, Chen Chuangtian also self-studied structural chemistry and quantum chemistry, all of which laid a solid foundation for his later achievements.

Three years later, Chen Chuangtian had made significant progress in the field of chemistry and reached a crossroads in choosing his research direction.At this time, the research institute's main focus was on two areas: one was nonlinear optical materials, and the other was a sub-branch under nonlinear optical materials, laser materials.

At that time, China was decades behind other international players in the field of nonlinear optical materials. Following the advice of his mentor, Lu Jiahui, Chen Chuangtian chose the broader field of nonlinear optical materials.

Nonlinear optical materials are primarily used in fiber optic communications, nuclear fusion, and laser weapons. Once China had its own nonlinear optical materials, it would no longer need to rely on others and could manufacture products in these high-tech fields.

In the 1960s, the number of materials discovered worldwide was countless. Finding a new material among the myriad of existing ones was as difficult as climbing to the heavens, which was one of the reasons why this research had been at a standstill.

Scientific research requires not only rigor but also patience and stress resistance, especially when it comes to material discovery. However, for Chen Chuangtian, it was a joyous endeavor.He secludes himself in the laboratory day and night, and even on Chinese New Year's Eve, he only rushes home for a quick meal before diving back into the lab to conduct research.

Such a lifestyle has become the norm, and the most tormenting aspect is the immense difficulty of the work with very little hope.

However, in Chen Chuangtian's heart, there always echoes a saying from his mentor, Lu Jiaxi: "If I don't go to hell, who will?"

Hard work pays off, and in 1968, Chen Chuangtian discovered the theory of anionic groups.Given the conditions at the time, it was extremely challenging to publish a paper, and it was also impossible to gain recognition from other scholars. Chen Chuangtian could only continue to argue his case over and over, seeking out authoritative experts to discuss the theoretical content.

Finally, in 1976, Chen Chuangtian officially published the anionic group theory, which sparked widespread discussion among scholars around the world.

With the theory in place, there were still many issues to overcome in order to truly apply it to the study of nonlinear optical crystals.

At that time, the nonlinear optical crystals used the best material available both domestically and internationally, which was the oxygen octahedron. However, China's equipment conditions were not as advanced as those abroad. Chen Chuangtian wanted to find a new breakthrough and decided to abandon the oxygen octahedron.

Afterward, Chen Chuangtian led his team in the search for a completely new material that had never been used before.In 1980, Chen Chuangtian's research team successfully discovered the compound low-temperature phase barium borate, which exhibits exceptional nonlinear optical effects.

Due to its chemical formula abbreviated as BBO, Chen Chuangtian named it the "BBO crystal."

The primary function of the crystal lies in lasers, where different laser fields have varying wavelengths, and the length of the laser wavelength depends on the crystal.

In daily life, we see applications such as laser beauty treatments, 3D printers, laser surgeries, laser communication technology, and laser weapons, all of which require the use of crystals.In 1983, when Chen Chuangtian announced this result to the public, it shocked the entire field of laser crystals.

People were astonished that a material which American scientists had been researching for 23 years had actually emerged in China, and the BBO crystal, compared to the ADP crystal commonly used abroad, had a much larger extinction ratio.

That year, China not only caught up with other countries but also took a significant leap ahead.

The successful development of the BBO crystal holds great historical significance for China.

It not only signifies an important breakthrough in our research on nonlinear optical crystals but also symbolizes China's independence from the United States in this field.In 1987, the United States announced the crystal of lithium tetraborate, thinking it would be enough to intimidate the laser community. Unexpectedly, Chen Chuangtian also developed an LBO crystal in the same year, which was four times stronger than lithium tetraborate, once again leaving the United States speechless.

In just a few years, the sales share of China's BBO and LBO crystals accounted for 80% of the global market.

Chen Chuangtian, the scientist with a "monthly income of only 86 yuan," earned a substantial amount of foreign exchange income for his motherland.

With the successive introductions of BBO and LBO crystals, Chen Chuangtian's honors also poured in. He, who was over fifty years old, could have taken a breather and rested, but he did not choose a comfortable life. Instead, he continued to lead his team to develop new technologies.

At that time, there was a saying in the laser community that no one could compress the wavelength of a laser to within 200 nanometers.Chen Chuangtian, however, did not believe in this superstition and simply immersed himself in the laboratory, quietly dedicated to research, determined to solve this historical challenge.

In 1990, Chen Chuangtian led his team to discover the KB BF crystal using molecular design engineering methods. Subsequently, Chen Chuangtian demonstrated that the laser wavelength produced by it could be as short as 184.7nm, breaking the "200nm" barrier that had been unchallenged in the international laser community since its inception.

This achievement placed China in a monopolistic position in the field of deep ultraviolet solid-state lasers. However, Chen Chuangtian was not content and went on to invent the KB BF crystal prism coupling technology.

In 2006, the Institute of Physics and Chemistry at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, with the KB BF crystal and prism coupling technology, made China the only country in the world capable of developing high-precision, practical deep ultraviolet all-solid-state lasers.

It can be said that Chen Chuangtian created a world miracle and accomplished a task deemed impossible.This crystal, as clear and translucent as rock sugar, is invaluable and can be sold for tens of thousands of dollars. It is also an important material that many countries are vying to purchase.

However, the crystal that Chen Chuangtian passionately created for the benefit of humanity was used by some foreigners with ulterior motives in warfare, becoming a military weapon.

In 2009, China announced a comprehensive ban on the export of KBBF crystals.

Once the policy was implemented, Americans became restless, as without KBBF crystals, even the best high-tech products were out of reach.

The United States also published an article titled "China Hid This Crystal," condemning China and attempting to pry open the channels for Chinese exports.After publicly condemning the failure, the United States attempted to purchase the patent directly from Chen Chuangtian through private channels, and even offered him a high salary in the hope of employing him for the benefit of the U.S., but all these attempts were firmly rejected by Chen Chuangtian.

He stated: "As a scientific researcher, one must be prepared to work without expecting rewards or considering the hardships, dedicating one's life selflessly to the country and the people."

Having been rebuffed, the United States invested heavily in the research and development of KBBF crystals, and finally succeeded in 2016, believing that their version had superior performance compared to China's KBBF crystals.

Just as the United States was preparing to celebrate with great joy, they were unaware that Chen Chuangtian had already developed a more stable new material, LSBO crystals, a year ahead of the United States.

Although KBBF crystals are excellent, they possess certain toxicity. Building on this, Chen Chuangtian continuously improved the technology, and LSBO crystals perfectly addressed the shortcomings of KBBF crystals.In the battle of crystal advancement, Chen Chuangtian has been advancing step by step, leaving the United States far behind each time and boosting China's pride.

At this point, Chen Chuangtian was already 78 years old. Driven by his passion for scientific research, he continued to stand on the front line, training more successors to strive for the country's scientific endeavors.

In addition to his own students, Chen Chuangtian also cared about researchers in other fields.

Throughout his life, Chen Chuangtian was frugal and indifferent to fame and fortune. He managed to save 1 million yuan from his monthly salary of tens or hundreds of yuan, all of which he donated to the medical school for research in neuroscience.

In 2018, Chen Chuangtian passed away quietly, and few people in the country knew the name and deeds of this elderly man.A small crystal stone has made the United States "frustrated" for more than a decade, and has also made China's national defense stronger day by day.

Nowadays, the United States continues to block and suppress us at various technical levels. However, countless "Chen Chuangtians" continue to emerge, striving to break through various blockades and restrictions.

After being ruthlessly suppressed and sanctioned by the United States for five years, Huawei insisted on independent research and development, successfully breaking through the United States' blockade, and achieved sales revenue of over 700 billion yuan in 2023.

Guangwei Group, which focuses on the development of carbon fiber materials, has broken the 40-year carbon fiber technology suppression of China by the United States and Japan, making China's carbon fiber technology enter the world's advanced ranks.

DJI, the drone company regarded as a "thorn in the side" by the United States, has become a model enterprise of "Made in China," occupying 80% of the global commercial drone market share.In the future, our country will undoubtedly see the emergence of more individuals like "Chen Chuangtian," who will use their intelligence and hard work to propel the rapid development of China's science and technology, as well as its international influence.

At the same time, they will also make greater contributions to the sustained economic growth of China and the comprehensive progress of society.