Abstract: Breaking through the bottleneck of key core technology has become a theory and strategic research topic for China to break the US scientific and technology blockade and realize the national rise. This paper systematically combed and summarized the key core technology research from the concept, internal structure, breakthrough path and mechanism. We find that neither the mainstream innovation theory nor technological catch-up theory for latecomer countries have literature focusing on key core technology, and the innovation research on this topic is still at an early stage in China. Therefore, there are five research gaps of key core technology, confusion of key core technologies and related concepts, lacking research on the origin problems, the unopened box of key core technologies, lacking discussion on the underlying logic of the microstructure and evolution mechanism of key core technologies, little research on the R&D path and mechanism of key core technology, limited research on macro breakthrough path and mechanism, lacking study on breakthrough mechanism of key core technology under multiple scenarios, deep influence of the mainstream innovation theory paradigm on the existing research literature. Finally, based on the gaps in existing research, this paper proposes a prospect and framework for future research, establishing key core technology breakthrough theories based on Chinese context. 

Key words: key core technology, micro structure, breakthrough path, breakthrough mechanism