Abstract: As an intrinsic requirement and a crucial focal point for achieving high-level technological self-reliance and driving high-quality economic and social development in China, the cultivation and formation of new quality productive forces confront theoretical and practical challenges that demand urgent resolution. This process critically requires revolutionary technological breakthroughs to provide dynamic support for its advancement. Consequently, understanding technological formation mechanisms and promoting the emergence of disruptive technologies have become pivotal issues in China's innovation-driven development. Grounded in knowledge recombination theory, this study investigates the impact of knowledge recombination characteristics (knowledge distance and knowledge diversity) on the formation of breakthrough technologies at both knowledge and inventor levels, while examining the moderating role of inventor collaboration intensity (inter-organizational and intra-organizational cooperation). Utilizing patent data from the U.S. synthetic biology sector (2004–2021) for empirical validation, our findings reveal: (1) Both knowledge distance and diversity exhibit inverted U-shaped relationships with breakthrough technology formation; (2) Inter-organizational collaboration intensity reinforces these inverted U-shaped relationships between knowledge recombination characteristics and technological breakthroughs, whereas intra-organizational collaboration demonstrates no significant moderating effect. This research enriches theoretical understanding of breakthrough technology origins and provides practical insights for R&D professionals seeking technological breakthroughs through collaborative innovation.