China’s leading chip equipment manufacturer, SiCarrier, has rolled out an impressive array of chipmaking tools aimed at boosting its domestic semiconductor production capabilities.
SiCarrier: A Major Contender in Chipmaking Equipment and a Challenge to Giants like ASML
China’s semiconductor industry has experienced a substantial surge lately, primarily driven by a national strategy to reduce reliance on global players. Big names like Huawei and SMIC have significantly contributed to this effort, helping set up China’s own chip production facilities. However, SiCarrier, which reportedly benefits from Huawei’s support, often doesn’t get the spotlight it deserves. This firm specializes in creating essential tools for chip manufacturing. At the SEMICON 2025 event in China, it boldly showcased its latest equipment lineup, signaling its commitment to forging ahead.
Recently showcased at SEMICON, SiCarrier’s newest catalog detailed by user @zephyr_z9 on Twitter, indicates they’ve developed a multitude of chipmaking tools, notably including Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) systems crucial for semiconductor manufacturing. Though the list is extensive, it interestingly omits any mention of lithography equipment, which might hint at strategic discretion on SiCarrier’s part. The aim is clear: to go head-to-head with industry titans like ASML and others. However, performance metrics in the domestic realm remain uncertain for now.
Image Credits: SCMP
During the event, Du Lijun, SiCarrier’s President, expressed optimism about their tools’ potential to produce 5nm chips. However, he acknowledged that relying on non-optical methods poses challenges, notably higher costs compared to international options. Despite this, SiCarrier is actively collaborating with SMIC and Huawei to overcome these hurdles, and given the critical importance of achieving semiconductor self-sufficiency in China, significant breakthroughs are anticipated.
Du Lijun explained, "There might be a path where we can use non-optical technologies, that is, using our process equipment to solve some of the lithography issues,” in a conversation with Reuters.
SiCarrier’s strategic goal is to shift the global semiconductor power dynamics away from countries like the Netherlands, a hub for chipmaking equipment suppliers. We’ve previously highlighted how SiCarrier collaborates with Huawei and the Shenzhen government to develop bespoke EUV prototypes harnessing laser-induced discharge plasma (LDP). This initiative represents a crucial step toward China creating its own state-of-the-art EUV lithography technology, an essential milestone for advancing its semiconductor manufacturing capabilities.
