SiCarrier, China’s top manufacturer of chipmaking equipment, is stepping up its game by launching a new array of advanced tools designed to boost domestic semiconductor production.
SiCarrier’s Ambitions: A Challenge to ASML’s Reign
The semiconductor scene in China has been evolving rapidly, spurred by the country’s drive to reduce reliance on external forces. Giants like Huawei and SMIC have been at the forefront, ensuring China’s advancement in chip production. However, SiCarrier deserves more spotlight as a significant player in this arena, partly backed by Huawei. At the SEMICON 2025 conference in China, SiCarrier showcased its latest range of machinery, signaling that they are not slowing down.
Massive release from SiCarrier/Huawei Tweet by Zephyr
The newest catalog from SiCarrier, highlighted at SEMICON by user @zephyr_z9, boasts several advanced chipmaking tools, including RTP (Rapid Thermal Processing) systems, essential in the semiconductor manufacturing process. While the catalog includes a variety of equipment, it notably excludes lithography tools, possibly hinting that SiCarrier is keeping certain developments under wraps. This ambitious rollout aims to rival industry leaders like ASML and Applied Materials, though its impact on the domestic market remains to be seen.
Image Credits: SCMP
According to SiCarrier’s President, Du Lijun, the company’s homegrown tools are capable of fabricating 5nm chips. However, relying on non-optical technology presents a hurdle: maintaining high production yields, which inflates costs compared to international alternatives. SiCarrier is actively collaborating with SMIC and Huawei to overcome these hurdles, striving for breakthroughs that could lead to China’s independence in chip manufacturing.
“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.”
– Du Lijun via Reuters
SiCarrier’s overarching goal is to shift the semiconductor power away from countries like the Netherlands, a major supplier of chipmaking gear. Our earlier report revealed the company’s partnership with Huawei and the Shenzhen government to develop unique EUV prototypes using laser-induced discharge plasma (LDP). This initiative represents a major step towards China creating its own EUV lithography tools, a crucial requirement for producing advanced semiconductor nodes.
