SiCarrier of China Challenges ASML with Broad Array of Chip Equipment at SEMICON 2025 Debut

China’s largest manufacturer of chipmaking equipment, SiCarrier, has announced an extensive range of new tools designed to enhance homegrown semiconductor production capabilities significantly.

In the last few years, China has made remarkable strides in the semiconductor arena, largely driven by its ambition to mitigate global dependence. Key players like Huawei, SMIC, and others have been instrumental in establishing China’s chip production infrastructure, and they’ve achieved significant milestones. However, SiCarrier, which is believed to have the backing of Huawei, deserves more recognition. This company focuses keenly on crafting chipmaking tools, and its recent presentation at SEMICON 2025 in China revealed their latest lineup, indicating strong resolve to continue progressing.

Recently spotlighted in a Twitter post by @zephyr_z9, SiCarrier released a new catalog at the SEMICON event, detailing their array of developed chip tools. Among them is the RTP (Rapid Thermal Processing) system, a crucial component in semiconductor manufacturing. While the catalog lists various tools, notable exclusions include lithography equipment, possibly suggesting that SiCarrier is keeping those developments close to the vest. This strategic expansion is geared towards competing with industry giants like ASML, Applied Materials, and LAM, although how these tools will perform in the domestic market remains to be seen.

SiCarrier’s president, Du Lijun, highlighted at SEMICON that their equipment has the capability to produce 5nm chips. However, using non-optical technologies could bring about challenges in yield rates, making production more costly compared to international competitors. The company is actively collaborating with SMIC and Huawei to tackle these challenges head-on. Considering how crucial chip production autonomy is for China, it’s anticipated that they might overcome these hurdles soon.

“There might be a path where we can use non-optical technologies,” Du Lijun remarked, hinting at innovative approaches to tackle lithography issues.

SiCarrier aims to shift the global semiconductor landscape, reducing dependency on countries like the Netherlands, renowned for their chipmaking tools. An earlier report highlighted SiCarrier’s collaboration with Huawei and the Shenzhen government to develop customized EUV prototypes based on laser-induced discharge plasma (LDP). This project marks a significant step towards China’s ambition to create its own EUV lithography equipment, a vital component for producing advanced semiconductor nodes.