China’s leading manufacturer of chip equipment, SiCarrier, has released an extensive suite of new chipmaking tools aimed at elevating domestic semiconductor production.
### SiCarrier’s Role in China’s Semiconductor Expansion
In the past few years, we’ve seen impressive growth in China’s semiconductor industry, driven by the country’s strategic push against international influence. Companies like Huawei and SMIC have been pivotal in setting up China’s own chip production operations. However, SiCarrier deserves more recognition in this space. As a firm reportedly supported by Huawei, SiCarrier focuses on creating chipmaking tools. At the 2025 SEMICON event held in China, they showcased their latest equipment lineup, boldly signaling their determination not to be left behind.
A recent tweet from user @zephyr_z9 highlighted SiCarrier’s significant new releases, including Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) systems integral to semiconductor fabrication for integrated circuit devices. While their catalog offers a range of tools, it notably excludes lithography equipment—perhaps intentionally keeping some developments under wraps. SiCarrier’s product array positions them as competitors against established giants like ASML and Applied Materials, although the effectiveness of these tools for China’s market remains to be seen.
At the SEMICON conference, SiCarrier’s President Du Lijun mentioned that their domestic tools could produce 5nm chips. However, the use of non-optical technology presents yield challenges, increasing production costs compared to international standards. SiCarrier is actively collaborating with SMIC and Huawei to overcome these obstacles. Given the importance of achieving self-sufficiency in chip production for China, we can anticipate a significant breakthrough soon.
Du Lijun shared, “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,” as reported by Reuters.
SiCarrier’s main mission is to shift the balance of semiconductor production away from countries like the Netherlands, a key source of chipmaking tools. In a past analysis, we noted how the company partners with Huawei and the Shenzhen government to develop unique EUV prototypes focused on laser-induced discharge plasma. This step is crucial in paving the way for China’s creation of its own EUV lithography equipment, potentially the last hurdle in developing cutting-edge semiconductor nodes domestically.
