Shenzhen-based SiCarrier Unveils Innovative Semiconductor Technology at SEMICON China 2025
BEIJING – China is leveraging domestically developed semiconductor tools to produce advanced chips, countering U.S. restrictions on high-end chipmaking technology, according to an executive at leading Chinese chip equipment maker Shenzhen SiCarrier Industry Machines.
Speaking at SEMICON China 2025, Du Lijun, president of SiCarrier, highlighted that despite export controls blocking China’s access to lithography systems, local manufacturers can still produce 5-nanometer (5nm) chips using alternative techniques.
“There might be a path where we can use non-optical technologies, leveraging our process equipment to address some lithography challenges,” Du stated on the sidelines of the annual industry fair.
SiCarrier Showcases Advanced Semiconductor Tools
Making its debut at SEMICON China, SiCarrier presented cutting-edge etching, deposition, optical metrology, and inspection tools. The company’s booth attracted significant attention at the event, which hosted over 1,400 exhibitors.
SiCarrier’s tools are already in use at major Chinese foundries, including Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), according to a company manager who requested anonymity. Additionally, Bloomberg News reports that SiCarrier collaborates with Huawei on semiconductor technology.
Overcoming Challenges in 5nm Chip Production
Du acknowledged that multi-patterning—a technique replacing optical lithography with etching and deposition steps—could increase manufacturing complexity by 20% when transitioning from 7nm to 5nm. However, SiCarrier’s patented technology, granted in late 2023, utilizes deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography and self-aligned quadruple patterning to achieve advanced chipmaking capabilities.
By avoiding reliance on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, primarily supplied by ASML, this approach reduces production costs and supports China’s self-sufficiency in semiconductor manufacturing.
SiCarrier’s Rise Amid U.S. Trade Restrictions
Founded in 2022, SiCarrier Industry Machines operates under its parent company SiCarrier Technology, which is fully backed by a state-owned investment fund in Shenzhen.
Despite being added to a U.S. trade blacklist in December 2024, SiCarrier continues to advance China’s semiconductor industry with proprietary chipmaking solutions.
With the latest breakthroughs, China’s semiconductor sector is poised to mitigate U.S. restrictions and push forward in advanced chip production.
