Shenzhen—Since its quiet debut four years ago, SiCarrier has become a focal point of speculation within the global semiconductor ecosystem. Widely reported but officially unconfirmed advances in lithography—including rumors of a 28nm immersion system for 300mm wafers—have positioned the Shenzhen-based firm as a potential domestic answer to equipment giants like ASML Holding NV.
Yet public records and industry exhibitions tell a more calibrated story: while SiCarrier has showcased etching, deposition and metrology tools under mountainous codenames like “Wuyishan” and “Putuoshan,” it has never displayed—or formally claimed—a working lithography machine. That has done little to dampen persistent whispers of collaboration with Huawei Technologies Co., particularly following Huawei’s disclosure at this year’s World AI Conference that its next-generation Ascend GPU will be built on a 5nm process—a node beyond the known capacity of China’s top foundry, SMIC.
More Than a Lithography Story
What is clear is SiCarrier’s strategic breadth. Founded in August 2021 under the ultimate control of the Shenzhen municipal government, the company has charted a “national team” course aimed not at a single breakthrough, but at building an integrated equipment portfolio. Its publicly stated targets—thin‑film uniformity, particle control, thermal management—reflect a focus on production‑worthy performance and lifecycle cost, narrowing gaps with established players like Applied Materials Inc. and Tokyo Electron Ltd.
From Stealth to Showcase
SiCarrier’s coming‑out moment arrived at SEMICON China 2025, where it unveiled 31 tools across six categories, from etch and deposition to optical and X‑ray metrology. By September, its order book had surpassed 1.7 billion yuan ($234 million), with customers said to include SMIC, Yangtze Memory Technologies Co. and Huahong Semiconductor Ltd.
Behind the product lineup lies a deeper ecosystem play. Through subsidiaries and affiliates, SiCarrier is stitching together a supply chain spanning high‑end optics, measurement instruments, industrial software and specialty chemicals—a vertical structure designed to insulate China’s chip‑making ambitions from external constraints.
The Real Gap
Even as China accounts for about one‑third of global semiconductor equipment spending, domestic suppliers hold barely 17% of the home‑market share. The shortfall is systemic: while Chinese firms have notched single‑tool advances, they still trail in integrated process suites, advanced lithography, core components and long‑term reliability.
SiCarrier’s response—full‑line coordination paired with selective breakthroughs—aims to convert the import‑substitution window into durable capability. Its state‑backed capital base addresses the “will to invest”; its multi‑pronged ecosystem tackles “ability to supply.” The remaining test is execution: translating orders into on‑time delivery, sustained uptime and competitive yield.
For now, SiCarrier remains more blueprint than proven contender. But in a market measured in hundreds of billions of yuan—where domestic substitution remains below 25%—it has positioned itself as one of China’s most watched experiments in semiconductor self‑sufficiency.