[News] Decoding SiCarrier: China’s Chip Tool Firm Set to Challenge Applied Materials and ASML

Amid the high-tech showcases in SEMICON China this week, an unexpected company steals the show. SiCarrier, a Chinese semiconductor equipment firm that usually flies under the radar, steps into the spotlight this time with five core products aimed directly at industry giants like Applied Materials and Tokyo Electron. Here’s a comprehensive analysis about the mystic company and its offerings, based on Chinese media reports.

SiCarrier’s Background

The low-profile chip tool company, founded in 2022, has a prestigious background. According to China’s Securities Times, Dai Jun, SiCarrier’s technology chief, also serves as a supervisor for China’s Big Fund II and a board member of local foundry giant SMIC. Meanwhile, an earlier Bloomberg report suggests that it is a state-backed semiconductor equipment developer collaborating with Huawei.

In addition, SiCarrier has a growing patent portfolio. The company has filed dozens of core technology patents in optics, materials, and process control, as per Sina, citing Wallstreetcn.

To note one, in November, 2024, SiCarrier reportedly secured a patent on electrostatic chuck (ESC), which addresses the challenge of slow charge dissipation in wafer processing, according to Sina.

South China Morning Post notes that SiCarrier grabbed headlines in 2023 with a patent for making 5nm chips using DUV tools—a breakthrough linked to Huawei’s 7nm chip in the Mate 60 Pro.

According to Bloomberg, the tech allows multiple etching of silicon wafers to increase transistor density and performance. By utilizing DUV lithography, it aims to achieve 5nm capabilities without relying on EUV, potentially reducing production costs.

Taking on the Giants

According to the company’s WeChat account, it is showcasing several key wafer fabrication tools at SEMICON China this week—each named after a famous mountain. Highlights include Emei mountain epitaxial products, Wuyi mountain etching systems, Changbai mountain chemical vapour deposition (CVD) equipment, Putuoshan physical vapour deposition (PVD) gear, and Alishan atomic layer deposition (ALD) tools.

Notably, the epitaxial technology is often regarded as a crucial process for advanced nodes and third-generation semiconductors, which is a market long dominated by global chip tool giants Applied Materials and Tokyo Electron.

On the other hand, the Sina report suggests that SiCarrier’s atomic layer deposition tools targets atomic-level thin film deposition, which is essential for sub-5nm advanced nodes, while the market is currently led by ASML and TEL.

Its CVD tool, notably, aims meet the demand for logic and memory thin-film technologies, covering nodes ranging from 28nm to 5nm, as per Sina.

As China’s semiconductor giants like SMIC and Hua Hong ramp up production and upgrade their technology to reduce dependence on Western suppliers, domestic equipment is now getting its moment to shine. Riding this wave, SiCarrier has a prime opportunity to make its mark and accelerate its market penetration.

Read more

• [News] China’s SiCarrier Reportedly Eyes DUV Breakthroughs for 5nm, Debuting Products This Week
• [News] China’s Homegrown EUV Machines Rumored for Q3 Trial Production, Spelling Trouble for ASML