At the WeSemiBay Semiconductor Ecosystem Expo 2025 in Shenzhen, a new player, AMIES Technology, made a significant debut, showcasing a range of advanced lithography and semiconductor manufacturing equipment. This event highlights China’s intensified efforts to reduce its dependence on foreign technology, particularly from Dutch giant ASML, a critical supplier of advanced chipmaking machines.
Key Takeaways
- AMIES Technology, a spin-off from China’s SMEE, aims to accelerate the commercialization of lithography equipment.
- The company presented a diverse portfolio, including compound-semiconductor lithography machines, laser-annealing systems, and inspection tools.
- China faces significant hurdles in advanced lithography due to US export controls restricting access to ASML’s cutting-edge DUV and EUV systems.
China’s Drive for Semiconductor Independence
China’s ambition to become a global leader in semiconductor manufacturing is significantly hampered by its reliance on foreign-made lithography machines. The country is currently unable to access ASML’s most advanced Deep Ultraviolet (DUV) and Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) systems due to ongoing US export controls. This technological gap in advanced lithography remains a critical bottleneck for China’s chipmaking aspirations.
Introducing AMIES Technology
AMIES Technology, established in February, is a new venture spun off from Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment (SMEE), China’s primary lithography equipment manufacturer. While SMEE has traditionally focused on essential front-end tools, AMIES is positioned to expedite the commercialization of its products. The company showcased its capabilities at the WeSemiBay Semiconductor Ecosystem Expo 2025, presenting a broad spectrum of equipment. This included machines for compound-semiconductor lithography, laser-annealing systems, advanced inspection tools, and solutions for packaging and wafer bonding.
SMEE’s Current Capabilities and Future Outlook
SMEE, which has faced US sanctions, has demonstrated strength in back-end semiconductor processes like packaging, which generally require less sophisticated lithography technology. However, in the realm of front-end wafer fabrication, SMEE is still striving to catch up with international leaders like ASML. The most advanced production-grade lithography tools currently attributed to SMEE are understood to support processes at the 90-nanometre node and above. While there was a brief, later-retracted claim in late 2023 about SMEE developing a 28-nm lithography machine, the company’s progress in cutting-edge technology remains a key area of focus and development.
Sources
- Meet AMIES, China’s new hope in breaking reliance on ASML’s chipmaking machines, South China Morning Post.
Founder Dinis Guarda
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