In 2026, China’s semiconductor equipment localization process has entered an acceleration phase. According to the China Semiconductor Industry Association, the coverage rate of domestic equipment on 28nm mature-process lines has exceeded 50%, up 15 percentage points from 2024. Domestic equipment has achieved mass-production validation in all four key segments: etching, cleaning, thin-film deposition, and metrology & inspection.
Semiconductor equipment is the most critical yet weakest link in the chip manufacturing supply chain. For a long time, core equipment such as lithography, etching, and deposition has been highly dependent on international giants like ASML, Applied Materials, and Lam Research. The leap of domestic equipment from “unusable” to “usable” to “reliable” is changing this landscape.
28nm Line Domestic Equipment Coverage
Deep Silicon Etch Aspect Ratio
SAPS Cleaning Water Reduction
Etching Equipment: AMEC Leads
Etching is the process step with the most occurrences in wafer manufacturing, accounting for over 30%. AMEC’s CCP etching equipment Primo series has achieved mass production in multiple fabs, covering 64-layer 3D NAND and 28nm logic chip etching needs. The Primo UniMax series launched in 2026 supports 14nm etching, further narrowing the gap with international advanced levels.
In ICP etching, NAURA’s NMC612E series performs excellently in special processes such as deep silicon etching and MEMS etching, achieving an etch aspect ratio of 30:1, meeting the manufacturing needs of advanced packaging TSV and MEMS devices.
Cleaning and Inspection: ACM Research Breakthrough
The wafer cleaning equipment market is about $3 billion, and domestic substitution is progressing smoothly. ACM Research’s SAPS (Space Alternated Phase Shift) cleaning technology achieves international advanced-level cleaning results at the 28nm node while reducing water usage by 40% and energy consumption by 30%.
In metrology and inspection, domestic equipment is extending from defect detection to film thickness measurement and CD measurement. Skyverse’s 3D optical inspection equipment achieves a zero missed-detection rate on 28nm lines, with inspection speed 20% higher than imported equipment. Shanghai Micro Electronics’ mask inspection equipment has entered the validation stage at domestic mainstream fabs.
Advanced Packaging Equipment: An Emerging Growth Point
As demand for Chiplet and 2.5D/3D packaging explodes, advanced packaging equipment has become a new growth point. Domestic packaging equipment companies (such as Changchuan Technology and Jingzhida) have introduced domestic solutions for ball placers, bonders, and grinders. Ball placement accuracy is evolving from 50um to 30um, meeting the needs of fine-pitch BGA and Chiplet interconnects.
The equipment localization rate for advanced packaging is currently about 20%, but as domestic packaging houses (JCET, TFME, Hua Tian) accelerate capacity expansion, the import pace of domestic equipment will accelerate. The advanced packaging equipment localization rate is expected to reach 35% by 2028.
Semiconductor equipment localization is extending from 28nm mature processes to more advanced nodes and more complex packaging forms. Breakthroughs in the three segments of etching, cleaning, and inspection have laid the foundation for domestic chip manufacturing, and advanced packaging equipment will become the next localization focus. Honchak Electronics closely monitors the development of the domestic chip supply chain and provides customers with comprehensive selection and supply information.