SMEE (Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment) · 上海微电子装备（集团）股份有限公司

Lithography

China’s only domestic lithography scanner maker of consequence, and the firm most exposed to the export controls that target lithography hardest.
Published

October 11, 2026

Chinese name: 上海微电子装备（集团）股份有限公司 (Shànghǎi Wēi Diànzǐ Zhuāngbèi (Jítuán) Gǔfèn Yǒuxiàn Gōngsī)

TipWhy This Matters

China’s only domestic lithography scanner maker of consequence, and the firm most exposed to the export controls that target lithography hardest. Its real position is more modest than its reputation: a 90nm-class dry scanner in production, and a 28nm-class immersion tool that remained in testing at ICRD as of May 2026, despite widely shared but unfounded claims in March-April 2026 that it had entered batch delivery to SMIC. The official picture is consistent with testing, not delivery: Science and Technology Daily (科技日报, the Ministry of Science and Technology’s newspaper) reported in March 2026 that in 2025 domestic lithography made major breakthroughs in core subsystems (light source, objective lens, dual wafer stage) and that several verification tools had entered production-line testing, without naming a company. No ministry source was found for the circulating claim that the minister had announced 28nm immersion mass production; the ministry’s summary of his January 2026 work report does not mention lithography. Separately, a July 2026 report (The Information, relayed by 金角财经) said an unnamed Shanghai state-backed firm planned about 5 immersion DUV tools in 2026 and 20 in 2027, and a September 2025 FT report said the domestic immersion tool SMIC was trialling came from the startup Yuliangsheng, not SMEE.

What does this firm supply?

Photolithography scanners: the SSA600 series (90nm-class dry ArF, the established product), the SSA800 series (28nm-class ArF immersion, still in testing), KrF scanners such as the SSC800/10 (110nm resolution; one sold to a Ministry of Science and Technology lab in late 2025 for about ¥110m), and lithography tools for 2.5D/3D advanced packaging.

Key Facts

Category Equipment
Segment Lithography
Node Capability 90nm-class dry ArF (SSA600 series) is SMEE’s established front-end product; its 90nm programme passed state acceptance in 2018. The 28nm-class immersion scanner (SSA800 series) has NOT been delivered to commercial fabs: as of May 2026 it was still being tested at the Integrated Circuit R&D Center (ICRD), and spring 2026 reports of batch delivery and 90%+ yields were rumours that industry press (芯智讯, 证券时报) refuted.
Founded 2002
HQ Shanghai
Capacity Not yet recorded
Entity List Yes — US Commerce BIS
Last Verified Not recorded (newest source dated Sep 2026)

Capability Trajectory

  • 2018: 90nm front-end lithography (SSA600-class) project passes state acceptance
  • 2022: First Chinese 2.5D/3D advanced-packaging lithography tool shipped
  • 2025: 90nm ArF scanner claimed in mass production (company claim, May 2025)
  • 2025: SSC800/10 scanner (KrF 248nm, 110nm resolution) sold to MOST lab, ~RMB 110m
  • 2026: SSA800 28nm-class ArF immersion still in testing at ICRD; not in any commercial fab

Manufacturing Sites in China

Production sites not yet researched.

Sources

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