SMEE SSC800 lithography systems and the related SSB800 are moving from exhibition models toward broader domestic deployment in China’s chip industry. Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment, known as SMEE, showcased the two next-generation front-end dry scanning projection lithography systems at the ninth China International Import Expo in Shanghai, held from November 5 to November 10. The company said the tools have entered large-scale mass production, with multiple units operating reliably on leading Chinese logic and memory production lines.
SMEE SSC800 lithography: Domestic supply chain reaches more than 90 percent
The most immediate commercial claim concerns localization. According to the report, more than 90 percent of the SSC800 and SSB800 systems’ key components are sourced within China. SMEE also said the platform is a fully self-developed domestic standardized front-end lithography architecture supporting I-line and KrF technology routes.
The company identified domestically controlled elements across the main tool chain. These include the high-precision projection lens and illumination system, dual wafer and mask stages, integrated automated material handling, and alignment and leveling sensors. The systems use a proprietary dual wafer-stage platform and domestically developed high-numerical-aperture projection lenses.
The localization figure matters because it points to progress beyond simply assembling imported modules. However, the published information does not include a component breakdown. The reports do not identify which components make up the total, whether it is calculated by part count or value, or whether any critical imported elements remain. The figure therefore shows a high level of domestic sourcing, while leaving the remaining supply-chain exposure unclear.
Two routes serve different chip markets
SMEE has separated the platform into two models aimed at different requirements. The SSC800 KrF series supports lithography processes at 110 nanometres and above. SMEE said its target applications include AI and high-performance computing, DRAM and NAND Flash, microprocessors, and Micro LED. The SSC800 uses a KrF light source.
The SSB800 I-line series targets processes at 280 nanometres and above. According to SMEE, those applications include power semiconductors, analog integrated circuits, and MEMS. This model uses i-line technology. Both systems are dry scanning projection tools, a category used widely in mature-node chip production rather than the most advanced process layers.
The distinction places the announcement below the leading edge of semiconductor manufacturing. SMEE’s claim of first-tier overall performance for the SSC800 should be understood within the dry lithography category. The company said imaging performance is comparable to leading international products in the same class, while overlay accuracy and throughput continue to approach international benchmarks. It did not publish resolution, throughput, overlay or numerical-aperture specifications that would allow a direct comparison.
Production claims remain unverified
SMEE’s commercialization data offers a stronger indication of progress than a laboratory demonstration alone. The company said multiple units have operated reliably over extended periods on mass production lines operated by top-tier domestic logic and memory manufacturers. Collectively, those systems have supported processing of more than 10 million wafers, with effective equipment operation rate exceeding 92 percent.
Those figures suggest that SMEE’s tools have moved through installation and line qualification. Extended operation and a high availability rate can indicate that production teams have gained confidence in the equipment. Still, the reports provide no unit count, customer names, measurement period or methodology for the operating rate. No independent party has verified the wafer total or availability claim.
The exhibition also did not produce a shipment announcement. One report described the transparent cutaway display as a model illustrating the shared architecture rather than a newly delivered production tool. The cumulative processing and availability figures therefore refer to equipment operating on production lines, not to the machines shown at the expo.
Visibility as a strategic asset
The transparent design was not merely a visual treatment. The cutaway models exposed optical paths and internal electromechanical layouts, allowing attendees to inspect how the two exposure routes fit within a common platform. That visibility supports SMEE’s argument that the systems represent a standardized domestic architecture extending from equipment development through manufacturing, sales and technical services.
SMEE was founded in 2002 and describes itself as China’s only manufacturer capable of consistently delivering mass-produced front-end dry lithography systems. The company has also been subject to restrictions. It was among 36 Chinese entities added to the US Department of Commerce’s Entity List in December 2022, and Shanghai Electric is its largest shareholder with a 34.9099 percent stake.
China’s more advanced lithography challenge remains
The SSC800 and SSB800 do not establish Chinese capability in EUV or immersion DUV lithography. Reuters reported that state-owned Shanghai Aishengna has begun mass-producing domestically developed immersion DUV systems after incorporating teams from SMEE and lithography startup Yuliangsheng. Reuters also said those systems still require further testing and remain far from matching ASML’s competing models.
The Financial Times reported that Yuliangsheng co-developed China’s first domestically made advanced DUV lithography machine, with sources indicating plans to produce 12 systems by the end of 2026. Huawei is reportedly backing domestic firms developing critical components for advanced chipmaking equipment, including Yuliangsheng.
Those efforts show that SMEE’s mature-node dry tools are part of a broader domestic lithography push. They do not erase the technical gap between I-line and KrF systems and the more demanding equipment used at leading-edge logic and memory nodes. For chipmakers, the near-term significance of SMEE SSC800 lithography lies in supplying mature production layers with tools that the company says are already running at scale and drawing more than 90 percent of their key components from within China.