The simple version
equipment polishes surfaces until they are flat enough for the next chipmaking layer. It sounds mundane, but modern chips are built layer by layer; if the surface is not flat at nanometer scale, later steps break down.
What the technology does
- stands for chemical mechanical polishing. It combines chemical reaction from with mechanical polishing from pads, pressure, and rotation.
- A tool has polishing, cleaning, and -handling modules. Advanced systems also need so the tool knows when to stop.
- The process is used in front-end manufacturing and also in advanced packaging. It becomes more important as chips add more layers and tighter structures.
- The report says high-end 12-inch is the key market for advanced fabs, while 8-inch tools face more competition from second-hand and refurbished foreign equipment.
Industry map
What the tool actually does
turns an uneven surface into a flat enough surface for the next manufacturing layer. The tool has to control pressure, rotation, delivery, pad wear, , cleaning, and transfer at the same time.
- Polishing module: removes material using pressure, pad motion, , and process control.
- Cleaning module: removes residue and particles after polishing.
- : prevents under-polish and over-polish, especially when film thickness tolerances are tiny.
Why steps increase
The report's key technology point is that step count rises as process nodes advance. A 65nm logic chip may need about a dozen steps, while 7nm and below can require more than 30. More layers, NAND, advanced DRAM, and packaging all push the same direction.
Equipment plus consumables
is not just the machine. Pads, , retaining rings, brushes, cleaning chemicals, and service all affect . This is why Anji and Dinglong matter alongside Hwatsing, GEGV, and SIZONE.
How China can gain share
The local advantage is not only price. Domestic suppliers can customize tools, provide faster service, and bundle maintenance or consumables. That matters because tools are process-specific and qualify inside real fab lines.
Market scale
- The report estimates China's equipment market grew from about RMB4.5 billion in 2022 to RMB15.0 billion in 2024.
- It projects the market reaching about RMB48.6 billion in 2029, implying a 2025-2029 CAGR of roughly 27.7%.
- Global high-end equipment is concentrated around Applied Materials and Ebara. For the most advanced process lines, those two still set the benchmark.
- Demand is tied to advanced logic, NAND, DRAM, and advanced packaging because all of them increase the number and difficulty of planarization steps.
China angle
Hwatsing is the domestic leader to track first. The report estimates Hwatsing had roughly 50% share of China's 12-inch equipment market in 2024 and has achieved volume application on domestic 12-inch lines, with 14nm process work still in validation. GEGV, formerly connected to CETC's business, is stronger in 8-inch tools and has 12-inch validation work. SIZONE is the emerging challenger, with 6-inch, 8-inch, and 12-inch products and a special angle in SiC/compound semiconductor polishing. The materials side matters too: Anji is the name, and Dinglong is important in polishing pads.
Companies to track
Global benchmark
Applied Materials and Ebara are still the reference points for high-end tools in the most advanced fab lines.
China 12-inch leader
Hwatsing is the main domestic company to understand first, especially for 12-inch equipment and fab customer qualification.
Domestic challengers
GEGV is relevant from the 8-inch base and 12-inch validation path; SIZONE is worth tracking as a newer 6/8/12-inch and SiC-oriented challenger.
Consumables and process inputs
Pads and can become their own localization story because they directly affect polishing quality and recurring fab cost.
How we got here
was first proposed in the 1960s, became important in DRAM manufacturing in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and became a core semiconductor process as copper interconnects, low-k dielectrics, FinFETs, NAND, and advanced packaging increased the need for extreme flatness.
- 1960s
emerges as a polishing concept before becoming a semiconductor production workhorse.
- 1988-1990s
IBM applies to DRAM manufacturing, and the market begins forming around production tools.
- 2013-2017
Hwatsing is founded and pushes domestic 12-inch tools into customer use.
- 2021-2022
Hwatsing ships its 100th 12-inch tool, enters packaging customers, and lists on Shanghai's STAR Market.
- 2024-2029
Report forecasts show rapid China market growth as advanced nodes, memory, and packaging lift demand.
Why it matters
is the -planarization step that keeps multilayer chips buildable. As nodes shrink and structures grow, fabs need more steps and tighter control.
Advanced-node process coverage, , ultra-uniform polishing, cleaning, consumable consistency, and long fab qualification cycles.
Where this sector shows up
- Core
- AI training, AI inference
- High
- Robotics, EV / auto, Consumer / IoT, Industrial
What to watch
- Hwatsing 12-inch share and 14nm validation
- GEGV 12-inch validation
- SIZONE 12-inch orders
- Anji adoption
- Dinglong pad qualification
- Applied/Ebara displacement evidence
Report notes
- The LeadLeo report estimates China's equipment market at RMB15.0 billion in 2024, up from RMB4.5 billion in 2022.
- It estimates Hwatsing held roughly half of China's 12-inch equipment market in 2024.
- It places Applied Materials and Ebara in the first tier globally, Hwatsing in the second tier domestically, and GEGV/SIZONE as third-tier China challengers.
- It flags Anji and Dinglong polishing pads as important domestic consumable localization fronts.