China's Pacific Quartz gains certification for chipmaking tools, but crucible-grade quartz remains a US stronghold
Jiangsu Pacific Quartz has qualified its high-purity quartz for use in semiconductor equipment and DRAM manufacturing, supplying companies like Lam Research and Tokyo Electron. However, the highest-purity quartz needed for crucibles used in silicon ingot growth still comes predominantly from Spruce Pine, North Carolina, and Russia. This certification marks progress for China's domestic supply chain but does not break the monopoly on crucible-grade material.
Pacific Quartz has supplied ultra-high-purity quartz consumables, including diffusion tubes and wafer boats, to major equipment manufacturers since 2019. Its recent qualification at a Chinese DRAM manufacturer, likely CXMT according to analyst TP Huang, demonstrates a fully domestic pathway from raw sand to fab-ready components for 300-mm production.
A distinct purity threshold separates these achievements from crucible production. Equipment components typically use 4N5 to 5N quartz, whereas crucibles for silicon ingot growth require 9N to 11N purity. This top-tier material is currently sourced almost exclusively from Spruce Pine, North Carolina, and a Russian supplier, leaving that segment firmly outside China's control.
This certification could gradually reduce China's reliance on imported quartz for certain fabrication steps, potentially lowering production costs for domestic memory chips. However, the persistent monopoly on crucible-grade material may keep a strategic chokehold on global silicon wafer output. For consumers, this could mean a more fragmented supply chain, potentially affecting chip prices and availability, while also influencing how nations approach technological self-sufficiency in semiconductor manufacturing.