Chinese chip equipment maker Beijing E-Town Semiconductor Technology has slapped US rival Applied Materials with a lawsuit over a trade secret infringement, demanding 99.99 million yuan (US$14 million) as compensation.
Applied Materials “illegally obtained and used the company’s core technology secrets” related to proprietary wafer surface treatment technology, according to Beijing E-Town’s filing on Wednesday to the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
The Chinese firm accused Applied Materials of applying for a mainland patent that involved its technology. The US firm was also “suspected of promoting and selling products using the technical secrets involved to customers in China”.
The case against Applied Materials was filed with the Beijing Intellectual Property Court, which accepted the submission, according to Beijing E-Town. No hearing date has been set.
Santa Clara, California-based Applied Materials did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Beijing E-Town’s shares closed down 1.84 per cent to 22.46 yuan on Thursday.
The case reflects efforts by Chinese semiconductor companies to promote and protect their intellectual property rights, as the country pushes for technology self-sufficiency amid heightened tensions between Beijing and Washington.
