Core Viewpoint - Yitang Co., Ltd. has filed a lawsuit against Applied Materials, Inc. for infringement of trade secrets, claiming damages of 99.99 million yuan due to the alleged illegal acquisition and use of its core technology related to plasma sources and wafer surface treatment [1][5]. Group 1: Legal Action Details - Yitang Co., Ltd. accuses Applied Materials of unlawfully obtaining and using its trade secrets, which were disclosed through a patent application in China, violating the Anti-Unfair Competition Law of the People's Republic of China [1][4]. - The lawsuit has been filed in the Beijing Intellectual Property Court, and the case has been officially registered but has not yet gone to trial [1][7]. Group 2: Technology and Expertise - The technology in question involves the use of high-concentration, stable, and uniform plasma for wafer surface treatment, which is a key technology for Yitang Co., Ltd. and is widely applied in its semiconductor processing equipment [4]. - Yitang Co., Ltd. possesses leading original technology capabilities in this field and holds relevant trade secrets [4]. Group 3: Employee Recruitment and Patent Application - Applied Materials allegedly hired two employees from Yitang Co., Ltd.'s subsidiary, Mattson Technology, Inc., who had knowledge of the core technology related to plasma generation and processing [4]. - Evidence suggests that after hiring these employees, Applied Materials submitted a patent application to the Chinese National Intellectual Property Administration, naming the former employees as primary inventors, which disclosed the trade secrets jointly owned by Yitang Co., Ltd. and Mattson Technology [4]. Group 4: Financial Performance - Yitang Co., Ltd. reported revenues of 4.763 billion yuan, 3.931 billion yuan, and 4.633 billion yuan for the years 2022, 2023, and 2024 respectively, with net profits of 383 million yuan, 309 million yuan, and 541 million yuan, indicating a compound annual growth rate of 18.9% [7].
员工跳槽泄露商业机密？688729起诉，索赔9999万元