是说芯语·2025-08-13 23:43Core Viewpoint - The lawsuit filed by Yitang Co., Ltd. against Applied Materials Inc. (AMAT) is aimed at protecting intellectual property rights and addressing the alleged illegal acquisition and use of core technology secrets related to plasma sources and wafer surface treatment [2][5][7]. Group 1: Lawsuit Details - Yitang Co., Ltd. has initiated legal proceedings against AMAT for allegedly obtaining and using its core technology secrets without authorization, which were subsequently disclosed through a patent application in China [2][5]. - The company is seeking a court order to stop AMAT from using its technology secrets and is claiming economic damages totaling 99.99 million yuan [2][5]. Group 2: Technology and Innovation - The technology in question involves high-concentration, stable, and uniform plasma used for wafer surface treatment, which is critical for various semiconductor processing equipment [5]. - Yitang Co., Ltd. claims to possess leading original technology capabilities in this field and has relevant trade secrets [5]. Group 3: Employee Recruitment and Confidentiality - AMAT allegedly recruited two employees from Yitang's subsidiary, Mattson Technology, Inc. (MTI), who had access to the core technology secrets and had signed confidentiality agreements [5][7]. - Evidence suggests that after their recruitment, these employees contributed to a patent application that disclosed the technology secrets shared between Yitang and MTI [5][7]. Group 4: Impact on Business - The lawsuit is positioned as a measure to protect the company's intellectual property and is not expected to have a significant adverse impact on its operations, with the final outcome dependent on the court's ruling [5]. - The alleged actions of AMAT are said to have caused serious damage to Yitang's intellectual property and economic interests, including promoting and selling products using the disputed technology in China [7]. Group 5: Industry Context - Applied Materials Inc. is a major player in the semiconductor equipment industry, with 2024 revenues projected to exceed $25 billion, making it the second-largest supplier globally, following ASML [7].