近日，国内半导体设备龙头屹唐股份发布公告称，将以窃取公司机密为由起诉美国应用材料公司（APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.）。 屹唐股份认为，应用材料公司非法获取并使用了其等离子体源及晶圆表面处理相关的核心技术秘密，还在中国境内以申请专利的方式披露该技术秘密，并将 专利申请权据为己有，违反《中华人民共和国反不正当竞争法》，对其知识产权和经济利益造成严重损害。 图源：公司公告 屹唐股份诉讼请求包括判令被告停止相关侵权行为、确认涉事专利申请权归属、赔偿经济损失及合理支出合计9999万元等。 据悉，屹唐股份专注于半导体制造领域的设备研发、生产和销售，其高浓度、稳定均匀的等离子体晶圆表面处理技术，应用于干法去胶、蚀刻等半导体加工 设备，在该领域有一定的原创性技术积累。 应用材料公司则是全球知名的半导体设备供应商，业务涵盖半导体制造所需的各类设备及相关服务，在全球半导体设备市场占据重要地位。 值得关注的是，此次纠纷涉及应用材料公司招聘的曾任职于屹唐股份全资子公司MTI的两名员工，这两名员工曾签署保密协议，而应用材料公司提交的相关 发明专利申请中，主要发明人即为这两人，该专利申请被指披露了屹唐股份的技术秘密。 ...

Core Viewpoint - The lawsuit initiated by Yitang Co., a leading domestic semiconductor equipment manufacturer, against American giant Applied Materials (AMAT) for 99.99 million yuan is seen as a significant event reflecting the awakening of technological sovereignty awareness among Chinese chip companies [2][8]. Group 1: Lawsuit Details - The lawsuit focuses on allegations that Applied Materials illegally obtained Yitang's plasma wafer surface treatment technology secrets by hiring former employees of its subsidiary, Mattson, who had signed confidentiality agreements [2]. - The compensation amount of 99.99 million yuan, just one yuan short of one hundred million, has sparked widespread discussion and adds a dramatic element to the case [2][7]. - The core accusation involves a critical process in wafer processing that generates high-concentration and stable plasma, which is essential for chip yield and production consistency, particularly for 12-inch wafers [2]. Group 2: Industry Context - This lawsuit is not an isolated incident; Applied Materials previously sued Mattson for allegedly poaching 17 senior engineers and attempting to steal confidential information [3]. - The semiconductor industry has a history of intellectual property disputes, with notable cases including TSMC's accusations against SMIC in 2009, which resulted in significant financial penalties [5]. Group 3: Company Performance - Despite being established only nine years ago, Yitang Co. has achieved a global market share of 34.6% in dry stripping equipment and 13.05% in rapid thermal processing equipment, ranking second worldwide [5]. - In the first three quarters of 2024, Yitang reported a net profit of 420 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 102.29%, with domestic customer revenue share rising from 38.6% in 2021 to 68.1% in the first half of 2024 [5]. Group 4: Strategic Implications - The lawsuit is interpreted by some industry experts as a strategic move to demonstrate that Chinese companies are ready to challenge American giants, signaling a shift towards a more localized market focus [5][8]. - Legal experts suggest that while employee mobility is common, taking confidential documents could constitute a violation, which may strengthen Yitang's case if evidence is presented [5][7].