Top US Chipmaking Equipment Supplier Accuses Chinese-Owned Rival of Trade Secret Theft Campaign
Applied Materials Inc. is suing Chinese-owned rival Mattson over an alleged 14-month orchestrated campaign to steal some of its most valuable intellectual property.
The lawsuit mainly centers around Mattson dedicated efforts to lure key staff members away from Applied Materials and the suspicious circumstances coinciding with their departures.
In little more than the span of a year, Mattson recruited a senior department manager and no less than 17 of Applied Materials’ most senior engineers—individuals privy to sensitive information, such as newly developed chipmaking processes and the company’s technology roadmap, Applied Materials said in the court filings.
“Many of these documents are highly sensitive, technical, and contain Applied’s trade secrets and know-how which would give Mattson years of competitive advantage in its technology trajectory and development,” the U.S. company said in a March 2022 filing….