Applied Materials has filed a lawsuit against Chinese competitor Mattson, alleging a systematic theft of confidential trade secrets over a period of 14 months, reports DigiTimes. Applied asserts that Mattson, which was acquired by Beijing E-Town Dragon Semiconductor Industry Investment Center in 2016, undertook a coordinated campaign to poach 17 of its top engineers, a move which allegedly led to the illegal transfer of semiconductor designs.
"Applied Materials vigorously safeguards its intellectual property from theft or unlawful use," a spokesperson for Applied Materials told Tom's Hardware. "We are taking legal action to ensure our intellectual property rights are protected. We cannot comment further on pending legal actions."
