Ultratech sues Ensure NanoTech
Company files lawsuit claiming atomic layer deposition patent infringement
Ultratech, a supplier of lithography, laser-processing and inspection systems used to manufacture high-brightness LEDs and semiconductor devices. has filed a lawsuit in federal court in the Northern District of California against Chinese-based company Ensure NanoTech (Beijing), Inc. and its United States subsidiary and company President Dongjun Wang.
The complaint alleges that Dongjun Wang was President of Start Science (Beijing) Co., Ltd., a company that was formerly a sales agent in China for Ultratech/Cambridge NanoTech. The complaint further alleges that Dongjun Wang and his company Ensure now manufacture and sell atomic layer deposition (ALD) equipment that infringes Ultratech's United States Patent No. 8,202,575.
In the complaint, Ultratech also alleges that Ensure and Dongjung Wang misappropriated trade secrets from Ultratech's advanced ALD systems, unfairly compete with Ultratech, and breached the terms of the sales agency agreement with Ultratech/Cambridge NanoTech. The complaint seeks an injunction and an award of enhanced damages.
ALD provides coatings and material features for depositing precise nanometer-thin films. The technology is expected to be in high demand in volume manufacturing environments for integrated optics, micro-electro-mechanical systems, implantable devices in the biomedical sector, and batteries and fuel cells in the energy market.
Ultratech chairman and CEO Arthur W. Zafiropoulo stated: "Ultratech/Cambridge Nanotech is the leading supplier of ALD systems to academic and industrial institutions worldwide. Ultratech places a heavy emphasis in research and development to provide the next-generation of ALD solutions. With this lawsuit, Ultratech seeks to protect its investments and customers from unauthorised use of its intellectual property."
