News: Suppliers
18 July 2022
IQE sues Tower over porous silicon technology
Epiwafer and substrate maker IQE plc of Cardiff, Wales, UK has filed a lawsuit against specialty analog foundry Tower Semiconductor Ltd of Migdal Haemek, Israel.
IQE claims that it has significant evidence that Tower misappropriated IQE’s trade secrets to unlawfully obtain patents on IQE’s technology. These claims relate to IQE’s proprietary porous silicon technology which would underpin devices used in 5G and advanced sensing applications.
IQE filed its complaint in the US Federal Court in California (case number 8:22-cv-00867) under Federal and California state law in relation to the misappropriation of trade secrets, correction of inventorship, breach of contract, unfair competition, and intentional interference with prospective economic advantage.
“We have significant reason to believe that Tower has misappropriated IQE’s proprietary trade secrets for its own benefit,” says IQE’s general counsel & company secretary Tom Dale. “Our technology, processes and intellectual property are vital in underpinning IQE’s products and solutions and in maintaining our market-leading position in advanced semiconductor materials,” he adds. “We will vigorously protect them and will provide further updates as material developments occur.”
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