Axcelis Technologies Files Motion for Preliminary Injunction Against Applied Materials
BEVERLY, Mass., Jan. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Axcelis Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: ACLS - news), a leading semiconductor equipment manufacturer, yesterday filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in its patent infringement suit against Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMAT - news) filed last week in the United District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
In the motion filed yesterday, Axcelis is asking the court to move expeditiously to stop Applied from manufacturing, selling or offering to sell its recently introduced high energy/medium current machine and to order Applied to remove Axcelis' patented technology from all implanters that Applied may have placed in chipmakers' plants for process development trials.
Axcelis has brought one count of patent infringement and two counts of tortuous interference, among other charges, against Applied, stating in its initial complaint that Applied is ``trampling its intellectual property rights and competing unfairly for business from manufacturers for semiconductor devices at the time when those manufacturers are on the verge of spending millions or even billions of dollars transitioning their fabrication operations to handle silicon wafers with more than twice the area of the wafers currently processed.''
Commenting on the filing, Brian R. Bachman, Vice Chairman and CEO of Axcelis, said, ``As the clear leader in high energy ion implant process applications and technology, Axcelis is poised to capitalize on a multi-billion dollar opportunity as semiconductor manufacturers make the transition from 200 mm wafer fabs to 300 mm fabs. We are disappointed that Applied, knowing that it didn't have a competitive product in this transition, has used Axcelis' technology in a bid to compete.
``Our patent protects the use of radio frequency linear accelerator (''rf LINAC``) technology for ion implantation equipment. Applied's new high energy/medium current machine uses rf LINAC technology for high energy ion implantation. Accordingly, we are asking the Court to act before Applied has the opportunity to unfairly and unlawfully use our patented technology -- coupled with its own size and industry position -- against us.''
The patentability of Axcelis' invention has been confirmed twice during the past year by the U.S. Patent Office in response to challenges by an anonymous requester. The most recent of these rulings was issued on December 8, 2000. Axcelis believes that Applied anonymously initiated these challenges after having recognized the obstacle posed by Axcelis' patent.
About Axcelis Technologies, Inc.
Axcelis Technologies, Inc., headquartered in Beverly, Massachusetts, provides innovative, high-productivity manufacturing solutions for the semiconductor industry. Axcelis is dedicated to the design and manufacture of high current, medium current and high energy ion implantation equipment; rapid thermal processing systems; and photostabilization and photoresist stripping equipment. Axcelis Technologies has manufacturing facilities in Beverly and Rockville, Maryland, as well as in Tokyo, Japan through its joint venture Sumitomo Eaton Nova.
SOURCE: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.
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