Top US Chipmaking Equipment Supplier Accuses Chinese-Owned Rival of Trade Secret Theft Campaign

An employee holds a silicon wafer with chips etched into it at Applied Materials in Sunnyvale, Calif., on May 22, 2023. Jim Wilson/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

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’s dedicated efforts to lure key staff members away from Applied Materials and the suspicious circumstances coinciding with their departures.