Japanese multinational company Nikon Corporation will file a legal action in Netherlands, Germany, against Dutch company ASML Holding N.V. and its supplier Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH over the illegal use of semiconductor lithography technology in their products. The Japanese company claims that these two companies used their patented technology without their permission.
In a report published by ABC, Nikon filed a patent case against ASML Holding N.V and Carl Zeiss SMT after a failure of mediation to settle over a disagreement on the right to use the technology in making computer chips. The company, which is known for their high-quality cameras, emphasized that ASML Holding N.V. and Carl Zeiss SMT were not allowed to use their patent after the disagreement.
In response, ASML said that they are disappointed with Nikon's action to file a lawsuit against them. They also denied that they have infringed on any patents from the company.
In a statement, ASML said that Nikon's claim does not carry any merit. They also said that they will defend against these allegations and will consider all means at their disposal.
Nikon has also filed 11 patent infringement cases against ASML in the District Court of the Hague, located in the Netherlands. They are also filing patent infringement cases against the company Tokyo and against Carl Zeiss SMT in Mannheim, Germany.
Nikon said that the continued unauthorized use of Nikon's patented technology by ASML and Carl Zeiss SMT has given them no option but to enforce their legal rights in the court. The Tokyo-based company also said that they are going to fight for the protection of their patents.
Nikon was known for pioneering the immersion lithography technology that was used to create semiconductors for smartphones, memory chips, and other products, according to a report by Phys.org. ASML is the other company selling immersion technology systems while Carl Zeiss SMT creates the optical components used in ASML's lithography systems.