BELMONT, Calif. -- Japan's Nikon Corp. and its U.S. subsidiary late today announced it has filed a compliant with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) against ASML Holding N.V., claiming that ASML is infringing upon Nikon's lithography-tool patents.
In the complaint, Nikon is asking the ITC to investigate ASML's alleged illegal importation of lithography tools in the United States, according to the Tokyo-based chip-equipment giant.
Nikon--the world's largest supplier of lithography tools--is also seeking an exclusion order from the ITC to prevent any further importation of ASML's "infringing stepper and scanner" tools in the U.S. market.
In 2000, ASML was the world's second largest lithography-tool supplier, next to Nikon. ASML's U.S. customers include Advanced Micro Devices, IBM, Intel, Micron, and others.
In a separate move, Nikon and its U.S. subsidiary, Nikon Precision Inc. of Belmont, simultaneously filed a patent infringement suit against ASML.
The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, claims that ASML has infringed upon Nikon's patents. In the suit, Nikon are seeking an injunction and money damages.
Nikon did not provide the details in its separate suits against ASML. As of late Friday, officials from Nikon and ASML did not return phone calls.
Nikon, ASML, and the other major lithography-tool vendor, Canon Inc., have been battling each other for orders in recent times. At present, the three companies are competing for a big order at Intel, reportedly Nikon's largest worldwide account (see today's story ).
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