Micron Says China’s YMTC Used Its Trade Secrets in Chips and Patents
Micron Technology has accused Chinese memory-chip maker YMTC of using its trade secrets to develop chips and patents, according to a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho. The complaint alleges that former Micron engineers, including Hongbin Zhu and Daesik Song, provided confidential information to YMTC, which later asserted one of those patents against Micron.
The core of Micron's lawsuit involves allegations that YMTC utilized confidential Micron technology to develop successive generations of its 3D NAND chips, specifically the 64-layer, 128-layer, and 232-layer versions. This suggests a direct link between the alleged transfer of know-how and YMTC's product development, pointing to the critical role of intellectual property in memory chip innovation.
Micron's complaint details how specific former employees, such as Daesik Song, are central to the alleged misappropriation. Song's public LinkedIn profile indicates a move from Micron to YMTC in the same month, and Micron claims his work on confidential circuitry while at the company is directly related to a U.S. patent later filed by YMTC naming him as an inventor. This highlights the challenges of protecting proprietary information when key personnel transition between competitors.
The Idaho lawsuit is not an isolated incident but part of a wider patent dispute, with YMTC having brought cases against Micron in the U.S., China, Britain, and Germany since 2023. This broader legal conflict underscores the intense competition and strategic importance of intellectual property rights within the global semiconductor industry, where legal assertions of ownership can significantly impact market positioning.
Share this article
Related reading
6 stories
TSMC supplier Gudeng launches operations at Arizona plant
This story on Micron's lawsuit against YMTC for trade secret theft in chip technology echoes our earlier report on TSMC's supplier expanding in Arizona.
Lekha Wireless to integrate Analog Devices radio technology in 5G and 4G products
The Micron-YMTC dispute highlights intellectual property in semiconductors, a theme we explored with Lekha Wireless integrating Analog Devices radio tech.
China state funds double down on Hua Hong in legacy chip push
Chinese optical chip stocks extend rout amid fears of potential US curbs
Temasek’s Seviora Plans Merger of Three Asset Management Businesses by 2027
