BEIJING, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Beijing E-Town Semiconductor

Technologies, a semiconductor equipment firm backed

by Beijing's government, on Wednesday said it has sued U.S. chip

equipment supplier Applied Materials ( AMAT ) over alleged trade

secrets infringement.

Applied Materials ( AMAT ) had illegally obtained and used Beijing

E-Town's core technology secrets related to plasma sources and

wafer surface treatment, the Beijing-based company said

according to a filing on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

The company, which is seeking 99.99 million yuan ($13.94

million) in compensation, alleged that Applied Materials ( AMAT ) had

disclosed technical secrets by applying for a patent in China

and claiming the patent's application rights.

Applied Materials ( AMAT ) did not immediately respond to a request

for comment.

In 2016, Beijing E-Town acquired Mattson Technology, a

California-based semiconductor wafer processing equipment

designer and manufacturer.

Applied Materials ( AMAT ) sued Mattson in 2022, alleging that it had

hired its former employees with the intention of stealing trade

secrets. In 2023, Mattson countersued Applied Materials ( AMAT ) making

similar accusations.

In the new case filed with the Beijing Intellectual Property

Court, Beijing E-Town alleged that Applied Materials ( AMAT ) had hired

two former Mattson employees, who were later listed as the

principal inventors behind a patent filed by Applied Materials ( AMAT )

in China.

The patent, filed with China's intellectual property

administration, disclosed confidential technical know-how

jointly held by Beijing E-Town and Mattson, Beijing E-Town said.

Applied Materials' ( AMAT ) actions, the Beijing firm said, violated

China's fair competition law and constituted infringement of its

trade secrets.

The Beijing court has accepted the civil case but no court

hearing has yet been held, Beijing E-Town said.

($1 = 7.1746 Chinese yuan renminbi)