Fab equipment maker PSK has succeeded in nullifying two out of three patents of Lam Research related to bevel etchers.
South Korea’s highest court upheld an appellate court decision made last year that Lam Research's two patents were invalid.
While the pair are fighting over another three patents at the appellate court, in which the judgment is expected within this year, PSK’s win over Lam Research will open it up to supply its own bevel etcher to chipmakers.
Bevel etcher, as its name suggests, is used to etch out the beveled metal and non-metal edges on a wafer.
South Korean firm Sossl originally held the patents related to bevel etcher but this was acquired by Charm Engineering. Lam Research later bought Charm Engineer’s bevel etcher business, making it the holder of the patents.
PSK succeeded in developing its own bevel etcher, called etch clean by the company, in 2021.
This led to Lam Research claiming that PSK infringed on its patents. PSK counter-sued the US fab equipment maker to nullify the six patents.
