TSMC Countersues GlobalFoundries for Infringing 25 Patents
TSMC Countersues GlobalFoundries for Infringing 25 Patents
On September 30th, TSMC countersued GlobalFoundries in the US, Germany and Singapore for infringing 25 of their patents, impacting nodes such as 40nm, 28nm, 22nm, 14nm and 12nm. With this complaint, TSMC seeks an injunction that will prevent the sale of infringing semiconductor products and seeks monetary damages from Globalfoundries. Â
This case has the potential to have a huge impact on the semiconductor world, especially for companies like AMD. With their EPYC 2nd Generation and Ryzen 3rd Generation processors, AMD uses both TSMC and GlobalFoundries silicon to create their multi-chip processor designs. This means that a sales ban on either side could have a significant impact on AMD’s manufacturing capabilities. Â
Both TSMC and GlobalFoundries are major suppliers within the semiconductor industry. Legal injunctions on either side will have a huge impact on the global tech industry, making today an uneasy time for tech enthusiasts.Â
TSMC has alleged that GlobalFoundries has infringed on TSMC patents which relate to FinFET designs, shallow trench isolation techniques, double patterning methods, advanced seal rings and gate structures, and innovative contact etch stop layer designs.
Our hope is that TSMC and GlobalFoundries can come to some sort of agreement before each legal case continues. If not, these lawsuits have the potential to devastate the tech industry, as both companies supply a number of high profile clients.Â
  TSMC, the world’s leading global innovator in semiconductor manufacturing, filed multiple lawsuits on September 30, 2019 against GlobalFoundries in the United States, Germany and Singapore for its ongoing infringement of 25 TSMC patents by at least its 40nm, 28nm, 22nm, 14nm, and 12nm node processes. In the complaints, TSMC demands injunctions to stop GlobalFoundries’ manufacture and sale of infringing semiconductor products. TSMC also seeks substantial monetary damages from GlobalFoundries for its sale of infringing semiconductor products and unlawful use of TSMC’s patented semiconductor technologies.The 25 TSMC patents in the complaints relate to a diverse set of technologies, including FinFET designs, shallow trench isolation techniques, double patterning methods, advanced seal rings and gate structures, and innovative contact etch stop layer designs. These specific technologies cover the core features of mature and advanced semiconductor manufacturing processes. The patents at issue comprise just a small portion of TSMC’s extensive portfolio that numbers more than 37,000 granted patents worldwide. TSMC was ranked one of the top 10 companies for U.S. patent grants last year, for the third consecutive year.
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