Therma-Wave Files Patent Infringement Suit

FREMONT, Calif., April 30 -- Therma-Wave Inc., producer of process control metrology systems used in semiconductor manufacturing, announced it has filed a patent infringement suit against Boxer-Cross in the US District Court, Northern District of California. The suit alleges that Boxer-Cross's BX-10 product infringes certain patents held by Therma-Wave related to ion implant monitoring. Therma-Wave patents were previously found to be valid and infringed in a suit filed against Jenoptik AG in 1994. The earlier court rulings led to Jenoptik's withdrawal from the US market. Therma-Wave has asked the court to issue an injunction barring Boxer-Cross from making, using or selling its BX-10 product.

"Therma-Wave developed the basic technology found in its Therma-Probe product, which is used by all semiconductor manufacturers to monitor ion implantation," said Martin Schwartz, Therma-Wave president and CEO. "We established our proprietary position against Jenoptik, and we expect the court to enforce our patents against Boxer-Cross as well."