Japan's Nikon Corp filed patent-infringement suits last week against semiconductor equipment maker ASML Holding NV in Japan and South Korea, the Dutch company said on Monday. Nikon fired the latest round in the ongoing patent case between the world’s top two chip equipment makers last week, accusing ASML of infringing 12 of its patents. The Japanese company is seeking an injunction and monetary damages, according to a statement on its Web site.‘‘Nikon has filed a suit against us in Japan and South Korea. We anticipated just such a response,’’ said ASML spokeswoman Beth Kitchener. The legal spat began in December last year, when Nikon filed complaints with the US International Trade Commission and in the Northern District Court of California alleging ASML had violated several Nikon patents, and sought to prevent the Dutch company from importing its technology into the United States. ASML counters ued in the United States, and Japan. Analysts attributed the escalating spat in large part to intensifying competition in steppers and scanners, machines that map out semiconductor circuitry on silicon wafers. ASML jumped ahead of long-time global leader Nikon in 2000to take the leading market share, only to fall back to number two again last year. ASML shares showed little reaction to the news, up 1.1per cent by 1320 GMT, outperforming the DJ Stoxx European technology index.
