Harvard sues Samsung over US chip-production patents

Aug 6 (Reuters) - Harvard University has sued Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) in Texas federal court, accusing the Korean tech giant of violating its patent rights in technology related to chip manufacturing.

Harvard said in the lawsuit on Monday that Samsung's methods for manufacturing microprocessors and memory products infringe two patents covering inventions from Harvard chemistry professor Roy Gordon.

Spokespeople for Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the complaint on Tuesday. A Harvard spokesperson declined to comment.

The lawsuit said that the Harvard inventions cover "novel processes and materials for deposition of thin films that contain cobalt or tungsten metals" that are "essential to key components of numerous products such as computers and cell phones."

Harvard's complaint said that Samsung uses the patented processes to make smartphone microprocessors and memory chips.

The Cambridge, Massachusetts university asked the court for an unspecified amount of monetary damages and an order blocking Samsung from infringing the patents.

The case is President and Fellows of Harvard College v. Samsung Electronics Co, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, No. 2:24-cv-00636.