据路透社报道，韩国SK海力士公司周一在一份文件中披露，东芝公司正在就涉嫌盗窃NAND Flash芯片技术资料一事，向SK海力士索赔11亿美元。
在2014年3月，东芝在东京地方法院提起民事诉讼，控告SK海力士涉嫌盗窃其NAND Flash技术商业机密。但当时东芝并没有公布要求SK海力士赔偿的金额。
东芝在三月份发表声明称，“SK海力士是东芝的贸易伙伴，但也是NAND快闪记忆体上的竞争对手。”东芝补充说，“鉴于涉嫌挪用技术资料的范围和重要性，东芝没有其他选择，只能诉诸法律，寻求一个合理赔偿。”
根据监管文件，东芝还要求SK海力士销毁涉及该技术资料的所有信息，并停止生产和销售使用该技术的NAND闪存产品，路透社报道。
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NAND技术的泄漏
东芝对SK海力士的起诉，与SanDisk公司在2014年3月起诉SK海力士类似。当时SanDisk公司声称，SK海力士采用了涉及SanDisk商业秘密的半导体技术，并在美国加州销售涉案闪存产品。
今年三月，SanDisk公司也在东京警视厅对一名前雇员提交了刑事申诉。
SanDisk指控前雇员杉田孝（Yoshitaka Sugita）在2008年加入SK海力士之前，从公司下载了“数目庞大的信息资料”，其中包含机密信息。在此期间，杉田一直在做东芝与SanDisk的一个闪存项目。据SanDisk描述，两家公司从2000开始已经开始合作开发NAND快闪记忆体技术。
SanDisk公司称，杉田偷走了电路设计图、研究分析报告和其他重要文件。今年一月，一名线人向SanDisk公司透露，一些封面上赫然写着“SanDisk/东芝公司机密”的文件已经被分发给了SK海力士的员工。
事发当天，SanDisk公司就在加利福尼亚州提出诉讼，东京当局也立即逮捕了涉案的杉田。东芝方面也表示，在杉田被捕后方得知商业秘密泄露，于是提起诉讼控告SK海力士。
本文授权编译自EE Times，版权所有，谢绝转载
本文下一页：内存是去年半导体市场救世主，东芝份额被海力士抢了？
相关阅读：
• 智能手机增长强劲 带动内存价格上调
• 6月下旬NAND Flash合约价上涨2-5%
• NAND技术被窃损失千亿，东芝怒向海力士索赔lXEesmc
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高风险的内存市场
根据IHS数据，内存芯片制造商一向掌握着全球半导体销量的金钥匙，在经济复苏的2013年尤其明显，半导体公司总收入相比2012年上涨了5%。
全球半导体市场份额
Source：IHS
在IHS四月下旬发布的全球半导体供应商（按收入）前25名名单中，我们可以看出“DRAM、NAND和无线芯片推动了2013年全球半导体的增长。”需要特别指出的是，内存芯片制造商美光科技和SK海力士在2013年取得了爆炸性业绩的增长。
对于东芝，在2013年其排名从第五位降至第六，与此同时，SK海力士的上升从第七位至第五，我们可以看出，保护其NAND闪存专利技术，对于保住市场份额显然是至关重要的。
NAND闪存市场份额
Source：IHS
本文授权编译自EE Times，版权所有，谢绝转载
编译：Luffy Liu
参考英文原文：NAND Suit: Toshiba Seeks $1.1B From SK Hynix,by Junko Yoshida
相关阅读：
• 智能手机增长强劲 带动内存价格上调
• 6月下旬NAND Flash合约价上涨2-5%
• NAND技术被窃损失千亿，东芝怒向海力士索赔lXEesmc
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NAND Suit: Toshiba Seeks $1.1B From SK Hynix
Junko Yoshida
MADISON, Wisc. — South Korea's SK Hynix Inc. disclosed Monday in a regulatory filing that Toshiba Corp. is seeking $1.1 billion in damages over the suspected theft of data related to NAND flash memory chip technology, according to a Reuters' report.
In March 2014, Toshiba filed a civil suit against SK Hynix in Tokyo District Court for allegedly stealing trade secrets related to its NAND flash memory technology. Toshiba did not announce the amount of damages sought from the Korean company.
Toshiba said in a statement in March, "SK Hynix is a business partner of Toshiba. However, the companies are also competitors in NAND flash memory." Toshiba added, "Given the scope and importance of the misappropriated technical data involved, Toshiba has no reasonable option other than to seek legal redress."
The Japanese company, according to the regulatory filing, is also seeking to have SK Hynix destroy all information about the technology in question and cease production and sales of NAND memory products using that technology, according to the regulatory filing, Reuters reported.
NAND leak
Toshiba's complaint follows a similar trade secrets suit SanDisk Corporation filed against SK Hynix in March 2014. SanDisk then claimed that SK Hynix has used the trade secrets in semiconductor devices and flash memory products sold in California.
In March, SanDisk also submitted a criminal complaint with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department against a former employee.
SanDisk has charged that ex-employee Yoshitaka Sugita downloaded "a huge number of files" containing confidential information before joining SK Hynix in 2008. Sugita had been working on one of SanDisk's flash memory projects with Toshiba. The companies have been working together to develop NAND flash memory technology since the early 2000s, according to SanDisk's suit.
SanDisk claims that Sugita stole circuit designs, research analysis and other important documents. In January, an informant allegedly told the company that documents bearing the words "SanDisk/Toshiba confidential" had been distributed to SK Hynix employees.
On the same day that SanDisk filed suit in California, authorities in Tokyo arrested Sugita on criminal charges. Toshiba said the company filed its trade-secrets suit against SK Hynix after learning of Sugita's arrest.
High-stake memory market
Memory chipmakers held the key to a resurgence in worldwide semiconductor revenue in 2013, which rose 5% year-over-year in 2013, according to IHS Technology.
Global Semiconductor Market Share (Source: IHS)
In the list of top 25 global semiconductor suppliers (by revenue) released by IHS in late April, the market research firm explained that "DRAM and NAND in wireless propelled the global semiconductor growth in 2013," noting in particular that makers of memory ICs like Micron and SK Hynix enjoyed booming years in 2013.
For Toshiba, whose rank dropped from fifth place to sixth (in contrast to SK Hynix which moved up from seventh to fifth) in 2013, protecting its NAND memory technology and market share is obviously critical.
NAND Flash Market Share (Source: IHS)
责编：Quentin
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