In response to recent action taken by equipment manufacturer Oerlikon against Sunfilm AG, Applied Materials Inc. – Sunfilm's business partner – is maintaining that its thin-film solar technology does not infringe upon Oerlikon's exclusive license to a patent issued to the University of Neuchatel.
Applied Materials says scientific analyses, such as Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy, have verified that its SunFab thin-film solar tandem-junction technology differs from the Neuchatel patent. Therefore, the company is asserting non-infringement.
‘In addition, the Neuchatel patent is already the subject of four separate opposition proceedings in the European Patent Office challenging its validity, based on prior art that was not disclosed or considered during the European patent examination process,’ Applied Materials says.
SOURCE: Applied Materials
