Samsung faces patent lawsuit related to FinFET technology

Samsung is pushing forward with its 10nm FinFET technology for the upcoming Galaxy S8, but a new report out of Samsung’s home country says the Korean giant may face a setback.

According to The Korea Herald, the US-based Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (or KAIST, for short) is suing Samsung over FinFET patent infringement. The report claims that KAIST developed FinFET, but was stolen by Samsung when the Korean giant invited FinFET developer Lee Jong-ho, a Seoul National University professor whose institution partnered with KAIST, to do a presentation on the technology to Samsung’s engineers. Intel is using FinFET but has obtained licenses from KAIST to do so, while Samsung has not.

Samsung is not alone in the lawsuit: California-based Global Foundries and processor chipset maker Qualcomm are also facing the lawsuit, as Global Foundries has secured a license agreement with Samsung. KAIST says it will go after TSMC once it has the proper evidence to proceed.