Nanometrics sues KLA-Tencor in patent case

KLA-Tencor Corp., a maker of computer chip fabrication equipment, was sued in federal court in Delaware by rival Nanometrics Inc., which accused it of infringing two U.S. patents for alignment gear and seeks damages after a jury trial. Nanometrics of Milpitas, with $188 million in sales last year, contends KLA-Tencor knew of the patents, awarded in 2006 and 2007, and used the protected technology anyway.