Munich Court Bans Micron Sales in Germany After YMTC 3D NAND Patent Win

A Munich court ruled Micron Technology (MU) infringed two Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC) utility models and issued an injunction barring sales of the affected products in Germany, YMTC's first substantive injunction win since the global patent dispute began in November 2023. The Munich Regional Court's seventh civil chamber found Micron violated German utility models covering 3D NAND manufacturing: DE202020006166U1 (staircase structure for three-dimensional memory elements) and DE202021004551U1 (barrier layer for word line contacts in 3D NAND). Three other YMTC suits, including one over European patent EP3931868, were postponed. Micron said it will appeal, noting German utility models receive no substantive examination and carry a maximum 10-year term. Enforcement hinges on whether the Munich Higher Regional Court stays the ruling pending appeal. The dispute now spans federal courts in California and Texas, the UK High Court and the Unified Patent Court. Micron filed a trade-secret counterclaim in Idaho in September 2026. TrendForce ranks YMTC third globally in NAND flash sales and shipments for Q1 2026.