What is a Topography of semiconductor products

A semiconductor product can be any finished or intermediate product that a) consists of a set of materials comprising a layer of semiconductor material; b) contains one or more layers comprising conducting, insulating or semiconducting materials, arranged in accordance with a predetermined three-dimensional scheme; c) is designed to carry out, alone or together with other functions, an electronic function. The topography of a semiconductor product is a set of related drawings, fixed or coded in any way: a) representing the three-dimensional scheme of the layers of a semiconductor product; b) in which series each image reproduces in whole or in part a surface of the semiconductor product at any stage of its manufacture. Exclusive rights can be granted for topographies resulting from the creative intellectual effort of their author and are not common or familiar in the semiconductor products industry. Topographies resulting from the combination of common or familiar elements may also be the subject of exclusive rights, provided that they meet the above requirements.

Legal protection

The legal protection enjoyed by topographies of semiconductor products is the same as that for patents; here also, registration should be requested by the filing an application that is accompanied by the topographic drawings. The duration of topographies of semiconductor products is 10 years from the filing date of the application or from the first date of commercial exploitation of the semiconductor. The protection granted to topographies of semiconductor products does not extend to software embedded in the chips, or to the concepts, processes, systems, techniques or coded information embedded in the topographies themselves. Our specialised team has an in-depth knowledge of the specific mechanisms that govern this particular sector, thanks to many years of solid experience in drafting inventions and claims to ensure that they conform to requirements, and of course in managing patent applications and prosecution in Italy, the EU and on an international level.