GREENVILLE, SC -- Kemet Corp. has filed a lawsuit against AVX Corp. to protect trade secrets relating to the development and manufacture of tantalum polymer capacitors. Kemet seeks damages and an injunction.

In the lawsuit, filed in South Carolina court, Kemet alleges that AVX had access to trade secrets after hiring a scientist from Kemet's technology group. The suit alleges that through this scientist, AVX learned certain trade secrets related to tantalum polymer capacitor manufacturing. AVX has since introduced similar products, Kemet said.

Kemet has produced the components since 1999, and they now constitute the fastest growing segment of this market.