FinFET Thin Film Deposition Patent Landscape 2026
FinFET Thin Film Deposition Patent Landscape in 2026
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. dominates a highly concentrated field, holding the largest share among the top filers, with annual filing volume having declined sharply from its 2017 peak. The competitive structure is mature and consolidating, with IBM and GlobalFoundries as the only credible second-tier challengers.
TSMC leads a heavily concentrated landscape with a pronounced tier gap
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. ranks first among all applicants, followed by International Business Machines Corporation and GlobalFoundries. The top five filers collectively account for 71% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, signaling a field controlled by a small cluster of integrated device manufacturers and leading foundries.
The gap between first and second place is substantial, reinforcing TSMC’s structural dominance. Applied Materials and Adeia Semiconductor Solutions round out the top five, representing the only equipment and IP-holding entities in the leading cohort.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. | 742 | |
| 2 | International Business Machines Corporation | 316 | |
| 3 | GlobalFoundries US Inc. | 162 | |
| 4 | Applied Materials, Inc. | 113 | |
| 5 | Adeia Semiconductor Solutions LLC | 87 | |
| 6 | GlobalFoundries Inc. | 54 | |
| 7 | Elpis Tech Inc. | 53 | |
| 8 | Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation | 48 | |
| 9 | ASM IP Holding B.V. | 41 | |
| 10 | Alsephina Innovations Inc. | 32 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Qualcomm Incorporated | 28 | |
| 12 | STMicroelectronics Inc. | 27 | |
| 13 | Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Beijing) Corporation | 23 | |
| 14 | United Microelectronics Corporation | 21 | |
| 15 | Intel Corporation | 21 | |
| 16 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 20 | |
| 17 | Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 15 | |
| 18 | Shanghai Huali Integrated Circuit Corporation | 15 | |
| 19 | Bell Semiconductor LLC | 10 | |
| 20 | STMicroelectronics International N.V. | 10 |
The leaders’ positions reflect deep, sustained investment over the field’s growth era. Challengers seeking entry face an entrenched IP estate, particularly across core semiconductor device classes, making differentiation through adjacent or process-specific branches the more viable entry strategy.
Patent records from the most recent 18–24 months are subject to publication lag and likely under-represent actual recent activity; any apparent acceleration or continued decline in the latest data points should be interpreted cautiously.
Filing volume peaked in 2017 and has eased steadily; semiconductor device classes dominate the technology mix
Two charts capture the field’s trajectory and composition: the annual filing trend reveals a field past its growth peak, while the technology branch breakdown shows where patenting effort has been concentrated and where gaps remain.
Annual filing trend
Annual filing volume reached its high point in 2017 at 254 records and has trended downward each subsequent year through the observed window. The decline through 2022–2025 is consistent with a maturing field, though figures for 2024 and 2025 should be treated as preliminary given publication lag.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H01L (Semiconductor devices) dominates the technology mix by a wide margin. H10D (Semiconductor devices, general) and H10B (Memory device manufacture) are meaningful secondary branches, while C23C (Coating and surface deposition) — directly relevant to thin film process innovation — holds a comparatively smaller share, suggesting process-layer patenting remains underweighted relative to device-level claims.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaHighly cited patent families surfaced by the query
Citation-heavy patent families returned by the query. Use this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents.
Atomic layer deposition and ETCH in a single plasm…
Methods and apparatuses for passivating a fin field effect transistor (FinFET) semiconductor device and performing a gate etch using integrated atomic layer deposition (ALD) and etch processes are described herein. Methods include performing a partial gate etch, depositing a passivation layer on exposed surfaces of semiconductor fins and a gate layer by… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finfet transistor structures having a double gate … | 1,388 |
| 2 | Fin FET devices from bulk semiconductor and method… | 573 |
| 3 | Germanium FinFETs with metal gates and stressors | 544 |
| 4 | Finfet structure and method for manufacturing ther… | 534 |
| 5 | FinFET device incorporating strained silicon in th… | 300 |
| 6 | FinFET and method of fabricating the same | 287 |
| 7 | Method for forming fins in a FinFET device using s… | 287 |
| 8 | Self-aligned dog-bone structure for FinFET applica… | 285 |
Ranked by total forward citations. Citation counts favour older and broadly cited patent families, and broad or adjacent patents may appear when they match the search scope. Treat this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents. Some patent titles may be shown in their original, non-English language where an accurate translation could not be guaranteed.
What the competitive structure means for R&D investment decisions
The combination of a post-peak filing curve, high concentration among incumbents, and structured co-filing alliances shapes the risk and opportunity profile for any organization considering entry or expansion in this space.
Field is in decline from a 2017 peak
The lifecycle stage is classified as Decline, with annual filing volume easing back from its 2017 peak of 254 records. A 62% contraction in recent-window growth confirms that the primary wave of FinFET thin film deposition patenting has passed. R&D investment is best directed toward successor architectures or process variants not yet covered by the dense incumbent estate.
Post-peakTop five filers hold 71% of the largest-filer pool
The top five applicants — TSMC, IBM, GlobalFoundries, Applied Materials, and Adeia Semiconductor Solutions — account for 71% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total. This level of concentration means that freedom-to-operate analysis is essential before entering core device or deposition process claims. The tier below the top five thins rapidly, with no mid-tier cluster of comparable size.
High concentrationIBM–GlobalFoundries and SMIC entity pairs are the most active co-filers
International Business Machines Corporation and GlobalFoundries are the most active co-filing pair with 28 joint records, followed by IBM and STMicroelectronics with 23, and SMIC Shanghai and SMIC Beijing with 23. GlobalFoundries and STMicroelectronics also collaborate with 10 joint records. These alliances trace to known foundry development consortia and suggest that collaborative IP strategies were a meaningful feature of the field’s peak growth era.
Alliance clustersUnited States is the dominant filing jurisdiction; Asia-Pacific coverage is secondary
The United States leads all jurisdictions by a large margin. China and Taiwan follow at roughly similar levels, with South Korea and WIPO PCT filings representing additional but smaller coverage tiers. Japan, Singapore, Germany, and Europe (EPO) have limited presence. This distribution suggests that US patent protection is the primary enforcement focus, while Asia-Pacific coverage — particularly outside Taiwan and China — may offer gaps for new entrants seeking regional freedom to operate.
US-centricGo beyond the landscape: Eureka’s TRIZ Solution agent breaks down an R&D problem and returns patented concept solutions, each with a technical approach and cited patent & literature evidence.
| Applicant | Collaborator | Co-filings |
|---|---|---|
| International Business Machines Corporation | GlobalFoundries Inc. | 28 |
| International Business Machines Corporation | STMicroelectronics Inc. | 23 |
| Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation | Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Beijing) Corporation | 23 |
| GlobalFoundries Inc. | STMicroelectronics Inc. | 10 |
| STMicroelectronics Inc. | Soitec SA | 4 |
| STMicroelectronics Inc. | STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS | 3 |
| International Business Machines Corporation | Renesas Electronics Corporation | 2 |
| GlobalFoundries Inc. | Renesas Electronics Corporation | 2 |
| GlobalFoundries Inc. | French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) | 2 |
| STMicroelectronics Inc. | French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) | 2 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
TSMC and IBM lead on semiconductor device claims; ASM IP differentiates through coating and deposition process coverage
The two largest players concentrate heavily on semiconductor device classification branches. The most differentiated technical profile among top filers belongs to ASM IP Holding, which leads in C23C (Coating and surface deposition) — the branch most directly aligned with thin film process innovation.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
TSMC is the clear leader with 742 patent records, concentrated across H01L 21, H01L 29, and H01L 27 semiconductor device subclasses. Despite this dominant position, recent momentum shows a 57% decline in the most recent period versus the prior window, consistent with the field’s overall post-peak trajectory. TSMC’s estate represents the primary freedom-to-operate obstacle for any new entrant in core FinFET device deposition.
742 patent recordsInternational Business Machines Corporation
IBM ranks second with 316 patent records, with its portfolio also concentrated in H01L 21, H01L 29, and H01L 27. Momentum has contracted sharply — down 93% in the recent period — reflecting IBM’s reduced foundry manufacturing engagement following its alliance restructuring. IBM’s collaboration records with GlobalFoundries and STMicroelectronics remain a structurally important feature of its IP network, even as new filing activity has slowed substantially.
316 patent records| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. | 92 | ▼ -57% |
| International Business Machines Corporation | 3 | ▼ -93% |
| Applied Materials, Inc. | 6 | ▼ -75% |
| Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
| ASM IP Holding B.V. | 5 | ▲ new entrant |
Memory integration and surface deposition chemistry are the least-served adjacent branches
Several IPC branches adjacent to the dominant H01L core show comparatively low patent record counts, representing areas where the existing estate is thinner and where technical differentiation may be more achievable. These are observations of relative sparsity; their value as entry points depends on specific technical and commercial context.
C23C · Coating and surface deposition
With 76 patent records and a 3% share among the top branches, C23C is the branch most directly aligned with thin film process chemistry yet among the least covered in absolute terms. ASM IP Holding is the notable exception, making C23C its primary focus. For equipment makers or materials companies with atomic layer deposition or chemical vapor deposition expertise, this branch offers a relatively open IP landscape compared to the device-level H01L classes. Entry would require process-specific claims differentiated from TSMC’s device-oriented estate.
Search this in Eureka →H10B · Memory device manufacture
H10B holds 164 patent records and a 6% share, making it the largest adjacent branch outside the dominant H01L and H10D classes. FinFET integration into memory architectures — including embedded SRAM and non-volatile memory — is a technically active area, yet the patent coverage here is sparse relative to logic device claims. Organizations focused on memory-specific deposition processes or FinFET-compatible memory cell integration may find more navigable IP territory in this branch than in core logic device classes.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ by technology route across device and process branches
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | H01L 21 · Semiconductor devices | H01L 29 · Semiconductor devices | H01L 27 · Semiconductor devices | H10D 62 · Semiconductor devices (general) | H10D 84 · Semiconductor devices (general) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. | Strong · 737 | Strong · 649 | Moderate · 327 | Emerging · 134 | Emerging · 119 |
| International Business Machines Corporation | Strong · 486 | Strong · 454 | Strong · 291 | Emerging · 74 | Emerging · 68 |
| GlobalFoundries Inc. | Strong · 177 | Strong · 157 | Moderate · 68 | Emerging · 19 | Emerging · 22 |
| Applied Materials, Inc. | Strong · 108 | Strong · 89 | Absent | Moderate · 32 | Emerging · 13 |
| STMicroelectronics Inc. | Strong · 49 | Strong · 43 | Moderate · 21 | Emerging · 8 | Emerging · 8 |
| Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation | Strong · 47 | Strong · 42 | Moderate · 23 | Absent | Absent |
| Qualcomm Incorporated | Strong · 28 | Strong · 26 | Strong · 20 | Moderate · 6 | Moderate · 9 |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 969 patent families. This is the base count for the landscape; applicant rankings are reported in patent records, which can exceed the family total because a single family may be counted under multiple applicants or jurisdictions.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. leads with 742 patent records, well ahead of the second-ranked filer, International Business Machines Corporation, at 316 patent records.
No. Annual filing volume peaked in 2017 at 254 records and has declined each subsequent year. The lifecycle stage is classified as Decline, with a 62% contraction in recent-window growth. Figures for 2024 and 2025 are subject to publication lag and should be treated as preliminary.
The United States is the dominant jurisdiction by a substantial margin. China and Taiwan follow at roughly comparable levels, with South Korea and WIPO PCT filings representing additional but smaller coverage tiers. Germany and Europe (EPO) have limited presence.
The most active co-filing pairs are IBM and GlobalFoundries (28 joint records), IBM and STMicroelectronics (23), and SMIC Shanghai and SMIC Beijing (23). GlobalFoundries and STMicroelectronics also share 10 joint records, reflecting historical foundry development alliances.
C23C (Coating and surface deposition) and H10N (Other electric solid-state devices) are among the sparsest adjacent branches by patent record count. C23C is particularly notable given its direct relevance to thin film process chemistry, yet it accounts for only 3% of classified records among the leading branches.
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Disclaimer. This page is generated from PatSnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
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