GAA HVM Process Integration Patent Landscape 2026
The GAA HVM process integration patent space is tightly concentrated, with TSMC alone accounting for the largest share among the top filers and the top five applicants collectively representing all activity among the hundred largest filers. The field reached peak annual filing volume around 2020 and has since eased, signaling a transition from broad foundational claiming toward selective, process-specific protection.
TSMC leads an extraordinarily concentrated field; IBM and Tokyo Electron form a distant second tier
TSMC holds the top position with 27 patent families, more than double the combined total of the next two ranked applicants. IBM follows with 10 patent families, Tokyo Electron with 5, and Applied Materials with 1 — a ranking that underscores just how narrow the active innovator base is.
The top five filers account for the entirety of the hundred largest filers’ combined volume, a concentration level rarely seen even in specialized semiconductor sub-fields. The gap between TSMC and the rest is not merely numerical; it reflects TSMC’s vertically integrated process ownership across device architecture, spacer engineering, and I/O integration.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) | 27 | |
| 2 | International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) | 10 | |
| 3 | Tokyo Electron Ltd | 5 | |
| 4 | Applied Materials Inc | 1 |
IBM’s position, focused on device and manufacturing fundamentals, reflects its historical role as a process research partner and licensor rather than a volume manufacturer. Tokyo Electron’s presence signals that key equipment suppliers are beginning to stake out process-integration IP alongside their tool-level patents.
Filing counts for 2024 and 2025 are likely under-represented due to standard patent publication lag of 18–24 months; the apparent recent dip should not be read as a definitive trend. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filing activity peaked around 2020 and the technology mix remains dominated by core semiconductor device classes
The annual trend chart and IPC composition together reveal a field that established its foundational IP base between 2019 and 2022, with more selective activity continuing into the mid-2020s. Technology breadth remains narrow, anchored in established semiconductor device classification.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings climbed from 4 families in 2017 to a peak of 8 in 2020, then fluctuated between 4 and 7 through 2023 before easing to 3 in both 2024 and 2025. The 2024–2025 figures are subject to publication lag and likely undercount actual activity; the multi-year growth window shows a negative 11% rate reflecting the post-peak moderation rather than a structural exit from the space.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H01L (Semiconductor devices) dominates, covering the full 43-family corpus, with H10D (Semiconductor devices — general) appearing across 26 records. H10P, B82Y (Nanotechnology applications), and C23C (Coating and surface deposition) represent smaller adjacent branches, indicating that the bulk of protection is concentrated in mainstream device and manufacturing IPC classes rather than enabling materials or nano-fabrication sub-classes.
↗ 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.
Self-aligned hybrid substrate stacked gate-all-aro…
A semiconductor structure including vertically stacked nFETs and pFETs containing suspended semiconductor channel material nanosheets (NS) and a method of forming such a structure. The structure is a three dimensional (3D) integration by vertically stacking nFETs and pFETs for area scaling. In an embodiment, vertically-stacked NS FET structures include a… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Formation of self-limited inner spacer for gate-al… | 114 |
| 2 | I/O device scheme for gate-all-around transistors | 90 |
| 3 | Inner spacers for gate-all-around semiconductor de… | 28 |
| 4 | Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture | 22 |
| 5 | Method of forming gate spacer for nanowire FET dev… | 22 |
| 6 | Self-aligned hybrid substrate stacked gate-all-aro… | 20 |
| 7 | Formation of self-limited inner spacer for gate-al… | 17 |
| 8 | Semiconductor Devices and Methods of Manufacturing | 15 |
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 implies for R&D strategy
Four dimensions — maturity, concentration, collaboration, and geography — shape the strategic environment for any organization considering entry or expansion in GAA HVM process integration.
Post-peak consolidation: foundational claims are set, process-specific gaps remain
The lifecycle evidence places this field in a decline stage, with annual filings easing back from the 2020 peak. The core device architecture and inner-spacer formation claims appear well-populated. New entrants should expect to navigate around established TSMC and IBM positions and focus on differentiated process steps — etch chemistries, selective deposition, or integration sequences — where claim density is lower.
Lifecycle: post-peakExtreme top-end concentration leaves limited room for incremental me-too filing
The top five filers account for all activity among the hundred largest filers in this corpus, with TSMC’s 27 patent families representing the dominant block. IBM’s 10 families and Tokyo Electron’s 5 families form a clear second tier. This structure means that broad process-integration claims are largely staked; differentiated value lies in specific integration sequences, novel spacer materials, or equipment-process co-optimization angles not yet addressed by the current leaders.
Concentration: extremeNo co-filing partnerships detected in this corpus
The collaboration evidence shows no co-applicant relationships among the filers in this dataset. Each of the four ranked applicants appears to be filing independently. This may reflect the proprietary, manufacturing-sensitive nature of GAA HVM process integration IP, where cross-licensing agreements or joint development are handled contractually rather than through co-filed patents. Organizations seeking ecosystem partnerships should look to licensing discussions rather than expecting joint-filing signals.
Collaboration: none detectedUS-centric filing with minimal PCT or foreign-jurisdiction extension
The United States accounts for 41 of the patent records in scope, with only one record each in the United Kingdom and via WIPO PCT. This strongly US-weighted filing pattern is notable for a technology with global manufacturing relevance. It may indicate that applicants are prioritizing US litigation and enforcement leverage, or that non-US patent filings exist in a broader corpus not captured here. Competitors operating outside the US may find relatively less-encumbered space in other jurisdictions.
Geography: US-dominantGo 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.
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
TSMC anchors the field; IBM and Tokyo Electron are recent entrants building targeted positions
The applicant ranking shows a two-tier structure: TSMC as the dominant integrated process owner, and IBM, Tokyo Electron, and Applied Materials as smaller but technically distinct contributors. Momentum data indicate that both IBM and Tokyo Electron are new entrants to this specific corpus, while TSMC shows a modest recent uptick.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC)
TSMC holds 27 patent families — more than the rest of the ranked field combined. Their technology emphasis spans H01L 21 (semiconductor manufacturing processes), H01L 29 (semiconductor device structures), and H10D 84 (general semiconductor devices), indicating broad process-and-device co-ownership. Recent momentum shows a positive 8% trend in recent filings versus the prior period, suggesting continued selective investment rather than withdrawal.
Patent families: 27International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)
IBM holds 10 patent families with a focus equally distributed across H01L 21 and H01L 29, plus a presence in H10D 30 (field-effect transistor structures). IBM’s momentum is marked as a new entrant to this corpus, suggesting their GAA HVM process integration claims are a recent and deliberate strategic addition — consistent with IBM’s role as a technology licensor and foundry partner active in next-generation node research.
Patent families: 10| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) | 13 | ▲ +8% |
| International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Tokyo Electron Ltd | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served branches adjacent to the dominant device classes
Three IPC branches appear at notably lower densities within this corpus relative to the dominant H01L and H10D classes. These are observations of relative sparsity; whether they represent actionable entry points depends on an organization’s existing technical capabilities and freedom-to-operate position.
B82Y · Nanotechnology applications
B82Y covers nanotechnology applications broadly, including nanostructure fabrication and characterization methods directly relevant to nanosheet and nanowire GAA channels. With only 3 records in scope and a 4% share, this branch is sparsely populated relative to the device-level classes. Tokyo Electron is the primary filer here, linked to their B82Y 10 emphasis. Organizations with nanostructure fabrication expertise — particularly in atomic-layer-scale channel definition or bottom-up growth — may find this an adjacent space with limited existing claim density, provided they can establish a differentiated technical angle from Tokyo Electron’s existing work.
Search this in Eureka →C23C · Coating & surface deposition
C23C (coating and surface deposition processes) appears in only 1 record in this corpus, representing 1% of the technology mix, with Applied Materials as the sole filer in this branch. GAA integration critically depends on selective deposition steps — inner spacer formation, gate dielectric deposition, and work-function metal fill — yet this enabling process-chemistry branch is nearly absent from the current corpus. Organizations with ALD, CVD, or selective-deposition process IP may find C23C an under-served angle for GAA-specific process integration claims, particularly as device scaling demands tighter deposition control.
Search this in Eureka →How the four ranked applicants differ by technology route
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | H01L 21 · Semiconductor devices | H01L 29 · Semiconductor devices | H10D 84 · Semiconductor devices (general) | H10D 30 · Semiconductor devices (general) | H10D 64 · Semiconductor devices (general) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) | Strong · 27 | Strong · 20 | Strong · 20 | Strong · 17 | Strong · 17 |
| International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) | Strong · 10 | Strong · 10 | Moderate · 4 | Moderate · 4 | Emerging · 2 |
| Tokyo Electron Ltd | Strong · 5 | Strong · 4 | Emerging · 1 | Absent | Absent |
| Applied Materials Inc | Strong · 1 | Absent | Absent | Strong · 1 | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus in scope contains 43 patent families. This reflects a focused, specialist sub-field rather than a broad technology category.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) leads with 27 patent families, followed by IBM with 10 and Tokyo Electron with 5. Applied Materials holds 1 family in this corpus.
The field reached peak annual filing volume around 2020. The multi-year window shows a negative 11% growth rate, reflecting post-peak moderation. Filing counts for 2024 and 2025 are subject to publication lag and likely undercount actual activity, so a definitive conclusion about the most recent years is premature.
H01L (Semiconductor devices) covers the full corpus at the record level, and H10D (Semiconductor devices — general) appears across 26 records. B82Y (Nanotechnology applications) and C23C (Coating and surface deposition) are sparsely represented with 3 and 1 records respectively.
The United States accounts for 41 of the patent records in scope. The United Kingdom and WIPO PCT each account for 1 record, making this an overwhelmingly US-centric filing landscape.
No co-applicant relationships are detected in the current corpus. All four ranked applicants appear to be filing independently, consistent with the proprietary nature of foundry and equipment process-integration IP.
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