GAA Metrology & Inspection Patent Snapshot 2026
The patent corpus for GAA metrology and inspection is highly nascent, with 4 patent families on record and Onto Innovation Inc holding the entirety of that output as of the evidence date. All activity emerged in 2023, signalling that dedicated IP protection in this niche is still at its earliest stage.
Onto Innovation holds the entire corpus — an effectively monopolar field
Onto Innovation Inc is the sole ranked applicant in this space, accounting for all 4 patent families in scope. No other filer appears in the top-100 applicant list, making this one of the most concentrated technology niches in semiconductor metrology IP.
With a top-five share of 100% of the ranked applicants visible in this query’ combined total, there is no discernible tier gap — the field is a single-player market at this scale of analysis. All competing entrants would be starting from a position of zero prior art relative to the leader.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Onto Innovation Inc | 4 |
Onto Innovation’s position implies an early-mover advantage in translating GAA process-control challenges into formal IP, but the small absolute volume also means the field remains wide open for challengers who move quickly with differentiated measurement approaches.
Filing counts for the most recent 18–24 months are typically under-counted due to publication lag; the apparent absence of filings after 2023 should not be read as cessation of activity. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
A 2023 emergence spike with an AI-augmented measurement mix
The annual filing trend and technology composition together reveal a field that materialized abruptly in 2023 and is anchored in optical and dimensional measurement, with a nascent AI layer. Both charts should be read alongside the caveat that post-2023 data is subject to publication lag.
Annual filing trend
All 4 patent families were filed in 2023; years before and after show zero published families. This single-year concentration is characteristic of a very early-stage niche rather than a mature filing programme. Post-2023 zeroes reflect publication lag, not confirmed inactivity.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
Material analysis and testing (G01N) is visible in the branch mix, followed by length and dimensional measurement (G01B), with a single filing touching AI-based computing models (G06N). This distribution reflects the core metrology workflow: optical characterisation first, dimensional verification second, and AI-assisted interpretation as an emerging complement.
↗ 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.
Metrology solutions for complex structures of inte…
Complex structures, such as gate-all-around (GAA) field effect transistor or high-aspect ratio (HAR) Channel hole etch, etc., in semiconductor devices are measured using a combination of physical modeling and machine learning modeling. Metrology signals collected at different manufacturing process steps, e.g., pre-process step and post-process step of the… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Metrology solutions for complex structures of inte… | 6 |
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.
Assignee snapshot from the current evidence set
The applicants below are visible in this query result. Because the evidence set is relatively small, read this section as a directional snapshot rather than a full competitive ranking.
Onto Innovation Inc
Onto Innovation holds all 4 patent families in scope, with technology emphasis on optical material analysis and testing (G01N 21), dimensional measurement (G01B 11), and AI-based computing models (G06N 20). The applicant momentum trend is flagged as a new entrant, with all 4 families recorded in the most recent filing window — indicating this is a deliberate, targeted push into GAA-specific metrology IP rather than an extension of a long-standing programme.
families: 4No ranked challenger identified
No second applicant appears in the evidence. Any organisation developing GAA metrology tooling — including electron-beam inspection vendors, X-ray metrology specialists, or semiconductor OEM captive R&D teams — would enter as a challenger with zero prior-art competition in this specific niche. Monitoring new entrants over the next 12–18 months as publication lag clears will be the key intelligence task.
families: —Frequently asked questions
The evidence identifies 4 patent families in scope for GAA metrology and inspection as of the analysis date. This is a very small corpus consistent with an early-stage, emerging niche.
Onto Innovation Inc is the sole ranked applicant, holding all 4 patent families. No other filer appears in the top-100 applicant list based on the available evidence.
All 4 patent families on record were published in 2023. No families appear in earlier years in the evidence, placing the formal IP emergence of this niche squarely in 2023.
Europe via the EPO leads by patent-record count, followed by the United States and WIPO PCT. No Asian jurisdiction records are present in the current evidence, which may reflect filing strategy or pending publications.
The corpus covers material analysis and testing (G01N), length and dimensional measurement (G01B), and AI-based computing models (G06N). G01N and G01B are visible in, reflecting an optical and dimensional measurement focus.
The evidence shows no co-applicant or collaborative filings in the current corpus. All 4 patent families are attributed solely to Onto Innovation Inc, with no university, research institute, or industry partner co-filing detected.
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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.
Nothing on this page constitutes an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate, or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial, investment, or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Any patent, commercial, or strategic decision should be verified independently and reviewed with qualified patent, legal, and domain professionals. PatSnap makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose of the information presented.