GAA Nanosheet Architecture Patent Landscape 2026
The GAA/nanosheet architecture patent space is heavily concentrated, with the top five filers among the hundred largest applicants holding 78% of that group’s combined total, and IBM commanding a commanding lead. The field has plateaued near its 2022 peak on a multi-year basis, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a maturity phase where incumbents consolidate and challengers accelerate selectively.
IBM and TSMC dominate a tightly concentrated field
IBM International Business Machines Corporation ranks first with 142 patent families, followed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. with 104 and Intel with 60 — together these three players account for the bulk of activity among the hundred largest filers.
The top five filers hold 78% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, indicating an oligopolistic structure with a steep drop-off after the top three. Tokyo Electron (17 families) and GlobalFoundries (15 families) form a distant second tier, and the remaining ranked applicants each hold fewer than 15 families.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | International Business Machines Corporation | 142 | |
| 2 | Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. | 104 | |
| 3 | Intel Corporation | 60 | |
| 4 | Tokyo Electron Ltd. | 17 | |
| 5 | GlobalFoundries US Inc. | 15 | |
| 6 | Qualcomm Incorporated | 14 | |
| 7 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 12 | |
| 8 | Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | 8 | |
| 9 | IMEC (Interuniversitair Micro-Electronics Centrum VZW) | 7 | |
| 10 | Adeia Semiconductor Solutions LLC | 7 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Synopsys Inc. | 5 | |
| 12 | IBM United Kingdom Ltd. | 5 | |
| 13 | Applied Materials Inc. | 5 | |
| 14 | Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 4 | |
| 15 | Rapidus Corporation | 3 | |
| 16 | Tokyo Electron US Holdings Inc. | 3 | |
| 17 | ASM IP Holding B.V. | 3 | |
| 18 | Tessera LLC | 2 | |
| 19 | IBM Deutschland GmbH | 2 | |
| 20 | NXP USA Inc. | 2 |
IBM’s deep incumbency across device structure and fabrication process claims, combined with TSMC’s accelerating momentum (+44% recent trend), suggests that the leading positions are being actively reinforced rather than ceding ground to new challengers, though Intel’s sharp recent ramp (+173%) indicates competitive pressure is intensifying.
Filing counts for the most recent 18–24 months are under-represented due to standard publication lag and should not be interpreted as a decline in activity. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filing volumes peaked in 2022; semiconductor device claims dominate the technology mix
Two charts together reveal where the field has been and what technical ground is being staked: the annual trend shows a maturing trajectory, while the IPC composition exposes strong concentration in core device classes with sparse coverage of adjacent application areas.
Annual filing trend
Filings grew rapidly from 17 in 2017 to a peak of 70 in 2022, then eased to 59 in 2023 and 50 in 2024. The near-zero readings for 2025–2026 reflect publication lag and should not be read as a drop in activity. The multi-year window from 2017 to 2022 represents a sustained build-up phase; the field is now consolidating around that peak level.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H01L (Semiconductor devices) and H10D (Semiconductor devices – general) dominate the IPC mix, reflecting the field’s core focus on transistor device structures and fabrication processes. Memory device manufacture (H10B) and nanotechnology applications (B82Y) each account for approximately 5% of classified records, signaling adjacent branches that remain relatively sparse. Crystal growth (C30B) is minimal, indicating limited materials-science upstream coverage.
↗ 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.
FORKSHEET DEVICE MIT ZWEI NANOSHEET-TRANSISTOREN U…
Provided herein is a nanosheet / forksheet device (100) comprising a first (110) and a second (120) nanosheet transistor structure, each (110, 120) comprising a source region, a drain region, and a channel region (112, 122) extending between the source and the drain region, a dielectric wall (140), a gate structure (150), and a inner gate spacer between the… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gate-all-around field-effect transistor devices ha… | 133 |
| 2 | Multi-threshold voltage gate-all-around field-effe… | 97 |
| 3 | Transistor structures with reduced parasitic capac… | 89 |
| 4 | Gate-all-around field-effect transistor with asymm… | 84 |
| 5 | Gate-all-around nanosheet field-effect transistors… | 79 |
| 6 | Method for threshold voltage tuning through select… | 76 |
| 7 | Multi-threshold voltage gate-all-around transistors | 72 |
| 8 | Formation of wrap-around-contact for gate-all-arou… | 71 |
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 patent structure means for R&D investment decisions
The combination of high concentration, a maturing filing pace, active corporate collaborations, and US-centric protection defines the strategic context for any entrant or incumbent evaluating where to invest next.
Field has plateaued near its 2022 peak
Annual filings have eased from the 2022 peak of 70 families, placing the GAA/nanosheet architecture field in a maturity stage. On a multi-year basis activity remains elevated relative to the 2017 starting point, but the rapid growth phase has passed. New entrants face a well-staked claim landscape in core device and fabrication classes, making differentiation through adjacent IPC branches or novel device integration increasingly important.
Lifecycle: Maturity78% share among top-100 filers concentrated in five players
The top five filers — IBM, TSMC, Intel, Tokyo Electron, and GlobalFoundries — account for 78% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total. This steep concentration means freedom-to-operate analysis must prioritize these five portfolios first. The second tier (Qualcomm, Samsung, Huawei, IMEC, Adeia) each holds fewer than 15 patent families, leaving meaningful room for targeted portfolio building in sub-niches not yet fully covered by the leaders.
High concentrationIBM’s intra-group filings and Huawei–IMEC co-development are the most active partnerships
The most frequent co-applicant relationships are IBM International Business Machines Corporation with IBM United Kingdom Ltd (5 joint families) and IBM with IBM Deutschland GmbH (2 joint families), reflecting coordinated intra-group IP structuring. Huawei and IMEC (Interuniversitair Micro-Electronics Centrum) have co-filed 5 families, the most notable cross-organizational pairing in the dataset. Tokyo Electron and Tokyo Electron US Holdings share 3 joint families, again reflecting intra-group coordination rather than external ecosystem collaboration.
Intra-group dominantUS jurisdiction holds an overwhelming lead; rest-of-world coverage is thin
The United States accounts for 343 patent records, making it the dominant protection jurisdiction by a wide margin. Europe (EPO) and WIPO (PCT) follow at 26 and 22 records respectively, while China holds only 8 records and Taiwan 4 — notably sparse given that TSMC, the second-largest filer, is headquartered in Taiwan. South Korea, India, and Brazil have minimal coverage. This geographic skew suggests that protection outside the US remains an open strategic avenue, particularly for the Asian manufacturing hubs where advanced node fabrication is concentrated.
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 | IBM United Kingdom Ltd. | 5 |
| Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | IMEC (Interuniversitair Micro-Electronics Centrum VZW) | 5 |
| Tokyo Electron Ltd. | Tokyo Electron US Holdings Inc. | 3 |
| International Business Machines Corporation | IBM Deutschland GmbH | 2 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
IBM holds the largest portfolio; TSMC and Intel are the fastest-growing challengers
The two leading applicants differ sharply in trajectory: IBM’s recent filing pace has contracted while TSMC and Intel have both accelerated, reshaping the competitive balance at the frontier.
International Business Machines Corporation
IBM holds 142 patent families — the largest portfolio in this corpus — concentrated in H01L 29 (semiconductor device structures), H01L 21 (fabrication processes), and H10D 62 (general semiconductor devices). Its coverage spans threshold voltage tuning, parasitic capacitance reduction, wrap-around contacts, and asymmetric gate structures, as reflected in the most-cited patents in the field. However, IBM’s recent filing trend shows a contraction of –67% versus the prior three-year period, suggesting a strategic shift away from new filings and toward monetizing or licensing the incumbent portfolio.
families: 142Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
TSMC holds 104 patent families with a recent filing trend of +44% versus the prior period, making it the most actively growing major incumbent. Its technology emphasis mirrors IBM’s — H01L 29, H01L 21, and H10D 62 — but TSMC’s acceleration suggests it is building defensive coverage as it ramps advanced-node manufacturing at the 2nm and below nodes where nanosheet transistors are central. Intel, at 60 families and a +173% recent growth trend, is the sharpest momentum story in the dataset and bears close monitoring as a future top-three contender.
families: 104| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| International Business Machines Corporation | 28 | ▼ -67% |
| Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. | 59 | ▲ +44% |
| Intel Corporation | 41 | ▲ +173% |
| Tokyo Electron Ltd. | 4 | ▼ -60% |
| Qualcomm Incorporated | 13 | ▲ new entrant |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | 7 | ▲ new entrant |
| Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | 5 | ▲ new entrant |
| IMEC (Interuniversitair Micro-Electronics Centrum VZW) | 3 | ▲ new entrant |
Memory integration and nanotechnology applications are under-served adjacent branches
Four IPC branches sit at the sparse periphery of the dominant H01L/H10D core. Two of these — H10B (Memory device manufacture) and B82Y (Nanotechnology applications) — have plausible technical connection to GAA architectures and relatively low filing density, making them worth examining as potential areas for differentiated portfolio development.
H10B · Memory device manufacture
With 37 patent records and a 5% share of classified records, memory device manufacture is the largest under-served adjacent branch. GAA nanosheet transistors are directly relevant to embedded SRAM scaling and next-generation non-volatile memory cell design, yet coverage in H10B remains sparse relative to the H01L core. An entrant focusing on nanosheet-based memory cell integration — particularly for SRAM bit-cell optimization or ferroelectric memory on nanosheet channels — could find meaningful whitespace here. Entry would require a combination of device physics expertise and process integration know-how already present in the ecosystem.
Search this in Eureka →B82Y · Nanotechnology applications
B82Y (Nanotechnology applications) holds 31 patent records at a 5% share, with Huawei being one of the few players with explicit B82Y 10 coverage in its portfolio. This branch captures quantum-scale and materials-science aspects of nanosheet fabrication — such as atomic-layer deposition control, nanosheet channel strain engineering, and interface passivation — that are technically upstream of device performance but currently thinly patented. The sparse coverage relative to the device-level H01L classes suggests that materials and process characterization angles remain less staked. Realistic entry paths include university-industry collaborations or equipment-supplier partnerships, as evidenced by IMEC’s presence in the broader corpus.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ by technology route across IPC classes
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | H01L 29 · Semiconductor devices | H01L 21 · Semiconductor devices | H01L 27 · Semiconductor devices | H10D 62 · Semiconductor devices (general) | H10D 64 · Semiconductor devices (general) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Business Machines Corporation | Strong · 149 | Strong · 102 | Moderate · 57 | Moderate · 70 | Moderate · 56 |
| Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. | Strong · 104 | Strong · 73 | Moderate · 51 | Strong · 58 | Strong · 58 |
| Intel Corporation | Strong · 60 | Moderate · 29 | Strong · 44 | Moderate · 19 | Moderate · 20 |
| Tokyo Electron Ltd. | Strong · 17 | Strong · 15 | Strong · 17 | Moderate · 5 | Moderate · 5 |
| Qualcomm Incorporated | Strong · 14 | Strong · 11 | Strong · 12 | Strong · 8 | Strong · 8 |
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Strong · 12 | Moderate · 6 | Strong · 8 | Moderate · 5 | Moderate · 5 |
| GlobalFoundries Inc. | Strong · 9 | Strong · 6 | Strong · 6 | Strong · 8 | Moderate · 4 |
Frequently asked questions
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) leads with 142 patent families, followed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. with 104 and Intel with 60 patent families. Together these three account for the majority of activity among the hundred largest filers.
The field peaked at 70 families filed in 2022 and has eased since then, placing it in a maturity stage. On a multi-year basis the corpus remains well above its 2017 starting level, but the rapid-growth phase has passed. Filing counts for 2025–2026 are near zero due to publication lag and do not reflect actual current activity.
Intel shows the sharpest recent acceleration at +173% versus the prior three-year period, followed by TSMC at +44%. Qualcomm, Samsung Electronics, Huawei, and IMEC are each recorded as new entrants in the recent period. IBM, by contrast, shows a -67% contraction in recent filings relative to its prior pace.
The United States dominates with 343 patent records. Europe (EPO) and WIPO (PCT) are distant secondary offices at 26 and 22 records respectively. China holds only 8 records, and Taiwan — home of TSMC — holds just 4, indicating that geographic coverage outside the US is thin relative to where advanced-node manufacturing actually occurs.
The highest-cited work in the corpus covers gate-all-around field-effect transistors with nanosheet channels (133 citations), multi-threshold voltage GAA FETs (97 and 72 citations), transistor structures with reduced parasitic capacitance (89 citations), asymmetric gate structures (84 citations), threshold voltage tuning through selective atomic layer deposition (76 citations), and wrap-around-contact formation methods (71 citations).
Memory device manufacture (H10B, 37 records, 5% share) and nanotechnology applications (B82Y, 31 records, 5% share) are the largest under-served adjacent branches based on IPC record counts. H10P and H10W each hold fewer than 15 records. These observations indicate relative sparsity; technical and commercial viability would require further validation before treating them as confirmed opportunities.
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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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