Perovskite Absorber Materials Patent Landscape 2026
Perovskite absorber materials IP is a nascent, academically led field concentrated in organic-semiconductor device architectures, with City University of Hong Kong holding the largest single position. The field is still expanding on a multi-year basis following a 2023 activity peak, with the United States as the primary filing office and an emerging collaborative axis between Hong Kong and London.
City University of Hong Kong leads a fragmented, research-institution-dominated field
City University of Hong Kong holds the largest single position, followed by Swift Solar Inc and Imperial College Innovations Ltd. The top five filers account for 33% of the combined output of the hundred largest filers, indicating moderate concentration at the head of a long tail of individual inventors and smaller institutes.
A clear tier gap separates the top three applicants — City University of Hong Kong, Swift Solar Inc, and Imperial College Innovations Ltd — from the remainder of the ranking. Below rank three, patent record counts drop sharply, and several positions are held by individual named inventors or small national technical institutes.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | City University of Hong Kong | 9 | |
| 2 | Swift Solar Inc | 7 | |
| 3 | Imperial College Innovations Ltd | 6 | |
| 4 | Energy Materials Corp | 5 | |
| 5 | IBM (International Business Machines Corporation) | 4 | |
| 6 | Indian Institute of Technology Bombay | 4 | |
| 7 | Heliatek GmbH | 3 | |
| 8 | National Institute of Technology Patna | 3 | |
| 9 | GWANGJU INST OF SCI & TECH | 2 | |
| 10 | Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University | 2 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | KING ABDULLAH UNIV OF SCI & TECH | 2 | |
| 12 | CSEM Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique | 2 | |
| 13 | Hubei Wonder Solar LLC | 2 | |
| 14 | Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology Surat | 2 | |
| 15 | Solaires Entreprises Inc | 2 | |
| 16 | Nanyang Technological University | 1 | |
| 17 | Dr. Santosh Kumar Nathsharma | 1 | |
| 18 | Graphic Era University | 1 | |
| 19 | E. Ramesh | 1 | |
| 20 | Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology | 1 |
The leading positions held by universities and publicly funded research bodies suggest that foundational absorber-layer science remains the primary battleground, with commercial entities such as Swift Solar Inc and Energy Materials Corp beginning to stake claims in applied device architectures.
Filing counts for 2024 and 2025 are understated due to publication lag; apparent moderation in those years should not be read as a slowdown in underlying R&D activity. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
A 2022–2023 surge dominates the trend; organic-semiconductor device classes dominate the technology mix
The annual filing trend reveals a sharp inflection from 2022 onward, while the IPC composition shows overwhelming concentration in H10K organic-semiconductor classifications with several adjacent branches remaining comparatively sparse.
Annual filing trend
Activity was negligible from 2017 through 2021, then rose sharply to 10 records in 2022 and peaked at 23 in 2023. The apparent decline in 2024 and 2025 reflects publication lag rather than a true contraction; 2026 data is essentially uncounted for the same reason. The multi-year growth rate of 2,400% confirms the field’s Growth lifecycle stage.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H10K organic-semiconductor subclasses dominate with 63 patent records, reflecting the prevalence of perovskite-based photovoltaic and optoelectronic device filings classified under organic-semiconductor frameworks. H01L semiconductor devices (12 records) form a secondary cluster. Branches such as B82Y nanotechnology, C07F organo-metallic compounds, H10F photovoltaic devices, and C23C surface deposition each hold only 1–6 records, marking them as sparsely populated relative to H10K.
↗ 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.
Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells and Fabrication th…
An ammonium acetate selected from the group of pentylammonium acetate, phenylethylammonium acetate, 2-([1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl) ethan-1-amine acetate, butanammonium acetate, hexylammonium acetate, octylammonium acetate, phenylbutanammonium acetate, and any combination thereof, is used to modify a perovskite layer in a perovskite solar cell. A perovskite solar… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monolithic Tandem Chalcopyrite-Perovskite Photovol… | 44 |
| 2 | Tandem Kesterite-Perovskite Photovoltaic Device | 33 |
| 3 | Planar mixed-metal perovskite for optoelectronic a… | 10 |
| 4 | Composite materials for transport layers in perovs… | 6 |
| 5 | 一种钙钛矿太阳能电池及其制备方法 | 4 |
| 6 | Perovskite photoactive composite layer, preparatio… | 3 |
| 7 | Environment-Friendly Tin Perovskite Solar Cells an… | 3 |
| 8 | Composite Materials for Transport Layers in Perovs… | 2 |
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 Growth-stage lifecycle, moderate concentration, a single documented collaboration axis, and US-led jurisdiction coverage defines both the opportunity and the risk profile for new entrants.
Growth stage with volume easing from a 2023 peak
The field is classified as Growth, driven by a 2,400% increase in filings over the recent multi-year window relative to the prior period. Annual volume peaked in 2023 at 23 records and has eased since, though publication lag means 2024 and 2025 remain undercounted. Foundational IP positions are still being established, making early filing strategically valuable.
Growth StageTop three applicants pull away; long tail of academic filers
City University of Hong Kong, Swift Solar Inc, and Imperial College Innovations Ltd form a distinct leading tier. The top five filers account for 33% of the hundred largest filers’ combined output, and the remaining positions are divided among a wide range of national institutes and individuals. This structure gives the top three meaningful first-mover advantage in their respective device architectures while leaving substantial open space for targeted commercial entrants.
Moderate ConcentrationCity University of Hong Kong and Imperial College Innovations Ltd are the field’s only documented co-filing pair
Evidence shows a single active collaboration axis: City University of Hong Kong and Imperial College Innovations Ltd have co-filed 6 patent records together, making them the dominant partnership in this corpus. No other co-applicant relationships are recorded in evidence. This concentrated collaboration suggests that the Hong Kong–London axis may have disproportionate influence over jointly developed foundational IP in perovskite absorber layers.
Single Co-filing AxisUnited States leads filings; India and PCT routes show significant secondary activity
The United States accounts for 25 patent records, the largest single jurisdiction. India follows with 15 records, reflecting the strong presence of Indian technical institutes in the applicant ranking. WIPO PCT filings stand at 11, indicating applicants seeking broad international coverage. Europe (EPO) holds 8 records and China 7, with the United Kingdom and Australia each holding a small share. The US–India–PCT triangle defines the core enforcement geography to monitor.
US-Led, India SecondaryGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| City University of Hong Kong | Imperial College Innovations Ltd | 6 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
City University of Hong Kong leads on volume; Swift Solar Inc anchors the commercial tier
All momentum-tracked applicants are classified as new entrants, reflecting the field’s recent emergence; no player has an established multi-period trajectory to compare against.
City University of Hong Kong
Leads the corpus with 9 patent records, all concentrated in H10K organic-semiconductor subclasses (subgroups H10K30 and H10K85, 9 records each) with a secondary position in H01G capacitor-related classes. Momentum is classified as a new entrant, consistent with the field’s post-2021 emergence. The co-filing relationship with Imperial College Innovations Ltd (6 joint records) amplifies its effective coverage.
patent records: 9Swift Solar Inc
Holds 7 patent records, exclusively in H10K organic-semiconductor subclasses (H10K30, H10K85, H10K102), indicating a focused commercial strategy on perovskite thin-film photovoltaic device structures. Also classified as a new entrant, Swift Solar is the highest-ranked purely commercial entity and the closest competitor to the leading academic institutions by record count.
patent records: 7| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| City University of Hong Kong | 9 | ▲ new entrant |
| Swift Solar Inc | 7 | ▲ new entrant |
| Imperial College Innovations Ltd | 6 | ▲ new entrant |
| Energy Materials Corp | 5 | ▲ new entrant |
| Indian Institute of Technology Bombay | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Heliatek GmbH | 3 | ▲ new entrant |
| National Institute of Technology Patna | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| King Abdullah University of Science and Technology | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served IPC branches adjacent to the dominant H10K core
Several IPC branches appear in the corpus with low record counts relative to H10K, representing areas where perovskite absorber material IP is sparse and where targeted filing could establish early positions.
C23C · Coating & surface deposition
With only 2 patent records, C23C surface and thin-film deposition methods for perovskite absorbers are sparsely covered despite being a critical process step for manufacturing-ready devices. IIT Bombay’s focus on C23C16 deposition shows technical feasibility. Entry paths include vapor-phase deposition protocols, solvent-free coating, and roll-to-roll compatible processes that improve film uniformity and stability — all areas where process IP could complement existing device-level claims.
Search this in Eureka →B82Y · Nanotechnology applications
Only 3 patent records fall under B82Y nanotechnology classifications in this corpus, leaving quantum-dot-assisted, nanostructured, and dimensionally engineered perovskite absorber architectures relatively open. Nanostructuring is a recognized route to improved carrier mobility and defect passivation. The sparse coverage here suggests that applicants working on nano-scale absorber engineering could file with limited direct prior-art competition within this specific corpus.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ across technology routes
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | H10K 30 · Organic semiconductors (OLED etc.) | H10K 85 · Organic semiconductors (OLED etc.) | H10K 71 · Organic semiconductors (OLED etc.) | H01L 31 · Semiconductor devices | H10K 102 · Organic semiconductors (OLED etc.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City University of Hong Kong | Strong · 9 | Strong · 9 | Moderate · 2 | Absent | Absent |
| Swift Solar Inc | Strong · 7 | Strong · 6 | Absent | Absent | Strong · 5 |
| Imperial College Innovations Ltd | Strong · 6 | Strong · 6 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Energy Materials Corp | Strong · 5 | Strong · 3 | Moderate · 2 | Absent | Emerging · 1 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Bombay | Strong · 2 | Strong · 2 | Absent | Strong · 2 | Absent |
| Solaires Entreprises Inc | Strong · 2 | Strong · 2 | Strong · 2 | Absent | Absent |
| Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology Surat | Strong · 2 | Strong · 2 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus in scope contains 65 patent families. Activity was minimal before 2022, with the bulk of filings concentrated in 2022 and 2023.
City University of Hong Kong leads with 9 patent records, ahead of Swift Solar Inc (7 records) and Imperial College Innovations Ltd (6 records). All three are classified as new entrants reflecting the field’s recent emergence.
The United States leads with 25 patent records, followed by India (15), WIPO PCT (11), Europe via EPO (8), and China (7). The United Kingdom and Australia each hold a small share.
The field is in a Growth stage. The recent three-year filing window sits well above the prior three-year window, with a multi-year growth rate of 2,400%. Annual volume peaked in 2023 and has eased since, with 2024 and 2025 further understated by publication lag.
H10K organic-semiconductor subclasses account for 63 of the patent records in scope, reflecting perovskite device filings classified under organic-semiconductor frameworks. H01L semiconductor devices form a secondary cluster at 12 records.
Yes. City University of Hong Kong and Imperial College Innovations Ltd have co-filed 6 patent records together, making them the only documented co-applicant pair in the corpus. No other collaboration relationships are recorded in the evidence.
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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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