Perovskite PV Characterization Patent Landscape 2026
Perovskite PV characterization is a fast-growing but still compact field, dominated by a small cluster of academic and industrial filers led by Contemporary Amperex Technology (Hong Kong) and City University of Hong Kong. The field expanded sharply from 2020 onward—with multi-year growth of 583% over the prior window—and is concentrated in organic semiconductor device classes, leaving several adjacent branches comparatively sparse.
A highly concentrated field led by two dominant filers
Contemporary Amperex Technology (Hong Kong) and City University of Hong Kong together account for the top two positions in the applicant ranking, with 11 and 10 patent records respectively, out of a corpus of 56 patent families in scope.
The top five filers hold 52% of the combined patent records of the hundred largest filers, indicating a strongly concentrated competitive structure. A meaningful tier gap separates the top two from the third-ranked Imperial College Innovations (7 records) and the two fourth-ranked filers at 5 records each.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Contemporary Amperex Technology (Hong Kong) Limited | 11 | |
| 2 | City University of Hong Kong | 10 | |
| 3 | Imperial College Innovations Ltd | 7 | |
| 4 | Nanyang Technological University | 5 | |
| 5 | Nanofilm Technologies International Ltd | 5 | |
| 6 | Swansea University | 4 | |
| 7 | Shandong University | 3 | |
| 8 | Hodogaya Chemical Co., Ltd. | 2 | |
| 9 | Huaneng Qinghai Power Generation Co., Ltd. | 2 | |
| 10 | Huaneng Renewables Corporation Limited | 2 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute | 2 | |
| 12 | Indian Institute of Technology Bombay | 2 | |
| 13 | Solaires Entreprises Inc | 2 | |
| 14 | Hong Kong Baptist University | 2 | |
| 15 | Shenzhen Hiking PV Technology Co., Ltd. | 1 | |
| 16 | Kunshan GCL Optoelectronic Material Co., Ltd. | 1 | |
| 17 | Shanghai Jiao Tong University | 1 | |
| 18 | Contemporary Amperex Technology (Hong Kong) Limited | 1 | |
| 19 | Kunshan Maise Information Consulting Co., Ltd. | 1 | |
| 20 | South China University of Technology | 1 |
The leadership position of Contemporary Amperex Technology (Hong Kong)—a commercial battery and energy storage giant—alongside City University of Hong Kong signals that both industry and academia are staking early IP positions; neither has yet established the kind of dominant lead typical of a mature field.
The most recent 18–24 months of filing data are subject to publication lag and likely undercount actual activity; trend reads for 2024–2026 should be treated as a floor, not a ceiling. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Rapid multi-year expansion, with organic semiconductor classes dominating the technology mix
Filing activity was negligible before 2020 and accelerated sharply through 2023; the technology composition is heavily weighted toward organic semiconductor device classes, with a range of adjacent branches claiming smaller shares.
Annual filing trend
Filings were effectively zero from 2017 through 2019, then climbed through 2020–2023, reaching a visible peak in 2023 (28 records). The 2024–2026 figures appear lower but reflect publication lag rather than a genuine reversal; the field remains in multi-year expansion relative to its prior three-year baseline.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H10K (Organic semiconductors) is the dominant class by a wide margin (51 records), reflecting the core device-physics classification of perovskite solar cells. H02S (photovoltaic/solar power generation), C09D (coatings, paints and inks), H01G (capacitors), and H01L (semiconductor devices) each claim 4–6 records, while nanotechnology (B82Y) and material analysis (G01N) contribute a further 3 records each—confirming the breadth of measurement and materials angles being pursued.
↗ 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.
Perovskite solar cell and its preparation
A perovskite solar cell includes an electron transport layer between an anode and a cathode, wherein the electron transport layer comprises of first and second portions of tin oxide (SnO<sub>x</sub>). A method for preparing the perovskite solar cell includes depositing an electron transport layer having first and second portions of tin oxide… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Perovskite solar cell | 7 |
| 2 | Perovskite solar cell and fabrication method thereof | 5 |
| 3 | Perovskite solar cell and fabrication method thereof | 4 |
| 4 | Organic-inorganic perovskite solar cell with direc… | 3 |
| 5 | Perovskite solar cell and manufacturing method | 3 |
| 6 | Perovskite solar cell with interface layer | 2 |
| 7 | 一种适用于钙钛矿太阳能电池的EL检测设备及检测方法 | 2 |
| 8 | Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells and Fabrication th… | 1 |
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 positioning
The field’s early-growth profile, concentrated leadership, and active cross-institutional collaboration create distinct implications for new entrants and incumbents alike.
Growth stage: expanding on a multi-year basis, easing from 2023 peak
The field is classified as Growth, with three-year filing volume sitting 583% above the prior three-year window. Annual volume has eased from its 2023 peak, and recent years are further understated by publication lag. For R&D planners, this signals a window where IP positions are still being established and freedom-to-operate is broader than it will be at maturity.
Growth stageTop five filers hold 52% of the leading-100 filers’ combined records
The top five filers—Contemporary Amperex Technology (Hong Kong), City University of Hong Kong, Imperial College Innovations, Nanyang Technological University, and Nanofilm Technologies—account for 52% of the patent records among the hundred largest filers. This concentration is high for such a young corpus, suggesting the early movers have moved decisively. A second tier of filers at 2–4 records each represents a diffuse group that has not yet consolidated a counter-position.
High concentrationTwo prominent co-filing partnerships define the ecosystem
City University of Hong Kong and Imperial College Innovations are the most active co-filers, having jointly filed 7 patent records—the strongest collaboration link in the corpus. Nanofilm Technologies (Singapore) co-files with Nanyang Technological University (5 records), and also with Schlich Ltd (1 record), while Nanyang Technological University and Schlich Ltd share 1 co-filed record. These partnerships straddle Asia-Pacific academic-industrial and UK academic-commercial axes.
Cross-institutionalUnited States leads filing volume; Europe and China are secondary jurisdictions
The United States is the lead jurisdiction with 23 patent records, followed by Europe (EPO) with 9 and China with 8. India, WIPO (PCT), and Australia each register 3 or fewer records. The US-centric filing pattern, combined with PCT routes, suggests applicants are prioritizing the world’s largest solar market and preserving options for international prosecution. China’s relatively low count is notable given that the top-ranked filer is a Hong Kong-registered entity.
US-led, global reachGo 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 | 7 |
| Nanofilm Technologies International Ltd | Nanyang Technological University | 5 |
| Nanofilm Technologies International Ltd | Schlich Ltd | 1 |
| Nanyang Technological University | Schlich Ltd | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Contemporary Amperex Technology and City University of Hong Kong set the pace
Both leaders entered the perovskite PV characterization space as new entrants in the recent window, with all their activity concentrated in the H10K organic semiconductor device class—reflecting the classification of perovskite solar cell architectures under that branch.
Contemporary Amperex Technology (Hong Kong)
Ranked first with 11 patent records, Contemporary Amperex Technology (Hong Kong) entered the field as a new entrant in the recent filing window (trend: ▲ new entrant). Its technology focus is entirely within H10K, spanning device architecture (H10K30), materials characterization (H10K85), and manufacturing process (H10K71) subclasses—indicating a broad, vertically integrated IP strategy across the perovskite cell stack.
patent records: 11City University of Hong Kong
Ranked second with 10 patent records, City University of Hong Kong is also a new entrant in the recent window (trend: ▲ new entrant). Its focus spans H10K30 and H10K85 with an additional foothold in H01G9 (capacitors), suggesting characterization work that extends to dielectric and charge-storage measurements relevant to perovskite device physics. Its 7-record co-filing partnership with Imperial College Innovations makes it the hub of the field’s most active collaborative cluster.
patent records: 10| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| City University of Hong Kong | 9 | ▲ new entrant |
| Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. | 9 | ▲ new entrant |
| Imperial College Innovations Ltd | 7 | ▲ new entrant |
| Nanofilm Technologies International Ltd | 5 | ▲ new entrant |
| Nanyang Technological University | 5 | ▲ new entrant |
| Swansea University | 3 | ▲ new entrant |
| Shandong University | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Hong Kong Baptist University | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served branches adjacent to the dominant organic semiconductor class
Several IPC branches appear in the corpus at low counts relative to the dominant H10K class; these represent areas where perovskite PV characterization intersects adjacent disciplines, but where patent coverage remains thin.
H02S · Photovoltaic / solar power generation (system-level)
With only 6 patent records and a 7% share of the corpus, H02S covers system- and module-level photovoltaic characterization rather than device physics. This branch is sparse despite being the natural classification for outdoor performance testing, degradation monitoring, and energy yield measurement of perovskite modules—all areas with strong commercial relevance as perovskite PV moves toward field deployment. An entrant with expertise in PV system diagnostics could establish an early position here.
Search this in Eureka →G01N · Material analysis & testing
G01N (material analysis and testing) appears in only 3 patent records, despite being the broadest classification for analytical characterization methods—including spectroscopy, microscopy, and structural analysis applied to perovskite films and interfaces. Given that perovskite PV characterization is inherently an analytical discipline, the low G01N count suggests that most filers are classifying their work under device rather than measurement-method classes. Teams developing novel characterization instrumentation or test protocols may find this branch comparatively open.
Search this in Eureka →How leaders differ by technology route across IPC classes
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.) | H02S 50 · Photovoltaic / solar power generation | C09D 11 · Coatings, paints & inks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. | Strong · 10 | Strong · 7 | Strong · 9 | Absent | Absent |
| City University of Hong Kong | Strong · 10 | Strong · 10 | Emerging · 2 | Absent | Absent |
| Imperial College Innovations Ltd | Strong · 7 | Strong · 7 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Swansea University | Strong · 4 | Strong · 3 | Strong · 3 | Absent | Strong · 4 |
| Nanyang Technological University | Strong · 5 | Strong · 4 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Nanofilm Technologies International Ltd | Strong · 5 | Strong · 4 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Shandong University | Strong · 3 | Strong · 2 | Strong · 3 | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus analyzed contains 56 patent families in scope. This is a compact but fast-growing body of IP, with the majority of filings occurring after 2020.
Contemporary Amperex Technology (Hong Kong) leads with 11 patent records, followed closely by City University of Hong Kong (10 records) and Imperial College Innovations (7 records). Nanyang Technological University and Nanofilm Technologies International are joint fourth with 5 records each.
Yes, on a multi-year basis. The recent three-year filing window is 583% above the prior three-year window, confirming the field is in a Growth lifecycle stage. Annual volume peaked in 2023 and appears lower in 2024–2026, but this is primarily a publication lag effect rather than a genuine decline.
The United States is the lead jurisdiction with 23 patent records. Europe (EPO) follows with 9 records, and China accounts for 8. India, WIPO (PCT), and Australia each have 3 or fewer records, indicating a US-centric filing strategy with selective international coverage.
H10K (organic semiconductors) dominates with 51 patent records, far ahead of any other class. Adjacent branches including H02S (photovoltaic system-level, 6 records), C09D (coatings, 4 records), H01G (capacitors, 4 records), H01L (semiconductor devices, 4 records), B82Y (nanotechnology, 3 records), and G01N (material analysis, 3 records) are comparatively sparse and represent under-served areas relative to the dominant class.
Yes. City University of Hong Kong and Imperial College Innovations have the strongest co-filing relationship in the corpus with 7 jointly filed patent records. Nanofilm Technologies International co-files with Nanyang Technological University (5 records) and with Schlich Ltd (1 record). These partnerships define two distinct collaborative clusters: a Hong Kong–UK academic-commercial axis and a Singapore academic-industry axis.
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