Perovskite Solar Cell Transparent Electrode Patent Landscape
Perovskite Solar Cell Transparent Electrode Patent Landscape in 2026
The perovskite solar cell transparent electrode space has grown sharply on a multi-year basis, with filing volume up 135% in the recent window and China-origin applications dominating the corpus. Hanwha Solutions Corp leads a moderately concentrated field where industrial players and research institutions compete side by side, signalling that the technology is still in active growth with commercial stakes rising.
Hanwha Solutions leads a moderately concentrated but rapidly expanding field
Hanwha Solutions Corp holds the top position with 65 patent families, ahead of Trina Solar Co Ltd at 52 and Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute at 45. The top five filers’ combined share reaches 18% of the hundred largest filers’ total, indicating moderate rather than extreme concentration.
A clear first tier separates Hanwha Solutions, Trina Solar, and Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute from a dense mid-tier of companies and universities clustered between 20 and 41 patent families each. This tier structure means no single actor has locked up the space, and a well-targeted portfolio could still reach competitive parity.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hanwha Solutions Corp | 65 | |
| 2 | Trina Solar Co Ltd | 52 | |
| 3 | Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute | 45 | |
| 4 | Korea Electric Power Corp | 41 | |
| 5 | Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd | 40 | |
| 6 | Nankai University | 31 | |
| 7 | KOREA UNIV RES & BUSINESS FOUND | 29 | |
| 8 | Huaneng Renewables Corporation Limited | 29 | |
| 9 | RES & BUSINESS FOUND SUNGKYUNKWAN UNIV | 29 | |
| 10 | Xidian University | 28 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Contemporary Amperex Technology (Hong Kong) Limited | 27 | |
| 12 | HUAZHONG UNIV OF SCI & TECH | 24 | |
| 13 | Wuhan University | 23 | |
| 14 | Xi’an TJ-Solar New Energy Co Ltd | 23 | |
| 15 | Wuhan University of Technology | 23 | |
| 16 | Hebei University of Technology | 22 | |
| 17 | Wuxi Utmost Light Technology Co Ltd | 21 | |
| 18 | Zhejiang Aiko Solar Energy Technology Co Ltd | 21 | |
| 19 | Tianjin Aiko Solar Energy Technology Co Ltd | 20 | |
| 20 | Zhuhai Fushan Aiko Solar Energy Technology Co Ltd | 20 |
The presence of battery-sector entrants such as Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd alongside dedicated solar manufacturers and Korean utilities signals that the transparent electrode problem is attracting cross-sector R&D investment, broadening the competitive set beyond traditional photovoltaic incumbents.
Filings from the most recent 18–24 months are under-counted due to standard patent-publication lag and should be treated as a floor rather than a ceiling for current activity. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filings accelerating since 2022; organic semiconductor subclass dominates the technology mix
The annual filing trend and technology composition charts together reveal both the pace of activity and the specific technical routes that practitioners are pursuing in perovskite solar cell transparent electrode research.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings were broadly steady from 2017 through 2021 before breaking out sharply in 2022 and continuing to climb through 2024, the apparent peak year. The 2025 and 2026 bars are substantially under-counted owing to publication lag and should not be read as a slowdown; the lifecycle assessment confirms filings are still rising on a multi-year basis.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H10K (organic semiconductors, covering perovskite device architectures) is the dominant IPC class with 1,173 records, followed by H01L (semiconductor devices) at 890. Coating and deposition methods (C23C), nanotechnology (B82Y), and photovoltaic device claims (H10F) each represent small but distinct secondary clusters, reflecting the multi-disciplinary nature of transparent electrode engineering.
↗ 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.
Transparent Conducting Oxide As Top-Electrode In P…
Techniques for forming a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) top contact using a low temperature process are provided. In one aspect of the invention, a method of forming a TCO on a substrate is provided. The method includes the steps of: generating a source gas of the TCO using e-beam evaporation; generating atomic oxygen using RF plasma; and contacting the… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一种钙钛矿太阳能电池及其制备方法 | 78 |
| 2 | 有机无机杂化钙钛矿基太阳能电池及其制备方法 | 70 |
| 3 | 一种钙钛矿太阳能电池及其溶液法制备方法 | 69 |
| 4 | 一种具有界面修饰层的钙钛矿太阳能电池及其制备方法 | 59 |
| 5 | 一种柔性大面积钙钛矿太阳电池组件及其制备方法 | 56 |
| 6 | Tandem solar cell, tandem solar cell module compri… | 55 |
| 7 | 一种平面异质结钙钛矿太阳能电池及其制备方法 | 54 |
| 8 | 一种钙钛矿太阳能电池及其制备方法 | 51 |
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 IP structure means for transparent electrode R&D investment
Four structural observations — maturity stage, concentration, collaboration networks, and geography — together define the strategic environment for any entrant or incumbent evaluating transparent electrode R&D in perovskite photovoltaics.
Growth stage: annual volume still climbing
The lifecycle assessment classifies this field as Growth, with annual filings still rising and recent-window growth of 135%. The peak apparent year is 2024, though publication lag means the true trajectory likely extends into 2025 and beyond. Entering now means competing against a rapidly expanding prior-art base, but the window for differentiated claims remains open.
Growth stageModerate concentration with a large, competitive mid-tier
The top five filers account for 18% of the combined output of the hundred largest filers, and no single actor holds a commanding share. The mid-tier — spanning roughly 20 to 41 patent families — includes both vertically integrated manufacturers and university research foundations, creating a fragmented competitive landscape where targeted portfolio building can yield meaningful relative position.
Moderate concentrationHuaneng group is the most active co-filer; Korean university–industry pairs are prominent
Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute co-files most actively, with 29 joint families alongside Huaneng Renewables Corporation and 11 with Huaneng Qinghai Power. Contemporary Amperex Technology co-files with its Shanghai research institute (6 families). On the Korean side, Sungkyunkwan University’s industry cooperation foundation pairs with Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology and with a multidimensional energy systems group (6 families each), while Korea Electric Power Corp collaborates with Korea University’s industry cooperation foundation and with Seoul National University’s R&D foundation.
Active co-filingChina-centric filing with limited international protection
China accounts for 1,305 of all jurisdiction records, with South Korea a distant second at 252 and the United States at 117. WIPO PCT filings stand at 111 and EPO at 66, suggesting that most applicants are not yet pursuing broad international protection. This creates an asymmetry: dominant Chinese applicants have thin coverage in Western markets, which may represent both a freedom-to-operate opening and a signal of near-term commercialization focus in Asia.
China-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.
| Applicant | Collaborator | Co-filings |
|---|---|---|
| Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute | Huaneng Renewables Corporation Limited | 29 |
| Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute | Huaneng Qinghai Power Generation Co Ltd | 11 |
| Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd | Contemporary Amperex Future Energy Research Institute (Shanghai) | 6 |
| Research & Business Foundation Sungkyunkwan University | Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology | 6 |
| Research & Business Foundation Sungkyunkwan University | Global Frontier Center for Multiscale Energy Systems | 6 |
| Korea Electric Power Corp | Korea University Research & Business Foundation | 4 |
| Korea University Research & Business Foundation | Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) | 4 |
| Korea Electric Power Corp | Seoul National University R&DB Foundation | 3 |
| Nankai University | China Three Gorges Corporation | 3 |
| Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute | China Huaneng Group Co Ltd | 2 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Hanwha Solutions and Contemporary Amperex Technology: industrial leaders with distinct entry trajectories
The ranking is led by established solar and energy-storage players, most of whom entered or sharply accelerated in the recent filing window, indicating that industrialization pressure — not just academic curiosity — is now driving the IP race.
Hanwha Solutions Corp
Hanwha Solutions Corp leads with 65 patent families and a momentum trend of new entrant, meaning its filing history in this specific subfield is recent but already the largest in the corpus. Its technology focus is concentrated in H10K 30 (perovskite device structures, 61 records), H10K 85 (materials, 49 records), and H10K 71 (fabrication processes, 24 records), indicating a broad device-level coverage strategy rather than a narrow component play.
patent families: 65Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd
Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd holds 40 patent families with a new entrant momentum trajectory, reflecting a rapid ramp into perovskite transparent electrode IP from its battery-sector base. Its focus mirrors the field’s dominant route — H10K 30 (38 records), H10K 71 (24 records), and H10K 85 (22 records) — suggesting a deliberate effort to build a full-stack device position in photovoltaics alongside its core energy-storage business.
patent families: 40| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Hanwha Solutions Corp | 50 | ▲ new entrant |
| Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd | 60 | ▲ new entrant |
| Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute | 18 | ▲ +6% |
| Trina Solar Co Ltd | 31 | ▲ new entrant |
| Korea Electric Power Corp | 29 | ▲ new entrant |
| Nankai University | 9 | ▼ -10% |
| Korea University Research & Business Foundation | 19 | ▲ new entrant |
| Research & Business Foundation Sungkyunkwan University | 14 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served branches adjacent to the dominant transparent electrode routes
Several IPC classes appear at low share relative to the dominant H10K and H01L classes, marking them as adjacent branches where activity is sparse. Two stand out as having plausible technical relevance and a realistic entry path for transparent electrode work.
C23C · Coating & surface deposition
With 54 records and a 2% share, coating and surface deposition methods are under-represented given their direct relevance to depositing transparent conductive oxide and metal-nanowire electrode layers. Sputtering, ALD, and CVD process claims in this class could differentiate a portfolio focused on scalable, defect-controlled electrode deposition — an area where process IP can be harder to design around than device-level claims. Entry is feasible for any actor already operating thin-film deposition equipment in a solar or display context.
Search this in Eureka →B82Y · Nanotechnology applications
B82Y records total 43 at a 2% share, despite nanotechnology-enabled materials — carbon nanotubes, silver nanowires, graphene — being actively researched as ITO-free transparent electrode candidates. The sparse filing count relative to the size of the academic literature suggests that most nanomaterial electrode work is either being claimed under broader H10K device classes or has not yet been translated into granted industrial IP. An entrant with a scalable nanomaterial synthesis or patterning process could establish a relatively uncrowded position here.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ across IPC technology routes
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | H10K 30 · Organic semiconductors (OLED etc.) | H10K 71 · Organic semiconductors (OLED etc.) | H01L 51 · Semiconductor devices | H10K 85 · Organic semiconductors (OLED etc.) | H01L 31 · Semiconductor devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanwha Solutions Corp | Strong · 61 | Moderate · 24 | Absent | Strong · 49 | Absent |
| Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd | Strong · 38 | Strong · 24 | Absent | Strong · 22 | Moderate · 16 |
| Trina Solar Co Ltd | Strong · 36 | Strong · 30 | Absent | Moderate · 10 | Absent |
| Korea Electric Power Corp | Strong · 26 | Strong · 18 | Absent | Strong · 17 | Moderate · 12 |
| Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute | Strong · 20 | Strong · 15 | Strong · 23 | Absent | Absent |
| Korea University Research & Business Foundation | Strong · 19 | Strong · 14 | Absent | Strong · 13 | Strong · 11 |
| Hebei University of Technology | Strong · 21 | Strong · 20 | Absent | Strong · 14 | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The analysis covers 1,795 patent families in scope globally, with the filing trend showing a sharp acceleration from 2022 onward and the apparent peak year at 2024.
Hanwha Solutions Corp leads with 65 patent families, followed by Trina Solar Co Ltd at 52 and Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute at 45.
It is moderately concentrated: the top five filers account for 18% of the combined output of the hundred largest filers. A large mid-tier of applicants — including universities and industrial entrants — clusters between 20 and 41 families, keeping the field competitive.
China dominates with 1,305 jurisdiction records, followed by South Korea at 252 and the United States at 117. WIPO PCT and EPO filings are substantially smaller, indicating limited broad international protection strategies among most applicants so far.
H10K (organic semiconductors, which covers perovskite device architectures) accounts for 1,173 records and is the dominant class, followed by H01L (semiconductor devices) at 890 records. All other classes individually represent small shares.
Yes. Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute is the most active co-filer, with 29 joint families alongside Huaneng Renewables Corporation. On the Korean side, Sungkyunkwan University’s cooperation foundation co-files with Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology and a multidimensional energy systems group (6 families each), and Korea Electric Power Corp collaborates with Korea University’s industry cooperation foundation.
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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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