Phase Change Memory Patents: Who Leads, Where the Gaps Are 2026
Phase Change Memory Materials Patents: Concentration at the Top, a Long Tail Below
45.9% of all filings sit with five assignees. 1,899 of the 4,140 records in scope belong to the top five, so most of the claim space in this field was staked out early by a small group. Activity rose from 143 records in 2017 to a peak of 170 in 2019, then eased. The 2021-to-2024 window shows a 71% decline (149 to 43) — a real contraction, not a data artifact, though 2025 and 2026 are undercounted by design given publication lag.
- 1SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD516
- 2MICRON TECHNOLOGY INC496
- 3MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO LTD426
- 4INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION274
- 5OVONYX MEMORY TECHNOLOGY LLC187
See the full phase change memory materials analysis in Eureka
- The complete ranking, not just the top five
- Every IPC branch with its share of the corpus
- The most-cited records, and where claim space is still thin
Common questions about phase change memory patents
Who holds the most patents in phase change memory materials?
The ranked leader in this dataset holds 516 of the 4,140 records in scope, noticeably ahead of fifth place at 187 and tenth place at 106. Filing here is concentrated: the top five assignees together account for 45.9% of all records, and the top ten account for 63.2%. That leaves a long tail of smaller filers and single-patent entrants behind a steep drop-off from the leader.
Is phase change memory patent filing activity growing or shrinking?
Filing peaked in 2019 at 170 records and has since declined; the 2021-to-2024 window shows a 71% drop, from 149 records to 43. 2024 is the most recent year that can be treated as a reasonably complete picture, because publication typically lags filing by around 18 months. The 2025 and 2026 figures in any chart will look artificially low for that reason and should not be read as confirmation of a further slowdown.
What does US11101326B2 actually cover?
US11101326B2, assigned to SanDisk Technologies and granted in August 2021, covers a three-dimensional vertical cross-point phase change memory structure where word lines run horizontally and bit lines vertically, with cells set in recessed word-line regions and separated from the bit line by an ovonic threshold switch selector. A distinguishing feature is a surfactant lining of the word-line recess that stabilizes the resistance state and supports multi-state (multilevel) operation. Anyone designing a similar 3D cross-point PCM cell with a selector and a lining or interface treatment for resistance stability needs to check this filing’s specific claim scope closely.
Disclaimer. This analysis is based on Patsnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent records and is provided for general information and reference only. Patent data carries inherent limitations — recent filings are under-counted because of publication lag, counts may be on a record or family basis, classification and applicant-name data may contain errors or duplicates, and the underlying search query defines the scope shown — so the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
Nothing here is an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Verify independently and review with qualified patent and legal professionals before acting on it.
Method: Filing trend and technology composition. Derived from a Patsnap search on Phase Change Memory Materials covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-07-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish. Every share divides by all records in scope. Data: Patsnap Eureka. See the full landscape report.