Plasma doping refers to the process of introducing dopant ions from a plasma into a substrate, often without the mass separation used in conventional beamline ion implantation. Conformal doping is the broader goal that plasma doping is frequently used to achieve: an even dopant profile across a non-planar surface, such as a fin sidewall or trench wall, where a directional ion beam would leave the vertical faces under-doped. In patent claim language the two terms overlap heavily, and this dataset treats them together because most filings claim conformal doping as an outcome achieved through a plasma doping or plasma immersion method.

The assignee ranking in this dataset is led by a semiconductor process-equipment maker with 127 of the 848 records in scope, with the top five assignees together holding 52.7% of all records. The leaderboard is dominated by equipment and foundry companies rather than fabless design houses, which reflects plasma doping’s nature as a tool and process-integration technology. Anyone assessing competitive position in this space should look at the full ranked list rather than assume the leader’s share reflects the whole field, since concentration drops off quickly after the top few names.

Filing activity peaked in 2019 at 50 records and has declined since, with the last three complete years showing a 34% drop from 32 filings in 2021 to 21 in 2024. Because publication lags filing by roughly 18 months, 2025 and 2026 figures are still incomplete and should not yet be read as confirming a further decline. The honest reading is that the field cooled through 2024, with the most recent trend still an open question until later filings finish publishing.