Quantum Sensing & Metrology Patent Landscape 2026
Quantum Sensing & Metrology Patent Landscape in 2026
The quantum sensing and metrology field spans 2,281 patent families and remains in a growth phase, with the most recent three-year window up 47% versus the prior comparable period, though annual volume eased from its 2023 peak. Google LLC leads by family count, but the top five filers hold only 18% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, signalling a fragmented, multi-stakeholder competitive field.
Google leads a fragmented field with strong academic presence in the top tier
Google LLC heads the top five filers account for 18% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total — a relatively low concentration figure indicating that no single player commands a dominant share.
The tier gap between the leader (90 patent families) and the twentieth-ranked applicant, University of Ulm (25 patent families), is roughly 3.6×. Several universities and government laboratories sit inside the top fifteen, meaning that academic and public-sector actors are structural participants rather than peripheral contributors.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Google LLC | 90 | |
| 2 | Quantum Tech UG GmbH | 69 | |
| 3 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 65 | |
| 4 | Northrop Grumman Systems Corp | 64 | |
| 5 | PRESIDENT & FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE | 61 | |
| 6 | Kyoto University | 54 | |
| 7 | Wells Fargo Bank NA | 45 | |
| 8 | Beihang University | 35 | |
| 9 | University of Strathclyde | 34 | |
| 10 | Regents of the University of California | 34 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | NPL Management Ltd | 34 | |
| 12 | UNIV OF SCI & TECH OF CHINA | 32 | |
| 13 | Commissariat a l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA) | 32 | |
| 14 | Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) | 31 | |
| 15 | Ricoh Co Ltd | 30 | |
| 16 | Texas Instruments Inc | 29 | |
| 17 | Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC | 27 | |
| 18 | SaxonQ GmbH | 25 | |
| 19 | ColdQuanta Inc | 25 | |
| 20 | University of Ulm | 25 |
Google’s position is anchored in quantum computing infrastructure (G06N), which partially overlaps with sensing applications. Northrop Grumman and Kyoto University concentrate on electric and magnetic measurement (G01R 33), the field’s dominant technical branch, signalling that hardware-focused players most directly contest the core sensing space.
Filing counts for 2024 and 2025 are systematically understated due to patent publication lag of typically 18–24 months; apparent softening in those years should not be read as a genuine slowdown. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Multi-year growth intact, with electric and magnetic measurement as the structural core
Annual filing volume climbed steadily from 2017 through 2023 before easing, consistent with a maturing growth field. The technology mix is broad but clearly anchored in a dominant branch, with AI-assisted computing methods emerging as a significant secondary layer.
Annual filing trend
Filings grew from 81 families in 2017 to a peak of 400 in 2023, a roughly five-fold increase over six years. The 2024 and 2025 figures (331 and 256 respectively) reflect publication lag rather than a genuine reversal; the 2026 count of 33 is an early partial-year tally only.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
G01R (electric and magnetic measurement) is the dominant branch, followed at a distance by G06N (AI-based computing methods), G01N (material analysis and testing), and B82Y (nanotechnology applications). The prominence of G06N reflects quantum algorithm development intersecting with sensing hardware; G01N and B82Y signal active work at the interface of quantum sensing and physical chemistry or nanoscale devices.
↗ 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.
Intracellular quantum metrology device, intracellu…
The purpose of the present invention is to achieve quantum metrology which makes it possible to measure the state of the inside of a cell and in which disadvantages of quantum metrology using nano-particles are overcome. The intracellular quantum metrology device (1) is provided with a substrate (10) having a nanopillar (11) formed on the surface thereof… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
Open this patent in Eureka →| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Optically integrated biosensor based on optically … | 232 |
| 2 | Methods and apparatus for optically detecting magn… | 188 |
| 3 | Atomic magnetometer and operating method of the same | 185 |
| 4 | Diode laser-pumped magnetometer | 172 |
| 5 | High sensitivity solid state magnetometer | 164 |
| 6 | High sensitivity atomic magnetometer and methods f… | 152 |
| 7 | Electronic spin based enhancement of magnetometer … | 134 |
| 8 | Electronic spin based enhancement of magnetometer … | 132 |
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 investment
The field’s growth trajectory, fragmented ownership, rich collaboration network, and US-centric filing geography together define where new entrants have room and where incumbents are entrenched.
Growth stage, past its 2023 annual peak
The field is classified as Growth: the most recent three-year filing window sits 47% above the prior comparable window, confirming multi-year expansion. Annual volume eased from its 2023 peak of 400 families, and the most recent years are further understated by publication lag. The window for early-mover positioning has not closed, but core magnetic measurement and quantum computing branches are becoming increasingly contested.
Growth stageLow concentration, broad participation
The top five filers hold 18% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total — a low figure for a technology field of this size. Universities, national labs, start-ups, and large corporates all appear in the top twenty, which means no single player can set de facto standards or block broad swaths of the landscape. New entrants with differentiated technical approaches have realistic paths to meaningful positions.
FragmentedNational lab–university and industry–university pairs dominate co-filing
The most active co-filing pair is NPL Management Ltd and the University of Strathclyde with 31 joint patent families, reflecting the UK’s coordinated metrology research infrastructure. Kyoto University and Sumida Corporation (23 families) represent the leading industry–university pairing. Quantum Tech UG GmbH and Elmos Semiconductor AG (21 families) anchor a European hardware collaboration. Harvard University and MIT co-filed 19 families, the strongest US academic pairing. These clusters suggest that partnership with a complementary institution — particularly a national metrology institute or a precision-components manufacturer — accelerates portfolio building.
EcosystemUS-dominant filing, with China and Europe active secondary jurisdictions
The United States leads as the primary filing office, followed by China, WIPO (PCT), and Europe (EPO). Germany, Japan, Australia, India, and Canada form a secondary tier. South Korea and the United Kingdom trail. The PCT route is used extensively, indicating applicants seeking broad international coverage. China’s strong position in the secondary tier is reinforced by Beihang University and the University of Science and Technology of China both appearing in the top-twenty applicant ranking.
US-led, globalGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| NPL Management Ltd | University of Strathclyde | 31 |
| Kyoto University | Sumida Corporation | 23 |
| Quantum Tech UG GmbH | Elmos Semiconductor AG | 21 |
| President & Fellows of Harvard College | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 19 |
| Kyoto University | Nissin Electric Co Ltd | 9 |
| President & Fellows of Harvard College | University of Maryland | 4 |
| President & Fellows of Harvard College | QUERA COMPUTING INC | 3 |
| Kyoto University | Hamamatsu Photonics KK | 3 |
| Quantum Tech UG GmbH | DUOTEC GMBH | 3 |
| Google LLC | Regents of the University of California | 2 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Google leads in volume; Quantum Tech UG GmbH is the fastest-growing challenger
The leader and primary challenger occupy distinct technical niches — quantum computing infrastructure versus core electromagnetic sensing hardware — making them complementary rather than directly colliding across all branches.
Google LLC
Google LLC ranks first with 90 patent families. Its portfolio is concentrated in G06N (AI and quantum computing models), reflecting an infrastructure-first strategy that spans quantum algorithm development applicable to sensing tasks. Recent-period momentum is essentially flat at +3% versus the prior window, suggesting the portfolio is consolidating rather than aggressively expanding.
families: 90Quantum Tech UG GmbH
Quantum Tech UG GmbH holds 69 patent families and is the fastest-growing major filer in the ranking, with recent-period filings up 63% versus the prior window. Its portfolio centres on G01R 33 (electric and magnetic measurement) and G01N 21 (material analysis), placing it squarely in applied quantum magnetometry and optical sensing — the most hardware-proximate segment of the field. Its close collaboration with Elmos Semiconductor AG (21 joint families) further anchors a chip-level integration pathway.
families: 69| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Google LLC | 41 | ▬ +3% |
| President & Fellows of Harvard College | 17 | ▼ -6% |
| Kyoto University | 24 | ▬ 0% |
| Quantum Tech UG GmbH | 26 | ▲ +63% |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 15 | ▼ -40% |
| Wells Fargo Bank NA | 20 | ▼ -17% |
| Northrop Grumman Systems Corp | 5 | ▼ -62% |
| Beihang University | 14 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served branches at the quantum sensing periphery
Several IPC branches appear adjacent to the field’s core but carry relatively low shares of the current corpus, representing areas where the technical intersection with quantum sensing exists but patent activity has not yet densified.
A61B · Diagnosis & surgery
With 142 patent records and a 3% share of classified records among the top branches, quantum-enhanced biomedical sensing — magnetoencephalography, zero-field NMR, and optically pumped magnetometers for cardiac imaging — remains under-represented relative to its technical potential. The most-cited prior art in the corpus includes several magnetometer patents directly applicable to biomagnetic measurement. Entrants with both quantum sensing hardware expertise and regulatory pathway experience in medical devices face lower incumbent density than in the core G01R branch.
Search this in Eureka →G01C · Distance, navigation & gyroscopes
G01C (distance, navigation, and gyroscopes) carries 86 patent records, a modest footprint given that atom interferometry and quantum gyroscopes are among the most mature quantum sensing modalities beyond magnetometry. Northrop Grumman’s portfolio includes G01C 19 filings, but the branch as a whole is sparsely covered relative to the core magnetic measurement cluster. For defence, aerospace, or autonomous-navigation players with existing inertial sensing programmes, this represents a realistic adjacent entry point with identifiable commercial pull.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ across technology branches
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | G01R 33 · Electric & magnetic measurement | G06N 10 · Computing based on AI models | G01N 24 · Material analysis & testing | G01N 21 · Material analysis & testing | B82Y 10 · Nanotechnology applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google LLC | Absent | Strong · 90 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Kyoto University | Strong · 37 | Absent | Strong · 33 | Absent | Absent |
| Quantum Tech UG GmbH | Strong · 44 | Absent | Absent | Moderate · 16 | Absent |
| NPL Management Ltd | Strong · 32 | Absent | Strong · 28 | Absent | Absent |
| University of Strathclyde | Strong · 32 | Absent | Strong · 28 | Absent | Absent |
| Wells Fargo Bank NA | Absent | Strong · 45 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Northrop Grumman Systems Corp | Strong · 42 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 2,281 patent families in scope. Filing activity grew roughly five-fold between 2017 and the 2023 peak, with the most recent three-year window sitting 47% above the prior comparable period.
Google LLC leads with 90 patent families, ahead of Quantum Tech UG GmbH (69), MIT (65), Northrop Grumman Systems Corp (64), and Harvard University (61). Recent momentum for Google is essentially flat at +3%.
It is fragmented. The top five filers account for 18% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total. Universities, national laboratories, start-ups, and large corporations all appear in the top twenty, and no single applicant commands a blocking position.
G01R (electric and magnetic measurement) is the dominant branch, driven by quantum magnetometry applications. G06N (AI-based computing methods) is a significant secondary branch, reflecting quantum algorithm development, followed by G01N (material analysis and testing) and B82Y (nanotechnology applications).
The United States leads as the primary filing office, followed by China, WIPO (PCT), and Europe (EPO). Germany, Japan, Australia, India, and Canada form an active secondary tier. The heavy use of the PCT route indicates applicants seeking broad international protection.
The most prolific co-filing pair is NPL Management Ltd and the University of Strathclyde with 31 joint patent families. Kyoto University and Sumida Corporation follow with 23, and Quantum Tech UG GmbH and Elmos Semiconductor AG have 21. Harvard University and MIT form the strongest US academic pairing with 19 joint families.
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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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