Quantum Sensor Patent Landscape 2026
Quantum Sensor Patent Landscape in 2026
The quantum sensor patent field is in active growth, with annual filings expanding 119% over the recent window and academic institutions dominating the top ranks. Kyoto University leads the field, with material analysis and magnetic measurement forming the technical core, and the competitive structure remains fragmented enough that well-targeted entrants can establish defensible positions.
Academic institutions lead a fragmented but rapidly expanding field
Kyoto University holds the top position with 25 patent records, followed by Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corp (20) and the National Institute for Quantum Science and Technology (16), which ties with the University of Ulm (16). The leading cluster is predominantly academic or government-affiliated, a structural feature that distinguishes quantum sensing from more commercially mature adjacent fields.
The top five filers account for 24% of the combined total across the hundred largest filers — a moderate concentration level indicating that no single entity has locked up the space. The tier gap between Kyoto University and the rest is relatively narrow, meaning a sustained filing campaign by any second-tier player could shift the rankings.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kyoto University | 25 | |
| 2 | Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corp | 20 | |
| 3 | NAT INST FOR QUANTUM SCI & TECH | 16 | |
| 4 | University of Ulm | 16 | |
| 5 | Yissum Research Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem | 14 | |
| 6 | Sumida Corp | 12 | |
| 7 | Arumugam Sri Ranjini | 10 | |
| 8 | Element Six Technologies Ltd | 9 | |
| 9 | Dai Nippon Printing Co Ltd | 8 | |
| 10 | Lockheed Martin Corporation | 8 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Agnetix Inc | 8 | |
| 12 | NewSouth Innovations Pty Ltd | 8 | |
| 13 | Anhui Guosheng Quantum Tech Co Ltd | 8 | |
| 14 | Technical University of Denmark | 7 | |
| 15 | ENDRESS & HAUSER GMBH & CO KG | 7 | |
| 16 | BP plc | 7 | |
| 17 | Delft University of Technology | 6 | |
| 18 | United States Government | 5 | |
| 19 | Nissin Electric Co Ltd | 5 | |
| 20 | UT-Battelle LLC | 5 |
The dominance of universities and national labs at the top implies that fundamental platform patents — especially in NV-center magnetometry and nuclear-spin sensing — are largely held by non-commercial entities, creating both licensing opportunities and freedom-to-operate risk for commercial developers.
Figures for 2025 and 2026 are subject to publication lag and likely undercount actual filings; the competitive picture for those years should be treated as preliminary. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Sustained filing growth with material analysis dominating the technology mix
The annual filing trend reveals consistent expansion from 2017 through 2024, while the technology composition chart shows heavy concentration in material analysis and testing, with a long tail of adjacent application classes.
Annual filing trend
Filings grew steadily from 10 in 2017 to a recorded peak of 62 in 2024. The 2025 figure (45) and the 2026 figure (7) reflect publication lag and should not be read as a reversal; the underlying growth trajectory remains intact. The 119% recent-window growth confirms this is an expanding field, not a mature plateau.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
G01N (material analysis and testing) is the dominant class by a wide margin, reflecting the centrality of NV-diamond and nuclear-spin sensing techniques in the corpus. G01R (electric and magnetic measurement) is a strong secondary class. Nanotechnology applications (B82Y), AI-based computing (G06N), and semiconductor devices (H01L) each hold modest shares, signalling that integration with enabling technologies is an active but still-developing theme.
↗ 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.
Determining a modal amplitude of an inhomogeneous …
Determining a modal amplitude of an inhomogeneous field includes: preparing an initial entangled state of a quantum sensor; subjecting the quantum sensor to the inhomogeneous field of the analyte; subjecting a first qudit sensor of the quantum sensor to a first perturbation pulse; receiving the first perturbation pulse by the first qudit sensor to prepare a… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stable three-axis nuclear spin gyroscope | 86 |
| 2 | Biological optimization systems for enhancing phot… | 81 |
| 3 | Light collection from DNV sensors | 79 |
| 4 | Instrument for measuring the photosynthetic activi… | 77 |
| 5 | Method for the hyperpolarisation of nuclear spin i… | 59 |
| 6 | Method for the hyperpolarisation of nuclear spin i… | 58 |
| 7 | Diamond nitrogen vacancy sensor with circuitry on … | 56 |
| 8 | Sensor comprising a piezomagnetic or piezoelectric… | 54 |
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 R&D investment decisions
Four structural observations — maturity, concentration, collaboration, and geography — frame the investment calculus for teams entering or expanding in quantum sensing.
Growth stage: filings still expanding from a small base
The field is classified as Growth, with annual filings rising and the most recent years understated by publication lag. A 119% growth rate over the recent window reflects genuine demand expansion rather than noise. Teams entering now face a window before dominant positions consolidate — typical of a field transitioning from academic prototype to early commercial deployment.
Growth stageFragmented top tier with a 24% share among the hundred largest filers
The top five filers hold 24% of the combined total across the hundred largest filers, indicating moderate rather than high concentration. No single commercial entity has established a blocking position, and the leading applicants are mostly universities and government labs. This fragmentation gives commercial developers room to carve out application-specific clusters before a dominant industrial player emerges.
Moderate concentrationKyoto University anchors the most active co-filing network
The most frequent co-filing pair is Kyoto University and Sumida Corp, with 10 joint filings, reflecting a university-industry transfer model. Kyoto University also collaborates with Nissin Electric (5 joint filings). The National Institute for Quantum Science and Technology co-files with its affiliated national research body (6 filings) and with Hiroshima University (4 filings). Anhui Guosheng Quantum Tech is the most active hub among Chinese applicants, collaborating with four distinct partners including state grid and utility entities.
University-industry alliancesUS leads filings; PCT and EPO signal global commercial intent
The United States leads jurisdictional coverage, followed by WIPO PCT filings and the European Patent Office. Japan and China each have meaningful presences, consistent with the prominence of Japanese and Chinese applicants in the ranking. The breadth of PCT and EPO filings by academic institutions suggests that licensable platform technologies are being positioned for global commercialization.
US-led, globally contestedGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Kyoto University | Sumida Corp | 10 |
| NAT INST FOR QUANTUM SCI & TECH | National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST) | 6 |
| Kyoto University | Nissin Electric Co Ltd | 5 |
| National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST) | Hiroshima University | 4 |
| Kyoto University | Sumida Corp (Taiwan subsidiary) | 2 |
| NAT INST FOR QUANTUM SCI & TECH | Hitachi Ltd | 1 |
| Anhui Guosheng Quantum Tech Co Ltd | National Engineering Research Center for High-Speed Railway Construction Technology | 1 |
| Anhui Guosheng Quantum Tech Co Ltd | State Grid Anhui Electric Power Co Ltd Electric Power Research Institute | 1 |
| Anhui Guosheng Quantum Tech Co Ltd | China Yangtze Power Co Ltd | 1 |
| Anhui Guosheng Quantum Tech Co Ltd | China Three Gorges Corporation | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Kyoto University leads; a wave of new entrants is reshaping the second tier
The top two ranked applicants illustrate two distinct models: a deep academic platform builder and a focused commercial sensor manufacturer, with both showing upward momentum in recent filings.
Kyoto University
Kyoto University holds 25 patent records, the largest share among all applicants. Its technical focus is concentrated in G01N 24 (nuclear magnetic resonance and material analysis), G01R 33 (magnetic measurement), and A61B 5 (biomedical diagnostics), pointing to an NV-center and spin-based sensing platform with biomedical extensions. Recent filing momentum shows a 30% increase, indicating active portfolio expansion rather than a tapering academic program.
patent records: 25Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corp
Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corp ranks second with 20 patent records and is classified as a new entrant in terms of recent filing activity, meaning its contributions are concentrated in the recent window. Its focus spans G01N 21 (optical material analysis), H01L 31 (semiconductor photodetectors), and G01N 33 (biochemical assay sensing), suggesting a commercially oriented push toward integrated optical quantum sensor devices. The combination of semiconductor device integration and optical measurement positions it as a potential bridge between academic NV-center research and manufacturable sensor products.
patent records: 20| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Kyoto University | 13 | ▲ +30% |
| Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corp | 5 | ▲ new entrant |
| NAT INST FOR QUANTUM SCI & TECH | 15 | ▲ new entrant |
| Sumida Corp | 9 | ▲ new entrant |
| National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST) | 9 | ▲ new entrant |
| Arumugam Sri Ranjini | 9 | ▲ new entrant |
| NewSouth Innovations Pty Ltd | 8 | ▲ new entrant |
| Anhui Guosheng Quantum Tech Co Ltd | 7 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served branches adjacent to the quantum sensing core
Several IPC classes appear at materially lower filing density relative to G01N, despite plausible technical overlap with quantum sensing platforms. These are observations of relative sparsity; technical and commercial validation is needed before treating them as confirmed opportunities.
G01S · Radar, sonar and positioning
With 34 patent records, G01S is sparse relative to the dominant G01N class. Quantum-enhanced radar and quantum-inertial navigation (using atom interferometry for positioning) are technically adjacent to the NV-center and spin-sensing work already in the corpus. The under-representation may reflect early-stage translation from laboratory demonstrations; teams with existing sensor platform IP in G01N could extend into this branch with relatively modest incremental R&D effort.
Search this in Eureka →G01J · Radiation and light measurement
G01J holds only 20 patent records in this corpus despite the strong relevance of quantum photodetectors, single-photon counters, and quantum-enhanced spectroscopy to radiation and light measurement applications. The gap is notable given that H01L (semiconductor devices) and H01S (lasers) appear nearby in the technology map, suggesting that integrated quantum photonic sensing is being claimed under those classes rather than G01J. An entrant focusing explicitly on quantum-optical measurement standards or single-photon sensing for LIDAR could stake out a distinct position here.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ across technology routes
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | G01N 21 · Material analysis & testing | G01N 24 · Material analysis & testing | G01R 33 · Electric & magnetic measurement | G01N 33 · Material analysis & testing | G01N 27 · Material analysis & testing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyoto University | Absent | Strong · 25 | Moderate · 8 | Absent | Absent |
| University of Ulm | Absent | Strong · 15 | Strong · 16 | Absent | Absent |
| National Institute for Quantum Science and Technology | Strong · 8 | Strong · 14 | Moderate · 4 | Moderate · 4 | Absent |
| Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corp | Strong · 18 | Absent | Absent | Moderate · 5 | Absent |
| Technical University of Denmark | Strong · 5 | Strong · 7 | Strong · 7 | Absent | Absent |
| National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST) | Strong · 7 | Strong · 10 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Dai Nippon Printing Co Ltd | Absent | Strong · 8 | Strong · 8 | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 322 patent families globally. This total spans multiple jurisdictions and filing years within the last decade.
Kyoto University leads with 25 patent records, followed by Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corp (20) and the National Institute for Quantum Science and Technology (16), which ties with the University of Ulm (16).
The United States leads with 127 patent records, followed by WIPO PCT filings (66) and the European Patent Office (56). Japan (34) and China (31) are the next most active offices.
G01N (material analysis and testing) is the dominant IPC class with 377 patent records, reflecting the centrality of NV-center, nuclear spin, and optical absorption techniques. G01R (electric and magnetic measurement) is the next largest at 132 records.
The field is in a Growth stage. Annual filings expanded 119% over the recent window, rising from 10 in 2017 to a recorded peak of 62 in 2024. The lower figures for 2025 and 2026 reflect publication lag, not a reversal of the trend.
The most frequent co-filing pair is Kyoto University and Sumida Corp (10 joint filings), followed by the National Institute for Quantum Science and Technology with its affiliated national quantum research body (6 filings), and Kyoto University with Nissin Electric (5 filings).
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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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