SHJ Device Simulation Patent Snapshot in 2026
Patent activity in silicon heterojunction (SHJ) device simulation is nascent, with only 3 patent families in scope and all filing concentrated in a single two-year window (2022–2023). Academic institutions dominate entirely, signalling that this domain remains largely in the research stage with very limited commercial IP staking.
Academic institutions hold all known IP; Delft University of Technology leads
Delft University of Technology is the top-ranked filer with 2 patent records, followed by Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Sun Yat-Sen University each with 1 patent record — the three institutions account for the entirety of the ranked corpus.
The top five filers collectively represent 100% of the ranked applicants visible in this query’ combined total, reflecting an extremely concentrated and thin evidence snapshot where a single institution already holds a plurality. There is no visible commercial-sector participation in the current evidence.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delft University of Technology | 2 | |
| 2 | Shanghai Jiao Tong University | 1 | |
| 3 | Sun Yat-Sen University | 1 |
Delft’s leading position, backed by filings covering semiconductor device simulation under H01L, suggests a research-led IP strategy oriented toward foundational simulation methodology rather than product-level claims. The two Chinese universities’ presence indicates emerging parallel research interest in Asia.
The corpus covers only 3 patent families, so conclusions should be treated as directional; additional filings from 2024 onward may not yet have published due to standard 18-month examination lag. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Activity emerged only in 2022–2023; technology focus is uniformly on semiconductor devices
The filing trend and technology composition charts together reveal both the timeline of IP formation and the technological narrowness of the field as currently patented.
Annual filing trend
Zero filings were recorded from 2017 through 2021. Activity appeared in 2022 with 1 filing and peaked at 2 filings in 2023, then shows zero for 2024–2026 — consistent with standard publication lag rather than cessation of activity. The entire observable patent history spans two years.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
All 3 patent records classify under H01L (Semiconductor devices), with no spread across adjacent IPC classes. This uniformity reflects the early, research-focused nature of the field and leaves substantial adjacent technical territory unaddressed.
↗ 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.
Simplified processing of interdigitated-back-conta…
The present invention is in the field of a simplified process for making solar cells, or photovoltaic (PV) cell, with transparent contacts and a silicon bulk material. Said solar cells comprise at least one hetero junction and typically two hetero junctions. The invention provides solar cells with good operating characteristics, such as in terms of… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
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.
Assignee snapshot from the current evidence set
The applicants below are visible in this query result. Because the evidence set is relatively small, read this section as a directional snapshot rather than a full competitive ranking.
Delft University of Technology
Delft University of Technology holds 2 patent records — the largest share in the corpus — both focused on H01L 31 (semiconductor devices). Its momentum is characterised as a new entrant with 2 recent-period filings and no prior baseline. Filing via WIPO (PCT) indicates an intent to maintain broad geographic optionality. It files independently, without co-applicants in the current evidence.
patent records: 2Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Shanghai Jiao Tong University holds 1 patent record under H01L 31, also classified as a new entrant with 1 recent-period filing. It co-filed with Sun Yat-Sen University, suggesting a joint research programme in SHJ simulation within China. Its filing is recorded in the China jurisdiction, consistent with a domestically oriented initial IP strategy.
patent records: 1Frequently asked questions
The current evidence contains 3 patent families in scope, making this one of the smallest observable patent landscapes in the semiconductor simulation domain.
Delft University of Technology is the top-ranked filer with 2 patent records, ahead of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Sun Yat-Sen University, each with 1 patent record.
No commercial entities appear in the current evidence. All three ranked filers are universities, indicating the field remains in a pre-commercial, research-institution-led phase.
Filings are spread across China, the European Patent Office (EPO), and WIPO (PCT) — one record in each. No US-jurisdiction filing is visible in the current evidence.
Yes. Sun Yat-Sen University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University share one co-filed patent record. Delft University of Technology files independently.
All 3 patent records fall under H01L (Semiconductor devices). Adjacent classes such as G06F (numerical computation) and H01L 21 (semiconductor manufacturing processes) are absent from the current evidence, representing under-served technical adjacencies.
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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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