SiC Device Simulation Patent Landscape 2026
SiC device simulation is in a growth phase, with Fuji Electric holding a clear lead and Japanese industrial incumbents dominating the top tier. Filing activity has expanded on a multi-year basis, and the field remains concentrated among a small number of vertically integrated device makers.
Fuji Electric leads a concentrated field of Japanese and US incumbents
Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. holds the top position with 75 patent families, followed by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation at 50 and Toshiba at 37. The top five filers collectively account for one-third of the combined output of the hundred largest filers, signaling meaningful but not extreme concentration.
A clear tier gap separates the top three Japanese device makers from the mid-tier, which includes ON Semiconductor (Semiconductor Components Industries), Sumitomo Electric Industries, and Denso. Automotive entrants Hyundai Motor and Toyota add a downstream application dimension to the ranking.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. | 75 | |
| 2 | Mitsubishi Electric Corporation | 50 | |
| 3 | Toshiba Corporation | 37 | |
| 4 | Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC (ON Semiconductor) | 36 | |
| 5 | Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. | 29 | |
| 6 | Denso Corporation | 28 | |
| 7 | Hyundai Motor Company | 26 | |
| 8 | Wolfspeed, Inc. | 19 | |
| 9 | ROHM Co., Ltd. | 18 | |
| 10 | General Electric Company | 15 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Hitachi Energy Ltd. | 13 | |
| 12 | Xi’an Jiaotong University | 12 | |
| 13 | Toyota Motor Corporation | 12 | |
| 14 | Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. | 10 | |
| 15 | Hitachi, Ltd. | 10 | |
| 16 | Resonac Corporation | 10 | |
| 17 | Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation | 10 | |
| 18 | Hunan University | 9 | |
| 19 | Xidian University | 9 | |
| 20 | Northwestern Polytechnical University | 9 |
The leaders’ positions reflect deep vertical integration: simulation capability is built adjacent to device design and process development, making IP portfolios wide across device structure, fabrication process, and materials characterization branches simultaneously.
Filings from approximately 2024 onward are subject to publication lag and likely under-represent actual recent activity; the 2025–2026 data should be treated as provisional. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filings are expanding on a multi-year basis; semiconductor device IP dominates the technology mix
Two charts together tell the story of a growing but structurally narrow field: annual filing volumes have trended upward over the past decade, while the technology composition is heavily concentrated in semiconductor device and process classes.
Annual filing trend
Annual volumes have grown from the low-60s range in 2017–2019 to a visible peak of 87 families in 2024, consistent with a 24% recent-window growth rate. The 2025 and 2026 bars are materially under-counted due to publication lag and should not be read as a slowdown.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H01L (Semiconductor devices) is overwhelmingly dominant, with G06F (Electric digital data processing) and H10D (Semiconductor devices, general) as secondary branches. Smaller but notable shares exist in H10P, G16C (Computational chemistry), H02M (Power conversion), and G06N (AI-based computing), pointing to an emerging layer of simulation methodology and system-level modeling work sitting beneath the device-level core.
↗ 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.
Silicon carbide junction field effect transistors
Silicon carbide (SiC) junction field effect transistors (JFETs) are presented herein. A deep implant (e.g., a deep p-type implant) forms a JFET gate (<b>106</b>). MET gate and MET source (<b>108</b>) may be implemented with heavily doped n-type (N+) and heavily doped p-type (P+) implants, respectively. Termination regions may be implemented by using… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Silicon carbide semiconductor device and method of… | 118 |
| 2 | Static-induction transistors having heterojunction… | 117 |
| 3 | Silicon carbide semiconductor device | 99 |
| 4 | Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device | 95 |
| 5 | Controlled Ion Implantation Into Silicon Carbide U… | 69 |
| 6 | Silicon carbide semiconductor device | 54 |
| 7 | Hybrid converter system | 50 |
| 8 | Hybrid vertical type power semiconductor device | 49 |
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 decisions
The combination of a growth-stage lifecycle, a concentrated incumbent tier, active automotive co-filing partnerships, and a US-dominant filing jurisdiction creates a specific risk-and-opportunity profile for new entrants and challengers alike.
Growth stage: annual filings rising with a 2024 peak
The field is classified in the Growth stage, with a 24% multi-year filing increase and a 2024 annual peak of 87 families. Publication lag means the most recent period is under-counted, so the trajectory is likely stronger than the raw 2025–2026 data suggests. Entry is still feasible before the field reaches maturity and defensive blocking becomes the dominant strategy.
Growth stageTop five hold one-third of the largest-filer output
The top five filers account for 33% of the combined output of the hundred largest filers, with Fuji Electric’s 75-family lead roughly 50% larger than second-place Mitsubishi Electric’s 50. This creates a meaningful moat at the top but leaves substantial room for mid-tier and niche players: the next fifteen ranked applicants each hold between 9 and 29 patent families, indicating an active second tier without a single dominant challenger.
Moderate-high concentrationAutomotive and national-lab pairings drive co-filing activity
The most active co-filing pair is Denso and Toyota Motor Corporation, with 11 joint families, reflecting tightly coordinated SiC powertrain simulation work within the Toyota ecosystem. Hyundai Motor and Kia also co-file 7 families, establishing a parallel Korean automotive cluster. Fuji Electric and Mitsubishi Electric each partner independently with Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) for 3 families apiece, signaling that public-sector research infrastructure plays a supporting role for the top incumbents.
Ecosystem co-filingUS is the primary filing jurisdiction; China is a fast-growing secondary market
The United States leads all jurisdictions by a wide margin, followed by China as a secondary filing destination. European Patent Office and WIPO PCT filings represent a smaller but strategically important international protection layer. Germany and India each capture a modest slice, likely reflecting local manufacturing or automotive supplier ecosystems. Any entrant seeking broad protection should prioritize US prosecution while monitoring Chinese filing velocity.
US-led, China growingGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Denso Corporation | Toyota Motor Corporation | 11 |
| Hyundai Motor Company | Kia Corporation | 7 |
| Toshiba Corporation | Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation | 6 |
| Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. | National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) | 3 |
| Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. | National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) | 3 |
| Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. | Mitsubishi Electric Corporation | 2 |
| Denso Corporation | Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI) | 2 |
| Denso Corporation | Miraial Co., Ltd. | 2 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Fuji Electric accelerates while Mitsubishi and Toshiba pull back
The top two players share a nearly identical technology focus — device structure and process simulation under H01L 29 and H01L 21 — but their recent momentum diverges sharply, creating an opening for challengers with targeted simulation methodologies.
Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
Fuji Electric holds 75 patent families, the largest portfolio in scope, and is accelerating: recent filings are up 87% versus the prior three-year period, making it the only top-tier player posting strong positive momentum. Its technology focus is tightly clustered around H01L 29 (semiconductor device structures), H01L 21 (semiconductor fabrication processes), and H10D 62 (general semiconductor devices), confirming a vertically integrated simulation strategy spanning device design through process optimization.
families: 75Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
Mitsubishi Electric holds 50 patent families and shares Fuji Electric’s core technology focus across H01L 29, H01L 21, and H10D 62, but recent filing momentum has declined sharply at –93% versus the prior period — a near-complete pullback that may reflect internal portfolio consolidation or a strategic shift away from simulation-specific filings. This divergence between a large existing base and contracting recent activity suggests Mitsubishi’s portfolio may be aging without near-term reinforcement.
families: 50| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. | 28 | ▲ +87% |
| Mitsubishi Electric Corporation | 1 | ▼ -93% |
| Toshiba Corporation | 3 | ▼ -75% |
| Denso Corporation | 4 | ▼ -67% |
| GeneSiC Semiconductor Inc. | 4 | ▼ -78% |
| Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC (ON Semiconductor) | 3 | ▼ -79% |
Under-served adjacent branches worth monitoring
Several IPC branches sit at the intersection of SiC simulation and adjacent disciplines with relatively sparse coverage, representing areas where new technical approaches have not yet attracted concentrated patent activity from incumbents.
G16C · Computational Chemistry Methods
G16C covers molecular and materials simulation methods and accounts for a small share of the corpus relative to the dominant H01L classes. SiC defect modeling, dopant behavior, and interface chemistry are technically mature simulation targets, yet dedicated computational-chemistry patent filings remain sparse. An entrant with physics-based or atomistic simulation tools — particularly for defect density prediction relevant to yield improvement — could occupy this space without directly competing with the incumbents’ device-structure IP.
Search this in Eureka →G06N · AI-Based Computing Models for Device Simulation
G06N (computing based on AI models) represents a small but structurally distinct branch within the corpus. Machine-learning surrogate models for SiC TCAD, data-driven parameter extraction, and neural-network-assisted device optimization are active research areas but remain lightly patented relative to the device-structure core. Given that G06N filings are sparse and the technical value of AI-accelerated simulation is well-established, this branch is worth watching for early-mover advantage, particularly for EDA and simulation software companies.
Search this in Eureka →How leaders differ by technology route across device, process, and system classes
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | H01L 29 · Semiconductor devices | H01L 21 · Semiconductor devices | G06F 30 · Electric digital data processing | H10D 62 · Semiconductor devices (general) | G06F 119 · Electric digital data processing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. | Strong · 75 | Strong · 39 | Absent | Moderate · 25 | Absent |
| Mitsubishi Electric Corporation | Strong · 46 | Moderate · 23 | Absent | Moderate · 16 | Absent |
| Toshiba Corporation | Strong · 36 | Moderate · 18 | Absent | Emerging · 7 | Absent |
| Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC (ON Semiconductor) | Strong · 20 | Strong · 14 | Absent | Strong · 14 | Absent |
| Denso Corporation | Strong · 29 | Strong · 18 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. | Strong · 29 | Moderate · 9 | Absent | Moderate · 8 | Absent |
| Hyundai Motor Company | Strong · 26 | Moderate · 13 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
There are 580 patent families in scope for this landscape, filed across major jurisdictions with the United States as the primary filing destination.
Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. leads with 75 patent families, ahead of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation at 50 and Toshiba at 37. Fuji Electric is also the only top-tier player with strongly positive recent filing momentum, up 87% versus the prior period.
The field is in a Growth stage. Multi-year filing volume has increased by 24%, with a peak of 87 families recorded in 2024. Recent-period data from 2025 onward is under-counted due to publication lag.
The United States is the leading jurisdiction, followed by China as a secondary market. The European Patent Office and WIPO PCT represent a smaller but strategically significant international protection layer. Germany and India each capture a modest share.
Denso and Toyota Motor Corporation are the most active co-filing pair with 11 joint families, followed by Hyundai Motor and Kia with 7. Fuji Electric and Sumitomo Electric each co-file with Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) for 3 families apiece.
G16C (Computational chemistry) and G06N (AI-based computing models) are the most technically relevant under-served adjacent branches. Both have sparse patent coverage relative to the dominant H01L semiconductor device classes, yet address active research problems in atomistic defect modeling and machine-learning-accelerated simulation respectively.
Ready to map your own SiC simulation landscape?
Join 18,000+ innovators using PatSnap Eureka to map any technology landscape: search 2B+ patents and papers, surface key assignees, and generate a report like this in minutes.
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.
Nothing on this page constitutes an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate, or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial, investment, or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Any patent, commercial, or strategic decision should be verified independently and reviewed with qualified patent, legal, and domain professionals. PatSnap makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose of the information presented.