Trench MOSFET Patent Landscape 2026
Trench MOSFET Patent Landscape in 2026
The Trench MOSFET patent field is at a mature stage, with 2,570 patent families in scope and a moderately concentrated competitive structure dominated by a handful of established power-semiconductor specialists. Annual volume has plateaued near its 2023 peak, with the dominant filing route anchored in core semiconductor device classifications under H01L.
Semicon Components leads a field of established power-semiconductor incumbents
Semicon Components Ind LLC holds the top position among the hundred largest filers, with a commanding lead over Alpha & Omega Semiconductor and Fuji Electric, who rank second and third respectively.
The top five filers account for 27% of the combined total of the hundred largest filers—a moderate concentration that signals a few dominant players but leaves meaningful room for challengers. The gap between the top-ranked applicant and the rest of the top ten is substantial, indicating a clear first-tier cluster.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Semicon Components Ind LLC | 432 | |
| 2 | ALPHA & OMEGA SEMICONDUCTOR INC | 312 | |
| 3 | Fuji Electric Co Ltd | 299 | |
| 4 | Force MOS Technology Co Ltd | 229 | |
| 5 | Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation | 186 | |
| 6 | Siliconix Incorporated | 184 | |
| 7 | Wolfspeed Inc | 172 | |
| 8 | Toshiba Corporation | 171 | |
| 9 | Monolithic 3D Inc | 160 | |
| 10 | MaxPower Semiconductor Inc | 155 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Infineon Technologies AG | 150 | |
| 12 | Rohm Co Ltd | 148 | |
| 13 | Vishay Siliconix LLC | 142 | |
| 14 | General Semiconductor Inc | 142 | |
| 15 | Infineon Technologies Austria AG | 137 | |
| 16 | Infineon Technologies Americas Corp | 114 | |
| 17 | Robert Bosch GmbH | 89 | |
| 18 | Denso Corporation | 83 | |
| 19 | Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd | 74 | |
| 20 | Mitsubishi Electric Corporation | 69 |
The incumbents’ entrenched positions reflect deep portfolios built on foundational device architecture and process patents, which raises the barrier for new entrants seeking broad claim coverage in core trench-gate structures.
Data for 2024 and 2025 filings are subject to publication lag and almost certainly undercount actual activity; no conclusions about recent-period direction should be drawn from those years alone. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Annual volume has plateaued near its 2023 peak; H01L dominates the technology mix
The filing trend and IPC composition charts together show where activity is concentrated and how it has evolved over the coverage window.
Annual filing trend
Annual family filings rose from 2018 through a 2023 peak, then appear to decline sharply in 2024–2025—an artifact of publication lag rather than a real contraction. The multi-year trajectory confirms the field is at maturity with volume stabilised near peak levels.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H01L (Semiconductor devices) is overwhelmingly dominant, reflecting the field’s tight focus on device architecture and fabrication. Secondary branches—H10D, H10B, G11C, and H02M—each hold a fraction of total records, pointing to selective but thin coverage in adjacent areas such as power conversion and memory integration.
↗ 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 Trench Gate MOSFET and Method for …
The present disclosure provides a silicon carbide trench gate metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) and a method for manufacturing thereof. The silicon carbide trench gate MOSFET includes: a substrate having a first doping type, an epitaxial layer formed on the substrate and having the first doping type, an epitaxial well region formed… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Power semiconductor devices and methods of manufac… | 722 |
| 2 | Silicon carbide semiconductor device and method fo… | 630 |
| 3 | Trench-gated MOSFET with bidirectional voltage cla… | 534 |
| 4 | Power semiconductor devices and methods of manufac… | 421 |
| 5 | Monolithically integrated trench MOSFET and Schott… | 366 |
| 6 | System comprising a semiconductor device and struc… | 336 |
| 7 | Vertical power mosfet having thick metal layer to … | 308 |
| 8 | Three-Terminal Gate-Controlled Semiconductor Switc… | 296 |
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
Four structural dimensions—maturity, concentration, collaboration, and geography—shape the risk-and-opportunity profile for anyone entering or expanding in Trench MOSFET.
Field is at maturity with annual volume near its 2023 peak
The lifecycle evidence characterises Trench MOSFET as a mature field: annual filings have plateaued near their 2023 peak rather than continuing to climb. Newcomers face a dense prior-art landscape in core device structures, so differentiation through novel materials, integration schemes, or wide-bandgap variants is a more viable path than incremental silicon trench-gate claims.
Mature fieldModerate top-five concentration with a deep mid-tier of challengers
The top five filers hold 27% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, indicating moderate—not extreme—concentration. A broad mid-tier from rank 6 (Siliconix) through rank 20 (Mitsubishi Electric) keeps competitive pressure alive. Gaps between mid-tier players are narrow, meaning focused portfolio growth in specific device sub-types can move a challenger up the rankings.
Moderate concentrationCo-filing is dominated by Toshiba–Toshiba Electronics and fuelled by Fuji Electric partnerships
The most active co-filing pair is Toshiba (KK Toshiba) with Toshiba Electronics Devices & Storage Corporation, with 16 joint filings—reflecting an intra-group R&D structure. Fuji Electric co-files with Denso (2 records), the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (2 records), and individual inventors. International Rectifier (US) co-files with International Rectifier (a subsidiary entity) and with a joint venture. Wolfspeed co-files with North Carolina State University, bridging industrial and academic SiC research.
Industry-led collaborationUnited States is the primary filing jurisdiction; China and Europe are secondary targets
The United States is by far the leading jurisdiction by patent records, followed by China and the European Patent Office. Taiwan and Japan round out the top five jurisdictions, reflecting the geographic spread of the leading device manufacturers. Thinner coverage in South Korea, Germany (national filings beyond EPO), and India may represent enforcement gaps worth assessing for market-entry planning.
US-led, global spreadGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Toshiba Corporation | Toshiba Electronics Devices & Storage Corporation | 16 |
| International Rectifier Corporation (US) | International Rectifier Ltd | 7 |
| Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation | Intersil Corporation | 2 |
| International Rectifier Corporation (US) | Alpha Corporation | 2 |
| Fuji Electric Co Ltd | Denso Corporation | 2 |
| Fuji Electric Co Ltd | National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) | 2 |
| Toshiba Corporation | National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) | 2 |
| Fuji Electric Co Ltd | Toyoda Yoshiaki (individual inventor) | 1 |
| Fuji Electric Co Ltd | Oe Takanori (individual inventor) | 1 |
| Wolfspeed Inc | North Carolina State University | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Semicon Components and Alpha & Omega lead; Wolfspeed is the momentum standout
The top-ranked applicants differ in technology emphasis and recent trajectory. Semicon Components holds the largest portfolio, while Wolfspeed shows the strongest upward momentum among the incumbents tracked.
Semicon Components Ind LLC
The corpus leader with 432 patent records, concentrated in H01L 29 (semiconductor devices) and H01L 21 (fabrication processes). Its portfolio breadth across core device and process classifications reflects an accumulation strategy built over multiple technology generations. Momentum data for this applicant is not separately broken out in the evidence.
432 patent recordsWolfspeed Inc
Ranked seventh overall with 172 patent records, Wolfspeed is the clearest momentum leader among tracked incumbents, showing a +31% increase in recent filings versus the prior period. Its technology focus is weighted toward H01L 29 and H01L 21—device and process claims—with notably less emphasis on integrated-circuit classifications, consistent with a pure-play wide-bandgap (SiC) device strategy. Monolithic 3D Inc (+24%) and MaxPower Semiconductor (new entrant) also show upward momentum.
172 patent records| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Fuji Electric Co Ltd | 21 | ▼ -66% |
| Toshiba Corporation | 4 | ▼ -75% |
| Wolfspeed Inc | 63 | ▲ +31% |
| MaxPower Semiconductor Inc | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Monolithic 3D Inc | 62 | ▲ +24% |
Under-served branches adjacent to the dominant H01L core
Several IPC branches appear alongside the dominant H01L classification at relatively low record counts, representing areas where Trench MOSFET technology intersects with adjacent domains but patent coverage is thin.
H02M · Power conversion (AC/DC etc.)
With 124 patent records, H02M sits at the intersection of Trench MOSFET device design and power-converter system integration—circuits that directly exploit low on-resistance and fast switching. The sparse coverage relative to H01L suggests that system-level claims combining trench-gate device structures with converter topologies (e.g., resonant converters, GaN/SiC hybrid stages) are not yet densely filed, offering a plausible entry path for applicants with both device and circuit expertise.
Search this in Eureka →H03K · Pulse technique & logic circuits
H03K accounts for 84 patent records in the corpus—thin relative to the H01L core. Trench MOSFET gate-driver circuits and high-speed switching logic represent the natural technical bridge. The low filing density in this branch, combined with growing demand for integrated gate-driver and protection functionality in power modules, makes it an adjacent area worth monitoring, though entry would require demonstrating clear differentiation from existing driver-IC art.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ across technology routes
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | H01L 29 · Semiconductor devices | H01L 21 · Semiconductor devices | H01L 27 · Semiconductor devices | H01L 23 · Semiconductor devices | H10B 12 · Memory device manufacture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation | Strong · 313 | Strong · 294 | Emerging · 34 | Emerging · 34 | Emerging · 55 |
| Monolithic 3D Inc | Absent | Strong · 137 | Strong · 127 | Strong · 127 | Strong · 117 |
| International Rectifier Corporation (US) | Strong · 208 | Strong · 179 | Moderate · 69 | Emerging · 23 | Emerging · 20 |
| Siliconix Incorporated | Strong · 181 | Strong · 159 | Moderate · 44 | Emerging · 13 | Emerging · 13 |
| Fuji Electric Co Ltd | Strong · 218 | Strong · 141 | Emerging · 34 | Absent | Absent |
| General Semiconductor Inc | Strong · 136 | Strong · 136 | Moderate · 36 | Absent | Emerging · 11 |
| Toshiba Corporation | Strong · 159 | Strong · 102 | Emerging · 23 | Emerging · 9 | Emerging · 9 |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus contains 2,570 patent families in scope for Trench MOSFET, representing the global dataset underlying this landscape analysis.
Semicon Components Ind LLC leads the ranking with 432 patent records among the hundred largest filers, ahead of Alpha & Omega Semiconductor (312) and Fuji Electric (299).
The field is at a mature stage: annual filings plateaued near their 2023 peak. The apparent drop in 2024–2025 data reflects publication lag rather than a real decline, so no definitive conclusion about very recent-period direction can be drawn.
The United States is the primary jurisdiction by patent records, followed by China, the European Patent Office, WIPO (PCT), and Taiwan. Japan and Germany also have meaningful coverage.
Among tracked incumbents, Wolfspeed shows a +31% increase in recent filings versus the prior period, and Monolithic 3D Inc shows +24%. MaxPower Semiconductor is identified as a new entrant. Fuji Electric and Toshiba both show declining recent momentum (-66% and -75% respectively).
The top-cited works cover power semiconductor device fabrication methods, silicon carbide semiconductor devices, trench-gated MOSFETs with bidirectional voltage clamping, and monolithically integrated trench MOSFET and Schottky structures—reflecting foundational claims in both silicon and wide-bandgap device architectures.
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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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