One of the major challenges in the area of novel channel materials for semiconductors is the need to find alternatives to traditional silicon-based materials that can offer improved performance, energy efficiency, and scalability. As device dimensions continue to shrink, silicon is approaching its fundamental limits, leading to issues such as short-channel effects and increased power consumption. Researchers are exploring various materials like high-mobility semiconductors (e.g., germanium, III-V compounds), two-dimensional materials (e.g., graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides), and oxide semiconductors (e.g., indium gallium zinc oxide) as potential replacements or complementary materials to silicon. However, integrating these novel materials into existing manufacturing processes and achieving desired electrical properties while maintaining cost-effectiveness remains a significant challenge.
We’ve curated applications and patents from the semiconductor industry over the past three years. Following an auto-landscape analysis, we’ve distilled the following insights.
Because of the lag in time between patent filing and publication of the related application (on average 18 months), this report does not give a complete picture but rather a perspective on publicly available semiconductor related patent information up until February 2024.
Summary
Despite being a leading semiconductor manufacturer, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd trails behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co TSMC Ltd in terms of patent assignees, with TSMC holding significantly more patents (284) compared to Samsung (189). TSMC holds more patents than Samsung Electronics Co Ltd is noteworthy because Samsung is a well-known global leader in consumer electronics and semiconductors, while TSMC is primarily a semiconductor foundry. This anomaly could be attributed to TSMC’s focus on cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing processes and technologies, which may have led to a higher number of patentable innovations compared to Samsung’s broader product portfolio.
Who are the top companies working on novel channel materials in semiconductors?
| Companies | Patent Count |
| Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co TSMC Ltd | 284 |
| Samsung Electronics Co Ltd | 189 |
| International Business Machines Corp | 92 |
Who are collaborating in novel channel materials in semiconductor?
| Companies | Count |
| Toshiba Corp & Toshiba Electronic Devices and Storage Corp | 10 |
| Denso Corp & Mirise Technologies Corp & Toyota Motor Corp | 9 |
| National Taiwan University NTU & Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co TSMC Ltd | 5 |
| Beijing Superstring Academy of Memory Technology & Changxin Memory Technologies Inc | 5 |
| Semiconductor Manufacturing International Beijing Corp & Semiconductor Manufacturing International Shanghai Corp | 4 |
Who are the top inventors that are working on novel channel materials in semiconductors?
| Inventors | Patent count |
| Ruilong Xie | 55 |
| H. Jim Fulford | 39 |
| Mark I. Gardner | 39 |
What are the filing trends of novel channel materials in semiconductors?
| Year | Patent count |
| 2021 | 602 |
| 2022 | 873 |
| 2023 | 122 |
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