The technology industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by factors such as the increasing demand for miniaturized and energy-efficient electronics, advancements in nanotechnology, and the potential for single electron transistors (SETs) to enable new applications in quantum computing and sensing. This has resulted in the growing importance of technologies such as nanofabrication techniques, quantum tunneling phenomena, and advanced materials engineering, which collectively contribute to the development of highly efficient and high-performance single electron transistors. In the last three years alone, there have been over 1.5 million patents filed and granted in the technology industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in technology: single electron transistors. Buy the report here.
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However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilizing and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
185+ innovations will shape the technology industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the technology industry using innovation intensity models built on over 1.6 million patents, there are 185+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, non-volatile flash memory, neuromorphic computing, and haptic feedback interfaces are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. RAID transmission error detection, projector-camera system, and optimized vector processing are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are resistive touch displays and digital watermarking, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the technology industry
Single electron transistors is a key innovation area in technology
Single electron transistors (SETs) are specialized transistors that utilize individual or a few electrons to regulate current flow. While SETs find significant usage in research, their reliability and application scope is restricted compared to conventional transistors. These transistors commonly serve in quantum mechanics and nanoelectronics investigations, enabling advancements in these fields.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 105+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established technology companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of single electron transistors.
Key players in single electron transistors – a disruptive innovation in the technology industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to single electron transistors
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Ecole Polytechnique | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| GlobalFoundries Singapore | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| IMEC, VZW | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| National Research Council of Canada | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Texas Instruments | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Forschungszentrum Julich | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| SK Innovation | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hitachi | 23 | Unlock Company Profile |
| CEA | 34 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Japan Science and Technology Agency | 65 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Honda Motor | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Atomera | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sony Group | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| DRTECH | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| IBM | 33 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nutech Ventures | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nanochip | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Toshiba | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Intel | 251 | Unlock Company Profile |
| STREAMLINE AUTOMATION | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| RavenBrick | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Quantum Motion Technologies | 22 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Silicon Quantum Computing | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Papst Licensing | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Centre National Research Scientific | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shanghai Integrated Circuit Research & Development Center | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Wsou Investments | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Korea Electronics Telecommun | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Neuro-Kinesis | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| C12 Quantum Electronics | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission | 42 | Unlock Company Profile |
| QDevil ApS | 1 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Diraq | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Intel is the top patent filer in single electron transistors. One of the company’s patents describes quantum computing assemblies, devices, and methods. An embodiment involves a quantum computing assembly comprising multiple dies connected to a package substrate, with lateral interconnects incorporating a superconductor between different dies. Additionally, at least one of the dies within the assembly incorporates quantum processing circuitry.
Other prominent patent filers in the space include Japan Science and Technology Agency and Microsoft.
By geographic reach, Huawei leads the pack, followed by STREAMLINE AUTOMATION and Japan Science and Technology Agency. In terms of application diversity, Intel holds the top position, followed by Japan Science and Technology Agency and International Business Machines (IBM).
Technology innovation in single electron transistors (SETs) has revolutionized the field of electronic devices. SETs are nanoscale devices that control the flow of individual electrons, offering high precision and low power consumption.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the technology industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Technology.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
