Patent Leadership Changes and Technological Competence in Atomic Layer Deposition Technology of Global Leading Companies, Countries, and Subindustries

The past years have seen semiconductors become increasingly important across various sectors, and technological advancements have driven this phenomenon. Nanometer-sized semiconductor chips are not only efficient in reducing power consumption but are also environmentally friendly. Our research analyzes the technological rivalry among leading global corporations in semiconductor production technology, specifically atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology, which is pivotal for nanoscale manufacturing. We conducted a comprehensive examination of 5460 ALD patents of 40 premier companies. The first part is a longitudinal study to perform a leadership change study upon six countries and three subindustries. The second part is a comparative study on companies, countries, and subindustries, respectively, to analyze ALD patent portfolios. This longitudinal study has revealed that fierce patent leadership changes have happened among the three leading countries and that leadership is shifting from chipmakers to equipment companies. The comparative study used five two-dimensional patent matrices for competence analysis to elucidate ALD patent competition among companies and extend the level of analysis for companies to countries and subindustries. The research results provide insights for managers and policymakers regarding the dynamics of the ALD patent race, the importance of high-impact patent competence, and the evolving competitive landscape between chipmakers and equipment companies.