Lithography Metrology & Inspection

Techniques and apparatus for measuring critical dimensions, overlay accuracy, defect detection, and surface topography in lithographic processes, often involving optical, laser, or charged particle beams.

7,570 US filings from 1,562 companies since 2023 · 2023: 2,059 · 2024: 2,237 · 2025: 2,211 · 2026 YTD: 1,063

Photolithography

Top companies

Ranked by filings in this theme since 2023. 2026 is partial.

#	Company	Since 2023	2023	2024	2025	2026 YTD	YoY
1	ASML Netherlands B.V.	931	267	281	279	104	-0.7%
2	KLA Corporation	380	94	118	108	60	-8.5%
3	CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA	371	109	109	99	54	-9.2%
4	CARL ZEISS SMT GMBH	352	73	94	106	79	+12.8%
5	SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.	199	38	55	67	39	+21.8%
6	Applied Materials, Inc.	189	55	48	61	25	+27.1%
7	Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.	180	50	46	57	27	+23.9%
8	ASML Holding N.V.	114	42	38	23	11	-39.5%
9	Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.	99	35	27	29	8	+7.4%
10	HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION	90	24	25	34	7	+36.0%
11	MITUTOYO CORPORATION	86	28	21	18	19	-14.3%
12	TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED	83	20	10	38	15	+280.0%
13	Applied Materials Israel Ltd.	79	21	16	29	13	+81.2%
14	Onto Innovation Inc.	65	13	16	19	17	+18.8%
15	Samsung Display Co., Ltd.	65	12	23	21	9	-8.7%
16	HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.	56	15	18	17	6	-5.6%
17	Cymer, LLC	53	16	12	16	9	+33.3%
18	NIKON CORPORATION	52	11	17	13	11	-23.5%
19	Nova Ltd.	48	14	14	14	6	0.0%
20	NuFlare Technology, Inc.	45	13	12	11	9	-8.3%
21	The Boeing Company	45	14	13	15	3	+15.4%
22	AUROS TECHNOLOGY, INC.	43	9	25	7	2	-72.0%
23	FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.	41	15	11	8	7	-27.3%
24	FUJIFILM CORPORATION	40	13	12	11	4	-8.3%
25	NANYA TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION	40	17	7	13	3	+85.7%