A high power vertical insulated-gate switch is described that includes a parallel cell array having inner cells and an edge cell. The cells have a vertical npnp structure with a trenched field effect device that turns the device on and off. The edge cell is prone to breaking down at high currents. Techniques used to cause the current in the edge cell to be lower than the current in the inner cells, to improve robustness, include: forming a top n-type source region to not extend completely across opposing trenches in areas of the edge cell; forming the edge cell to have a threshold voltage of its field effect device that is greater than the threshold voltage of the field effect devices in the inner cells; and providing a resistive layer between the edge cell and a top cathode electrode electrically contacting the inner cells and the edge cell.

A power semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body coupled to first and second load terminals and including a drift region with dopants of a first conductivity type. An active region has at least one power cell extending at least partially into the semiconductor body, is electrically connected with the first load terminal and includes a part of the drift region. Each power cell includes a section of the drift region and is configured to conduct a load current between the terminals and to block a blocking voltage applied between the terminals. A chip edge laterally terminates the semiconductor body. A non-active termination structure arranged in between the chip edge and active region includes an ohmic layer. The ohmic layer is arranged above a surface of the semiconductor body, forms an ohmic connection between electrical potentials of the first and second load terminals, and is laterally structured along the ohmic connection.

A structure and a manufacturing method of a power semiconductor device are provided. A structure of thin semi-insulating field plates (32, 33, 34) located between metal electrodes (21, 22, 23) at the surface of the power semiconductor device is provided. The thin semi-insulating field plates (32, 33, 34) are formed by depositing before metallization and annealing after the metallization. The present invention can be used in lateral power semiconductor devices and vertical power semiconductor devices.

A semiconductor device includes a plurality of forward conducting insulated-gate bipolar transistor cells configured to conduct a current in a forward operating mode of the semiconductor device and to block a current in a reverse operating mode of the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device also includes a plurality of reverse conducting insulated-gate bipolar transistor cells configured to conduct a current both in the forward operating mode and in the reverse operating mode. A corresponding method for operating a semiconductor device is also disclosed.

In an embodiment, a power semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor body for conducting a load current between first and second load terminals; source and channel regions and a drift volume in the semiconductor body; a semiconductor zone in the semiconductor body and coupling the drift volume to the second load terminal, a first transition established between the semiconductor zone and the drift volume; a control electrode insulated from the semiconductor body and the load terminals and configured to control a path of the load current in the channel region; and a trench extending into the drift volume along an extension direction and including a field electrode. A cross-sectional area of the field electrode is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the control electrode in a plane parallel to the extension direction.

A nitride-based Schottky diode includes a nitride-based semiconductor body, a first metal layer forming the anode electrode, a cathode electrode in electrical contact with the nitride-based semiconductor body, and a termination structure including a guard ring and a dielectric field plate. In one embodiment, the cathode electrode is formed on the front side of the nitride-based semiconductor body, in an area away from the anode electrode and the termination structure. In another embodiment, the dielectric field plate includes a first dielectric layer and a recessed second dielectric layer. In another embodiment, the dielectric field plate and the nitride-based epitaxial layer are formed with a slant profile at a side facing the Schottky junction of the Schottky diode. In another embodiment, the dielectric field plate is formed on a top surface of the nitride-based epitaxial layer and recessed from an end of the nitride-based epitaxial layer near the Schottky junction.

Some embodiments relate to a method. In the method, a semiconductor substrate is provided. Dopant impurities of a first dopant conductivity are implanted into the semiconductor substrate to form a body region. A gate dielectric and a field oxide region are formed over the semiconductor substrate. A polysilicon layer is formed over the gate dielectric and field oxide region. The polysilicon layer is patterned to concurrently form a conductive gate electrode over the gate dielectric and a resistor structure over the field oxide region. The resistor structure is perimeterally bounded by an inner edge of the conductive gate electrode. Dopant impurities of a second dopant conductivity, which is opposite the first dopant conductivity, are implanted into the semiconductor substrate to form a source region and a drain region. The drain region is perimeterally bounded by the inner edge of the conductive gate electrode.

Some embodiments relate to an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes a ring-shaped drain region having an inner edge and an outer edge. A channel region surrounds the ring-shaped drain region. A source region surrounds the channel region. The channel region separates the drain region from the source region. A gate electrode is arranged over the channel region and is separated from the channel region by a gate dielectric. An inner edge of the gate electrode is proximate to the drain region. A resistor structure is arranged over and spaced apart from an upper surface of the substrate. The resistor structure has a first end and a second end which are connected by a curved or polygonal path of resistive material. The first end is coupled to the ring-shaped drain. The resistor has an outer perimeter that is surrounded by the inner edge of the ring-shaped drain region.

In an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body having a field effect transistor device with an active region and an edge termination region that surrounds the active region on all sides. The active region includes a first serpentine trench in the semiconductor body, a first field plate in the first serpentine trench, a second serpentine trench in the semiconductor body, and a second field plate in the second serpentine trench. The first serpentine trench is separate and laterally spaced apart from the second serpentine trench.

Dielectric super-junction transistors use combinations high dielectric relative permittivity materials and high-mobility materials. An associated electronic device includes a junction portion of a barrier layer adjacent a gate contact and a drain contact. A layered semiconductor device is configured with a junction dielectric permittivity that is greater than a channel dielectric permittivity in the channel layer. The junction portion has a dielectric structure that polarizes carriers within the junction portion such that excess charge on the gate is compensated by an opposite charge in the junction portion of the barrier layer proximate the gate. A sheet charge in the barrier layer is increased to form a depletion region with the channel layer that avoids a conductive parallel channel in the barrier layer to the drain contact.