A semiconductor device includes a first electrode, a first semiconductor region connected to the first electrode and being of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor region provided on the first semiconductor region, contacting the first semiconductor region and being of a second conductivity type, first metal layers and second metal layers provided on the second semiconductor region and contacting the second semiconductor region, a third semiconductor region provided between the first semiconductor region and the first metal layer, and a second electrode. The third semiconductor region contacts the first and second semiconductor regions and being of the first conductivity type. An impurity concentration of the third semiconductor region is greater than an impurity concentration of the first semiconductor region. The second electrode contacts the first semiconductor region, the second semiconductor region, the first metal layers, and the second metal layers.

A semiconductor device includes: a SiC substrate; a device structure in or on the SiC substrate and subject to an electric field during operation of the semiconductor device; a current-conduction region of a first conductivity type in the SiC substrate below and adjoining the device structure; and a shielding region of a second conductivity type laterally adjacent to the current-conduction region and configured to at least partly shield the device structure from the electric field. The shielding region has a higher net doping concentration than the current-conduction region, and has a length (L) measured from a first position which corresponds to a bottom of the device structure to a second position which corresponds to a bottom of the shielding region. The current-conduction region has a width (d) measured between opposing lateral sides of the current-conduction region, and L/d is in a range of 1 to 10.

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a source region and a drain region, a first insulator between the source region and the drain region, a gate electrode having a first end on a side thereof closer to the source region than the drain region on a portion of the semiconductor substrate that is not covered with the first insulator, and having a second end on the first insulator closer to the drain region than the source region, and a second insulator that is continuous with the second end of the gate electrode and having a portion which is on the first insulator where the first insulator is not covered with the gate electrode, is on an end of the drain region, and is in contact with the gate electrode, the first insulator, and the drain region.

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type having a first principal surface on one side and a second principal surface on the other side, the semiconductor layer in which a device formation region and an outer region outside the device formation region are set, a channel region of a second conductivity type formed in a surface layer portion of the first principal surface of the semiconductor layer in the device formation region, an emitter region of a first conductivity type formed in a surface layer portion of the channel region, a gate electrode formed at the first principal surface of the semiconductor layer in the device formation region, the gate electrode facing the channel region across a gate insulating film, a collector region of a second conductivity type formed in a surface layer portion of the second principal surface of the semiconductor layer in the device formation region, an inner cathode region of a first conductivity type formed in the surface layer portion of the second principal surface of the semiconductor layer in the device formation region, and an outer cathode region of a first conductivity type formed in the surface layer portion of the second principal surface of the semiconductor layer in the outer region.

A semiconductor device includes: a first conductive type first silicon carbide region including a first region, a second region and a third region both on the first region, the second region having impurity concentration equal to or higher than the first region, and the third region having impurity concentration higher than the second region; a second conductive type second silicon carbide region on the first silicon carbide region, the second silicon carbide region including a fourth region in contact with the second region and a fifth region in contact with the third region, and the fifth region having impurity concentration higher than the fourth region; a third silicon carbide region of a first conductive type on the second silicon carbide region; a first gate electrode; a first electrode having a first portion in contact with the second silicon carbide region and the third silicon carbide region; and a second electrode.

Provided is a semiconductor device comprising an active region and an edge region, the semiconductor device comprising: a drift region of a first conductivity type provided in the semiconductor substrate; a base region of a second conductivity type provided above the drift region; a first collector region of the second conductivity type provided below the drift region in the active region; and a second collector region of the second conductivity type provided below the drift region in the edge region, wherein a doping concentration of the first collector region is higher than a doping concentration of the second collector region, wherein an area of the first collector region is of the same size as an area of the second collector region or larger than the area of the second collector region, in a top plan view.

A semiconductor structure for facilitating an integration of power devices on a common substrate includes a first insulating layer formed on the substrate and an active region having a first conductivity type formed on at least a portion of the first insulating layer. A first terminal is formed on an upper surface of the structure and electrically connects with at least one other region having the first conductivity type formed in the active region. A buried well having a second conductivity type is formed in the active region and is coupled with a second terminal formed on the upper surface of the structure. The buried well and the active region form a clamping diode which positions a breakdown avalanche region between the buried well and the first terminal. A breakdown voltage of at least one of the power devices is a function of characteristics of the buried well.

A semiconductor device includes a chip that has a first main surface on one side and a second main surface on another side, a pn-junction portion that is formed in an interior of the chip such as to extend along the first main surface, a device region that is provided in the first main surface, a first trench structure that is formed in the first main surface such as to penetrate through the pn-junction portion and demarcates the device region in the first main surface, and a second trench structure that is formed in the first main surface such as to penetrate through the pn-junction portion and demarcates the device region in a region further to the device region side than the first trench structure.

A semiconductor apparatus includes: a semiconductor substrate; a diffusion layer; a first depletion prevention region; a channel stopper electrode, a monitor electrode and an insulating film. The inner edge portion of the monitor electrode is positioned between the diffusion layer and the first depletion prevention region. A distance between the outer edge portion of the channel stopper electrode and the inner edge portion of the monitor electrode is a first distance. A distance between the diffusion layer and the first depletion prevention region is a second distance. The first and second distances are set so that a discharge voltage between the channel stopper electrode and the monitor electrode becomes greater than an avalanche breakdown voltage at a PN junction portion of the diffusion layer and the semiconductor substrate.

A semiconductor structure for facilitating an integration of power devices on a common substrate includes a first insulating layer formed on the substrate and an active region having a first conductivity type formed on at least a portion of the first insulating layer. A first terminal is formed on an upper surface of the structure and electrically connects with at least one other region having the first conductivity type formed in the active region. A buried well having a second conductivity type is formed in the active region and is coupled with a second terminal formed on the upper surface of the structure. The buried well and the active region form a clamping diode which positions a breakdown avalanche region between the buried well and the first terminal. A breakdown voltage of at least one of the power devices is a function of characteristics of the buried well.