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 is provided in which a zener diode having a desired breakdown voltage and a capacitor in which voltage dependence of capacitance is reduced are mounted together, and various circuits are realized. The semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor layer; a first conductivity type well that is arranged in a first region of the semiconductor layer; a first conductivity type first impurity diffusion region that is arranged in the well; a first conductivity type second impurity diffusion region that is arranged in a second region of the semiconductor layer; an insulating film that is arranged on the second impurity diffusion region; an electrode that is arranged on the insulating film; and a second conductivity type third impurity diffusion region that is arranged at least on the first impurity diffusion region.

In accordance with an embodiment, at least one switching circuit includes a voltage clamping element, and a half-bridge with a high-side switch and a low side-switch, wherein the high-side switch and the low-side switch each comprise a control node and a load path, and wherein the load paths of the high-side switch and the low side switch are connected in series. The voltage clamping element is connected in parallel with the half-bridge such that a first overall inductance of first conductors connecting the high-side switch and the low-side switch and connecting the voltage clamping element with the half-bridge is less than 20 nH.

A semiconductor device including: a semiconductor substrate; a drift region of first conductivity type that is formed in the semiconductor substrate; an accumulation region of first conductivity type that is formed above the drift region and has higher concentration than concentration of the drift region; a base region of second conductivity type that is formed above the accumulation region; and a gate trench portion that is formed extending from an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate to the drift region, passing through the base region and the accumulation region, wherein a maximum value of doping concentration of the accumulation region is greater than a maximum value of doping concentration of the base region will be provided.

There is provided a monolithic three dimensional array of charge storage devices which includes a plurality of device levels, wherein at least one surface between two successive device levels is planarized by chemical mechanical polishing.

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 device may include a P-N diode, formed within a SiC substrate. The device may include an N-type region formed within the SiC substrate, a P-type region, formed in an upper portion of the N-type region; and an implanted N-type layer, the implanted N-type layer being disposed between the P-type region and the N-type region.

A semiconductor device includes an n-type base substrate; a p-type first region; a p-type surface region having a plurality of second corner portions and a plurality of second side portions surrounding the first region. The p-type surface region has a dopant concentration lower than a dopant concentration of the first region. The semiconductor device further includes a field plate in a region overlapping with the surface region in a plan view by way of an insulation film. The field plate has a plurality of field plate corner portions and a plurality of field plate side portions. A relationship of L1>L2 is established at least at a portion of the surface region or a relationship of FP1>FP2 is established at least at a portion of the field plate is satisfied. A withstand voltage of the second side portion is lower than a withstand voltage of the second corner portion.

A semiconductor device includes a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate, a second conductivity type first and second buried diffusion layers that are arranged in the semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor layer arranged on the semiconductor substrate, a second conductivity type first impurity diffusion region that is arranged in the semiconductor layer, a second conductivity type second impurity diffusion region that is arranged, in the semiconductor layer, on the second buried diffusion layer, a second conductivity type first well that is arranged in a first region of the semiconductor layer, a first conductivity type second well that is arranged, in the semiconductor layer, in a second region, a first conductivity type third and fourth impurity diffusion regions that are arranged in the first well, and a first conductivity type fifth impurity diffusion region that is arranged in the second well.

A power electronic arrangement includes a semiconductor switch structure configured to assume a forward conducting state. A steady-state current carrying capability of the semiconductor switch structure in the forward conducting state is characterized by a nominal current. The semiconductor switch structure is configured to conduct, in the forward conducting state, at least a part of a forward current in a forward current mode of the power electronic arrangement. A diode structure electrically connected in antiparallel to the semiconductor switch structure is configured to conduct at least a part of a reverse current in a reverse mode of the power electronic arrangement. A thyristor structure electrically connected in antiparallel to the semiconductor switch structure has a forward breakover voltage than a diode on-state voltage of the diode structure at a critical diode current value, the critical diode current value amounting to at most five times the nominal current.