A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a cavity in a first semiconductor layer formed on a semiconducting base layer, the cavity extending from a process surface of the first semiconductor layer at least down to the base layer, forming a recessed mask liner on a portion of a sidewall of the cavity distant to the process surface or a mask plug in a portion of the cavity distant to the process surface, and growing a second semiconductor layer on the process surface by epitaxy, the second semiconductor layer spanning the cavity.

A semiconductor device includes a termination trench surrounding a region in which a plurality of gate trenches is provided; a p-type lower end region being in contact with a lower end of the termination trench; a p-type outer circumference region being in contact with the termination trench from an outer circumferential side and exposed on a surface of the semiconductor device; a plurality of guard ring regions of a p-type provided on an outer circumferential side of the p-type outer circumference region and exposed on the surface; and an n-type outer circumference region separating the p-type outer circumference region from the guard ring regions and separating the guard ring regions from each another.

A semiconductor device may include a semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type, a well region of a second conductivity type in the semiconductor layer wherein the first and second conductivity types are different, and a terminal region of the first conductivity type in the well region. An epitaxial semiconductor layer may be on the surface of the semiconductor layer including the well region and the terminal region with the epitaxial semiconductor layer having the first conductivity type across the well and terminal regions. A gate electrode may be on the epitaxial semiconductor layer so that the epitaxial semiconductor layer is between the gate electrode and portions of the well region surrounding the terminal region at the surface of the semiconductor layer.

A SIC transistor device includes a silicon-carbide semiconductor substrate having a plurality of first doped regions laterally spaced apart from one another and beneath a main surface of the substrate, a second doped region extending from the main surface to a third doped region that is above the first doped regions, and a plurality of fourth doped regions in the substrate extending from the main surface to the first doped regions. The second doped region has a first conductivity type. The first, third and fourth doped regions have a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type. A gate trench extends through the second and third doped regions. The gate trench has sidewalls, a bottom and rounded corners between the bottom and the sidewalls.

In a semiconductor integrated circuit device, a plurality of electrode pads for external connection are arranged in a zigzag pattern. Some electrode pads of the electrode pads of the plurality of I/O cells which are closer to a side of the semiconductor chip, each have an end portion closer to the side of the semiconductor chip, the end portion being set at the same position as that of an end portion of the corresponding I/O cell. A power source-side protective circuit and a ground-side protective circuit against discharge of static electricity are provided with the power source-side protective circuit being closer to the scribe region. A distance between a center position of one of the electrode pads and the ground-side protective circuit of the corresponding I/O cell and a distance between a center position of the other one electrode pad and the ground-side protective circuit of the corresponding I/O cell are both short and are substantially equal between each I/O cell.

There are provided a high-quality semiconductor device having stable characteristics and a method for manufacturing such a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes: a substrate having a main surface; and a silicon carbide layer formed on the main surface of the substrate and including a side surface inclined relative to the main surface. The side surface substantially includes a {03-3-8} plane. The side surface includes a channel region.

A power semiconductor transistor includes a semiconductor body coupled to a load terminal, a drift region, a first trench extending into the semiconductor body and including a control electrode electrically insulated from the semiconductor body by an insulator, a source region arranged laterally adjacent to a sidewall of the first trench and electrically connected to the load terminal, a channel region arranged laterally adjacent to the same trench sidewall as the source region, a second trench extending into the semiconductor body, and a guidance zone electrically connected to the load terminal and extending deeper into the semiconductor body than the first trench. The guidance zone is adjacent the opposite sidewall of the first trench as the source region and adjacent one sidewall of the second trench. In a section arranged deeper than the bottom of the first trench, the guidance zone extends laterally towards the channel region.

An electric assembly includes a semiconductor switching device with a maximum breakdown voltage rating across two load terminals in an off-state. A clamping diode is electrically connected to the two load terminals and parallel to the switching device. A semiconductor body of the clamping diode is made of silicon carbide. An avalanche voltage of the clamping diode is lower than the maximum breakdown voltage rating of the switching device.

A superjunction bipolar transistor includes an active transistor cell area that includes active transistor cells electrically connected to a first load electrode at a front side of a semiconductor body. A superjunction area overlaps the active transistor cell area and includes a low-resistive region and a reservoir region outside of the low-resistive region. The low-resistive region includes a first superjunction structure with a first vertical extension with respect to a first surface of the semiconductor body. The reservoir region includes no superjunction structure or a second superjunction structure with a mean second vertical extension smaller than the first vertical extension.

A dual-well metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) device includes: a semiconductor substrate, an active layer, a first conductive type well, a first conductive type body region, a second conductive type well, a gate, a second conductive type lightly doped diffusion (LDD) region, a second conductive type source, a second conductive type connection region, and a second conductive type drain. The second conductive type well is connected to the first conductive type well in a lateral direction, and a PN junction is formed therebetween right below the gate. The second conductive type connection region is formed right below a spacer of the gate, and is connected to the second conductive type source in a lateral direction to avoid OFF-channel. The second conductive type connection region is formed by a tilt-angle ion implantation process step through the spacer.