In one embodiment, a power MOSFET cell includes an N+ silicon substrate having a drain electrode. An N-type drift layer is grown over the substrate. An N-type layer, having a higher dopant concentration than the drift region, is then formed along with a trench having sidewalls. A P-well is formed in the N-type layer, and an N+ source region is formed in the P-well. A gate is formed over the P-well's lateral channel and has a vertical extension into the trench. A positive gate voltage inverts the lateral channel and increases the vertical conduction along the sidewalls to reduce on-resistance. A vertical shield field plate is also located next to the sidewalls and may be connected to the gate. The field plate laterally depletes the N-type layer when the device is off to increase the breakdown voltage. A buried layer and sinker enable the use of a topside drain electrode.

An SiC semiconductor device has a p type region including a low concentration region and a high concentration region filled in a trench formed in a cell region. A p type column is provided by the low concentration region, and a p.sup.+ type deep layer is provided by the high concentration region. Thus, since a SJ structure can be made by the p type column and the n type column provided by the n type drift layer, an on-state resistance can be reduced. As a drain potential can be blocked by the p.sup.+ type deep layer, at turnoff, an electric field applied to the gate insulation film can be alleviated and thus breakage of the gate insulation film can be restricted. Therefore, the SiC semiconductor device can realize the reduction of the on-state resistance and the restriction of breakage of the gate insulation film.

Apparatus and associated methods relate to an edge-termination structure surrounding a high-voltage MOSFET for reducing a peak lateral electric field. The edge-termination structure includes a sequence of annular trenches and semiconductor pillars circumscribing the high-voltage MOSFET. Each of the annular trenches is laterally separated from the other annular trenches by one of the semiconductor pillars. Each of the annular trenches has dielectric sidewalls and a dielectric bottom electrically isolating a conductive core within each of the annular trenches from a drain-biased region of the semiconductor pillar outside of and adjacent to the annular trench. The conductive core of the innermost trench is biased, while the conductive cores of one or more outer trenches are floating. In some embodiments, a surface of an inner semiconductor pillar is biased as well. The peak lateral electric field can advantageously be reduced by physical arrangement of trenches and electrical biasing sequence.

A wide band gap semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer, a trench formed in the semiconductor layer, first, second, and third regions having particular conductivity types and defining sides of the trench, and a first electrode embedded inside an insulating film in the trench. The second region integrally includes a first portion arranged closer to a first surface of the semiconductor layer than to a bottom surface of the trench, and a second portion projecting from the first portion toward a second surface of the semiconductor layer to a depth below a bottom surface of the trench. The second portion of the second region defines a boundary surface with the third region, the boundary region being at an incline with respect to the first surface of the semiconductor layer.

A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a plurality of first nanostructures stacked over a substrate in a vertical direction. The semiconductor device structure includes a first gate structure surrounding the first nanostructures. The semiconductor device structure also includes a first gate spacer layer formed adjacent to the first gate structure. A topmost first nanostructure has a first portion directly below the gate spacer layer and a second portion directly below the first gate structure, and the first portion has a first height along the vertical direction, the second portion has a second height along the vertical direction, and the first height is greater than the second height.

In one embodiment, a power MOSFET vertically conducts current. A bottom electrode may be connected to a positive voltage, and a top electrode may be connected to a low voltage, such as a load connected to ground. A gate and/or a field plate, such as polysilicon, is within a trench. The trench has a tapered oxide layer insulating the polysilicon from the silicon walls. The oxide is much thicker near the bottom of the trench than near the top to increase the breakdown voltage. The tapered oxide is formed by implanting nitrogen into the trench walls to form a tapered nitrogen dopant concentration. This forms a tapered silicon nitride layer after an anneal. The tapered silicon nitride variably inhibits oxide growth in a subsequent oxidation step.

A high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) includes a first III-V compound layer and a second III-V compound layer disposed on the first III-V compound layer and is different from the first III-V compound layer in composition. A source feature and a drain feature are disposed on the second III-V compound layer. A p-type layer is disposed on a portion of the second III-V compound layer between the source feature and the drain feature. A gate electrode is disposed on the p-type layer. A capping layer is disposed on the second III-V compound layer.

A semiconductor device includes a transistor in a semiconductor body having a first main surface. The transistor includes: a source contact electrically connected to a source region; a drain contact electrically connected to a drain region; a gate electrode at the channel region, the channel region and a drift zone disposed along a first direction between the source and drain regions, the first direction being parallel to the first main surface, the channel region patterned into a ridge by adjacent gate trenches formed in the first main surface, the adjacent gate trenches spaced apart in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a longitudinal axis of the ridge extending in the first direction and a longitudinal axis of the gate trenches extending in the first direction; and at least one of the source and drain contacts being adjacent to a second main surface opposite the first main surface.

A cascode switch structure includes a group III-V transistor structure having a first current carrying electrode, a second current carrying electrode and a first control electrode. A semiconductor MOSFET device includes a third current carrying electrode electrically connected to the second current carrying electrode, a fourth current carrying electrode electrically connected to the first control electrode, and a second control electrode. A first diode includes a first cathode electrode electrically connected to the first current carrying electrode and a first anode electrode. A second diode includes a second anode electrode electrically connected to the first anode electrode and a second cathode electrode electrically connected to the fourth current carrying electrode. In one embodiment, the group III-V transistor structure, the first diode, and the second diode are integrated within a common substrate.

A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type, a third semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type, a fourth semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type, a first electrode connected to the second semiconductor layer and the fourth semiconductor layer, a second electrode facing the second semiconductor layer with an insulating film interposed, a fifth semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type, a sixth semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type, a seventh semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type, a third electrode connected to the fifth semiconductor layer and the seventh semiconductor layer, and a fourth electrode facing the fifth semiconductor layer with an insulating film interposed.