A method and apparatus include an n-doped layer having a first applied charge, and a p.sup.−-doped layer having a second applied charge. The p.sup.−-doped layer may be positioned below the n-doped layer. A p.sup.+-doped buffer layer may have a third applied charge and be positioned below the p.sup.−-doped layer. The respective charges at each layer may be determined based on a dopant level and a physical dimension of the layer. In one example, the n-doped layer, the p.sup.−-doped layer, and the p.sup.+-doped buffer layer comprise a lateral semiconductor manufactured from silicon carbide (SiC).

A wide gap semiconductor device has: a wide gap semiconductor layer; and a metal layer 20 provided on the wide gap semiconductor layer. The metal layer 20 has a single crystal layer 21 in an interface region at an interface with the wide gap semiconductor layer. When it is assumed that a lattice constant, in an equilibrium state, of a metal constituting the metal layer 20 is L, the single crystal layer 21 in the interface region includes a first region in which a lattice constant L1 is smaller than L by 1.5% to 8%.

A semiconductor device includes: a drift region of a first conductive type including a contact section and extension sections extending along the main surface of a substrate; column regions of a second conductive type which alternate with the extension sections in a perpendicular direction to the extension direction of the extension sections and each includes an end connecting to the contact section; a well region of a second conductive type which connects to the other end of each column region and tips of the extension sections; and electric field relaxing electrodes which are provided above at least some of residual pn junctions with an insulating film interposed therebetween. Herein, the residual pn junctions are pn junctions other than voltage holding pn junctions formed in interfaces between the extension sections and the column regions.

A semiconductor device having a voltage resistant structure in a first aspect of the present invention is provided, comprising a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor layer on the semiconductor substrate, a front surface electrode above the semiconductor layer, a rear surface electrode below the semiconductor substrate, an extension section provided to a side surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a resistance section electrically connected to the front surface electrode and the rear surface electrode. The extension section may have a lower permittivity than the semiconductor substrate. The resistance section may be provided to at least one of the upper surface and the side surface of the extension section.

A method for manufacturing an epitaxial wafer comprising a silicon carbide substrate and a silicon carbide voltage-blocking-layer, the method includes: epitaxially growing a buffer layer on the substrate, doping a main dopant for determining a conductivity type of the buffer layer and doping an auxiliary dopant for capturing minority carriers in the buffer layer at a doping concentration less than the doping concentration of the main dopant, so that the buffer layer enhances capturing and extinction of the minority carriers, the minority carriers flowing in a direction from the voltage-blocking-layer to the substrate, so that the buffer layer has a lower resistivity than the voltage-blocking-layer, and so that the buffer layer includes silicon carbide as a main component; and epitaxially growing the voltage-blocking-layer on the buffer layer.

A Schottky barrier diode according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes: an n− type layer disposed on a first surface of an n+ type silicon carbide substrate; a p+ type region and a p type region disposed on the n− type layer and separated from each other; an anode disposed on the n− type layer, the p+ type region, and the p type region; and a cathode disposed on a second surface of the n+ type silicon carbide substrate, wherein the p type region is in plural, has a hexagonal shape on the plane, and is arranged in a matrix shape, and the n− type layer disposed between the p+ type region and the p type region has a hexagonal shape on the plane and encloses the p type region.

A method for producing a silicon carbide component includes forming a silicon carbide layer on an initial wafer, forming a doping region of the silicon carbide component to be produced in the silicon carbide layer, and forming an electrically conductive contact structure of the silicon carbide component to be produced on a surface of the silicon carbide layer. The electrically conductive contact structure electrically contacts the doping region. Furthermore, the method includes splitting the silicon carbide layer or the initial wafer after forming the electrically conductive contact structure, such that a silicon carbide substrate at least of the silicon carbide component to be produced is split off.

A semiconductor device comprises a substrate, a semiconductor layer formed on the substrate; and a high-voltage termination. The high-voltage termination includes a plurality of floating field rings, a deep trench and a dielectric material is disposed within the deep trench. The plurality of floating field rings are formed in the semiconductor layer and respectively disposed around a region of the semiconductor layer. The deep trench is formed in the semiconductor layer and concentrically disposed around an outermost floating field ring of the plurality of floating field rings. The high-voltage termination may also include a field plate disposed over the floating field rings, the deep trench, or both.

An SiC semiconductor device includes an SiC semiconductor layer including an SiC monocrystal that is constituted of a hexagonal crystal and having a first main surface as a device surface facing a c-plane of the SiC monocrystal and has an off angle inclined with respect to the c-plane, a second main surface at a side opposite to the first main surface, and a side surface facing an a-plane of the SiC monocrystal and has an angle less than the off angle with respect to a normal to the first main surface when the normal is 0°.

An SiC semiconductor device includes an SiC semiconductor layer including an SiC monocrystal and having a first main surface as an element forming surface, a second main surface at a side opposite to the first main surface, and a plurality of side surfaces connecting the first main surface and the second main surface, and a plurality of modified lines formed one layer each at the respective side surfaces of the SiC semiconductor layer and each extending in a band shape along a tangential direction to the first main surface of the SiC semiconductor layer and modified to be of a property differing from the SiC monocrystal.