Abstract: An electrically programmable read only memory (EPROM) BIT cell structure formed on a semiconductor substrate comprises an N-type epitaxial layer formed on the semiconductor substrate, an N-type well region formed in the epitaxial layer, LOCOS field oxide formed at the periphery of the well region to define an active device region in the well region, a field oxide ring formed in the active region and space-apart from the LOCOS field oxide to define an EPROM BIT cell region, and an EPROM BIT cell formed in the EPROM BIT cell region.

Abstract: To limit or prevent current crowding, various HV-MOSFET embodiments include a current diversion region disposed near a drain region of an HV-MOSFET and near an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate. In some embodiments, the current diversion region is disposed near a field plate of the HV-MOSFET, wherein the field plate can also help to reduce or “smooth” electric fields near the drain to help limit current crowding. In some embodiments, the current diversion region is a p-doped, n-doped, or intrinsic region that is at a floating voltage potential. This current diversion region can push current deeper into the substrate of the HV-MOSFET (relative to conventional HV-MOSFETs), thereby reducing current crowding during ESD events. By reducing current crowding, the current diversion region makes the HV-MOSFETs disclosed herein more impervious to ESD events and, therefore, more reliable in real-world applications.

Abstract: A channel stop is provided for a semiconductor device that includes at least one active region. The channel stop is configured to surround the semiconductor device, to abut the at least one active region at a periphery of the semiconductor device, and to share an electrical connection with the at least one active region.

Abstract: A field effect transistor (FET) having a source contact to a channel layer, a drain contact to the channel layer, and a gate contact on a barrier layer over the channel layer, the FET including a dielectric layer on the barrier layer between the source contact and the drain contact and over the gate contact, and a field plate on the dielectric layer, the field plate connected to the source contact and extending over a space between the gate contact and the drain contact and the field plate comprising a sloped sidewall in the space between the gate contact and the drain contact.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a gate structure, a source structure and a drain structure. The substrate includes a deep well region, and the gate structure is disposed on the deep well region. The source structure is formed within the deep well and located at a first side of the gate structure. The drain structure is formed within the deep well region and located at a second side of the gate structure. The drain structure includes a first doped region of a first conductivity type, a first electrode and a second doped region of a second conductivity type. The first doped region is located in the deep well region; the first electrode is electrically connected to the first doped region. The second doped region is disposed within the first doped region and between the first electrode and the gate structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a shield plate electrode short-circuited to a source electrode near the drain electrode. The shield plate electrode is connected to the source terminal electrode which has a VIA hole via the first line of air-bridge structure or overlay structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a substrate; a gate electrode which is arranged on a first surface of the substrate and has a plurality of gate finger electrodes, a source electrode which is arranged on the first surface of the substrate and has a plurality of source finger electrodes, the source finger electrode is close to the gate finger electrode; a drain electrode which is arranged on the first surface of the substrate and has a plurality of drain finger electrodes, the drain finger electrode faces the source finger electrode via the gate finger electrode; and a shield plate electrode which is arranged on the drain finger electrode and the first surface of the substrate between the gate finger electrode and the drain finger electrode via an insulating layer, is short-circuited to the source finger electrode, and shields electrically the gate finger electrode and the drain finger electrode from each other.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a shield plate electrode connected to a source terminal electrode near a drain electrode. The source terminal electrode is arranged between an active region AA and a drain terminal electrode, and a shield plate electrode is connected to the source terminal electrode.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, comprising: a substrate; a plurality of gate finger electrodes which are arranged on the substrate; a plurality of source finger electrodes which are arranged on the substrate, each source finger electrode is close to the gate finger electrode; a plurality of drain finger electrodes which are arranged on the substrate, each drain finger electrode faces the source finger electrode via the gate finger electrode; a shield plate electrode which is arranged via an insulating layer over the drain finger electrode and the first surface of the substrate between the gate finger electrode and the drain finger electrode, is short-circuited to the source finger electrode, and shields electrically the gate finger electrode and the drain finger electrode from each other; and a slot VIA hole which is formed in the substrate under the source finger electrode and is connected to the source finger electrode.

Abstract: A stacked integrated circuit (IC) may be manufactured with a second tier wafer bonded to a double-sided first tier wafer. The double-sided first tier wafer includes back-end-of-line (BEOL) layers on a front and a back side of the wafer. Extended contacts within the first tier wafer connect the front side and the back side BEOL layers. The extended contact extends through a junction of the first tier wafer. The second tier wafer couples to the front side of the first tier wafer through the extended contacts. Additional contacts couple devices within the first tier wafer to the front side BEOL layers. When double-sided wafers are used in stacked ICs, the height of the stacked ICs may be reduced. The stacked ICs may include wafers of identical functions or wafers of different functions.

Abstract: A seal ring structure is formed through a multilayer structure of a plurality of dielectric films in a peripheral part of a chip region to surround the chip region. A dual damascene interconnect in which an interconnect and a plug connected to the interconnect are integrated is formed in at least one of the dielectric films in the chip region. Part of the seal ring structure formed in the dielectric film in which the dual damascene interconnect is formed is continuous. A protection film formed on the multilayer structure has an opening on the seal ring. A cap layer connected to the seal ring is formed in the opening.

Abstract: An alignment tolerant electrical contact is formed by providing a substrate on which is a first electrically conductive region (e.g., a MOSFET gate) having an upper surface, the first electrically conductive region being laterally bounded by a first dielectric region, applying a mask having an opening extending partly over a contact region (e.g., for the MOSFET source or drain) on the substrate and over a part of the upper surface, forming a passage through the first dielectric region extending to the contact region and the part of the upper surface, thereby exposing the contact region and the part of the upper surface, converting the part of the upper surface to a second dielectric region and filling the opening with a conductor making electrical contact with the contact region but electrically insulated from the electrically conductive region by the second dielectric region.

Abstract: It is disclosed a semiconductor transistor, comprising a semiconductor substrate (111) in which a channel region (115) and a drain extension region (119) connected to the channel region are provided; a gate electrode (127) configured to provide an electric field for influencing the channel region; a first electrically conductive shield element (131) extending in a horizontal direction (103) parallel to a main surface of the semiconductor substrate and being arranged beside the gate electrode spaced apart from the drain extension region in a vertical direction (105) perpendicular to the horizontal direction; and a second electrically conductive shield element (133) arranged spaced apart from the first shield element in the vertical direction, wherein the gate electrode protrudes over the first shield element in the vertical direction.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices can be fabricated using conventional designs and process but including specialized structures to reduce or eliminate detrimental effects caused by various forms of radiation. Such semiconductor devices can include the one or more parasitic isolation devices and/or buried guard ring structures disclosed in the present application. The introduction of design and/or process steps to accommodate these novel structures is compatible with conventional CMOS fabrication processes, and can therefore be accomplished at relatively low cost and with relative simplicity.

Abstract: A silicon carbide semiconductor device (90), includes: 1) a silicon carbide substrate (1); 2) a gate electrode (7) made of polycrystalline silicon; and 3) an ONO insulating film (9) sandwiched between the silicon carbide substrate (1) and the gate electrode (7) to thereby form a gate structure, the ONO insulating film (9) including the followings formed sequentially from the silicon carbide substrate (1): a) a first oxide silicon film (O) (10), b) an SiN film (N) (11), and c) an SiN thermally-oxidized film (O) (12, 12a, 12b). Nitrogen is included in at least one of the following places: i) in the first oxide silicon film (O) (10) and in a vicinity of the silicon carbide substrate (1), and ii) in an interface between the silicon carbide substrate (1) and the first oxide silicon film (O) (10).

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, a third semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type, an isolation layer, and a guard ring layer of the second conductivity type. The second semiconductor layer is provided on the first semiconductor layer. The third semiconductor layer is provided on the second semiconductor layer to be joined to the second semiconductor layer. The isolation layer surrounds a periphery of the third semiconductor layer and is deeper than the third semiconductor layer. The guard ring layer is provided between the third semiconductor layer and the isolation layer, adjacent to the third semiconductor layer, and deeper than the third semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type in a cell region, a first base layer of a second conductivity type on the semiconductor layer in the cell region; a second base layer of the second conductivity type on the semiconductor layer in an intermediate region; a conductive region of a first conductivity type in the first base layer; a gate electrode on a channel region placed between the conductive region and the semiconductor layer; a first electrode connected to the first and second base layers; a second electrode connected to the semiconductor layer; and a gate pad on the semiconductor layer via an insulating film in a pad region and connected to the gate electrode, an impurity concentration gradation in the gate pad side of the second base layer has a gentler VLD structure than an impurity concentration gradation in the first base layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a Zener diode having a scalable reverse-bias breakdown voltage (Vb) as a function of the position of a cathode contact region relative to the interface between adjacent cathode and anode well regions. Specifically, cathode and anode contact regions are positioned adjacent to corresponding cathode and anode well regions and are further separated by an isolation region. However, while the anode contact region is contained entirely within the anode well region, one end of the cathode contact region extends laterally into the anode well region. The length of this end can be predetermined in order to selectively adjust the Vb of the diode (e.g., increasing the length reduces Vb of the diode and vice versa). Also disclosed are an integrated circuit, incorporating multiple instances of the diode with different reverse-bias breakdown voltages, a method of forming the diode and a design structure for the diode.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate with a p-type conductivity, a buried layer with an n-type conductivity provided on the semiconductor substrate, a back gate layer with a p-type conductivity provided on the buried layer, a drain layer with an n-type conductivity provided on the back gate layer, a source layer with an n-type conductivity provided spaced from the drain layer, a gate electrode provided in a region immediately above a portion of the back gate layer between the drain layer and the source layer, and a drain electrode in contact with a part of an upper surface of the drain layer. A thickness of the drain layer in a region immediately below a contact surface between the drain layer and the drain electrode is half a total thickness of the back gate and drain layers in the region.

Abstract: In a high frequency amplifying MOSFET having a drain offset region, the size is reduced and the on-resistance is decreased by providing conductor plugs 13 (P1) for leading out electrodes on a source region 10, a drain region 9 and leach-through layers 3 (4), to which a first layer wirings 11a, 11d (M1) are connected and, further, backing second layer wirings 12a to 12d are connected on the conductor plugs 13 (P1) to the first layer wirings 11s, 11d (M1).

Abstract: A semiconductor device has at least a cell between two opposite main surfaces. Each cell has a first device feature region contacted with the first main surface and a second device feature region contacted with the second main surface. There is a voltage-sustaining region between the first device feature region and the second device feature region, which includes at least a semiconductor region and an insulator region containing conductive particles. The semiconductor region and the insulator region contact directly with each other. The structure of such voltage-sustaining region can not only be used to implement high-voltage devices, but further be used as a junction edge technique of high-voltage devices.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a drift region of a first doping type, a junction between the drift region and a device region, a compensation region of a second doping type, and at least one field electrode structure arranged between the drift region and the compensation region. The at least one field electrode includes a field electrode and a field electrode dielectric adjoining the field electrode. The field electrode dielectric is arranged between the field electrode and the drift region and between the field electrode and the compensation. The field electrode dielectric includes a first opening through which the field electrode is coupled to drift region and a second opening through which the field electrode is coupled to the compensation region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip, and a guard ring made of an electrically conductive material and arranged between electrodes on the semiconductor chip and side edges of the semiconductor chip, the guard ring being divided by isolating sections on the semiconductor chip.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the semiconductor device is provided. In the method, a semiconductor substrate defining a device region and an outer region at a periphery of the device region is provided, an align trench is formed in the outer region, a dummy trench is formed in the device region, an epi layer is formed over a top surface of the semiconductor substrate and within the dummy trench, a current path changing part is formed over the epi layer, and a gate electrode is formed over the current path changing part. When the epi layer is formed, a current path changing trench corresponding to the dummy trench is formed over the epi layer, and the current path changing part is formed within the current path changing trench.

Abstract: A high voltage device includes drift regions formed in a substrate, an isolation layer formed in the substrate to isolate neighboring drift regions, wherein the isolation layer has a depth greater than that of the drift region, a gate electrode formed over the substrate, and source and drain regions formed in the drift regions on both sides of the gate electrode.

Abstract: A circuit structure includes a first isolation region, and a first dummy gate electrode over and vertically overlapping the first isolation region. First pickup regions of a diode are formed on opposite sides of the first isolation region, wherein sidewalls of the first pickup regions contact opposite sidewalls of the first isolation region. Second pickup regions of the diode are formed on opposite sides of a combined region of the first pickup regions and the first isolation region, wherein the first and the second pickup regions are of opposite conductive types. A well region is under the first and the second pickup regions and the first isolation region, wherein the well region is of a same conductivity type as the second pickup regions.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising a silicon substrate, a gate structure and a heteroatom-containing epitaxial structure is provided. The gate structure is disposed on a surface of the silicon substrate. The heteroatom-containing epitaxial structure is disposed adjacent to the gate structure and has a major portion and an extension portion, wherein the major portion virtual vertically extends downwards into the silicon substrate from the surface; and the extension portion further extends downwards into the silicon substrate with a tapered cross-section continuing with the major portion.

Abstract: An AlGaN/GaN HEMT includes a compound semiconductor multilayer structure, an insertion metal layer in contact with a surface of the compound semiconductor multilayer structure, a gate insulating film formed on the insertion metal layer, and a gate electrode formed above the insertion metal layer with the gate insulating film between the gate electrode and the insertion metal layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes source fingers and drain fingers provided on an active region of a nitride semiconductor layer alternately, gate fingers having a side edge and a distal edge, a first insulation film provided on the nitride semiconductor layer and covers a top face, the side and distal edges of the gate fingers, field plates provided on the first insulation film between the gate fingers and the drain fingers, a minimum distance between the side face of the first insulation film located on the side edge of the gate fingers and the field plate being at least 100 nm, and field plate interconnections provided on the first insulation film and located outside of the active region and electrically connected with the source fingers and the field plates, a minimum distance between the side face of the first insulation film located on the distal edge of the gate fingers and the field plate interconnections being at least 100 nm.

Abstract: A P type drift layer is formed in an N type epitaxial layer from under a drain layer to under an N type body layer under a source layer through under an element isolation insulation film. This P type drift layer is shallower immediately under the drain layer than under the element isolation insulation film, and gradually shallows from under the element isolation insulation film to the N type body layer to be in contact with the bottom of the N type body layer. Since the P type drift layer is thus diffused in a wide region, a wide current path is formed from the N type body layer to the drain layer, and the current drive ability is enhanced and the drain breakdown voltage is also increased.

Abstract: Disclosed are a power semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same which can increase a breakdown voltage of the device through a field plate formed between a gate electrode and a drain electrode and achieve an easier manufacturing process at the same time. The power semiconductor device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a source electrode and a drain electrode formed on a substrate; a dielectric layer formed between the source electrode and the drain electrode to have a lower height than heights of the two electrodes and including an etched part exposing the substrate; a gate electrode formed on the etched part; a field plate formed on the dielectric layer between the gate electrode and the drain electrode; and a metal configured to connect the field plate and the source electrode.

Abstract: The manufacturing method includes the steps of: providing a semiconductor base of a first conduction type; forming a first epitaxial layer with a plurality of epitaxial pillars of therein on a first surface of the semiconductor base, wherein the epitaxial pillars have a conduction type opposite to the first epitaxial layer; forming a plurality of first shallow trenches and a plurality of second shallow trenches alternately on the epitaxial pillars and the first epitaxial layer, wherein the first shallow trench has a width greater than the width of the second shallow trench and the first shallow trench is extended downward to the epitaxial pillar; and forming a plurality of gate regions in the first shallow trenches respectively; forming a plurality of source regions on both sides of the first shallow trench; and forming a source metal conducting wire to connect the source regions.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a vertical HVFET includes a pillar of semiconductor material a pillar of semiconductor material arranged in a loop layout having at least two substantially parallel and substantially linear fillet sections each having a first width, and at least two rounded sections, the rounded sections having a second width narrower than the first width, a source region of a first conductivity type being disposed at or near a top surface of the pillar, and a body region of a second conductivity type being disposed in the pillar beneath the source region. First and second dielectric regions are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the pillar, the first dielectric region being laterally surrounded by the pillar, and the second dielectric region laterally surrounding the pillar. First and second field plates are respectively disposed in the first and second dielectric regions.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a low conducting field-controlling element is provided. The device can include a semiconductor including an active region (e.g., a channel), and a set of contacts to the active region. The field-controlling element can be coupled to one or more of the contacts in the set of contacts. The field-controlling element can be formed of a low conducting layer of material and have a lateral resistance that is both larger than an inverse of a minimal operating frequency of the device and smaller than an inverse of a maximum control frequency of the device.

Abstract: A MOS P-N junction diode device includes a substrate having a first conductivity type, a field oxide structure defining a trench structure, a gate structure formed in the trench structure and a doped region having a second conductivity type adjacent to the gate structure in the substrate. The method for manufacturing such diode device includes several ion-implanting steps. After the gate structure is formed by isotropic etching using a patterned photo-resist layer as a mask, an ion-implanting step is performed using the patterned photo-resist layer as a mask to form a deeper doped sub-region. Then, another ion-implanting step is performed using the gate structure as a mask to form a shallower doped sub-region between the gate structure and the deeper doped sub-region. The formed MOS P-N junction diode device has low forward voltage drop, low reverse leakage current, fast reverse recovery time and high reverse voltage tolerance.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to design an Integrated Circuit (IC) with a shielding of wires. In at least one embodiment, a shielding mesh of at least two reference voltages (e.g., power and ground) is used to reduce both the capacitive coupling and the inductive coupling in routed signal wires in IC chips. In some embodiments, a type of shielding mesh (e.g., a shielding mesh with a window surrounded by a power ring, or a window with a parser set of shielding wires) is selected to make more routing area available in locally congested areas. In other embodiments, the shielding mesh is used to create or add bypass capacitance. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a semiconductor device is formed having vertical localized charge-compensated trenches, trench control regions, and sub-surface doped layers. The vertical localized charge-compensated trenches include at least a pair of opposite conductivity type semiconductor layers. The trench control regions are configured to provide a generally vertical channel region electrically coupling source regions to the sub-surface doped layers. The sub-surface doped layers are further configured to electrically connect the drain-end of the channel to the vertical localized charge compensation trenches. Body regions are configured to isolate the sub-surface doped layers from the surface of the device.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a p-type semiconductor layer, n-type column regions formed of columnar thermal donors exhibiting an n-type property, a p-type column region interposed between the n-type column regions, the n-type column regions configured to form a super-junction structure in cooperation with the p-type column region, a channel region formed in the semiconductor layer, a source region formed in the channel region, a gate insulator film formed on the semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode formed on the gate insulator film and opposite to the channel region across the gate insulator film.

Abstract: A high-voltage transistor device comprises a spiral resistive field plate over a first well region between a drain region and a source region of the high-voltage transistor device, wherein the spiral resistive field plate is separated from the first well region by a first isolation layer, and is coupled between the drain region and the source region. The high-voltage transistor device further comprises a plurality of first field plates over the spiral resistive field plate with each first field plate covering one or more segments of the spiral resistive field plate, wherein the plurality of first field plates are isolated from the spiral resistive field plate by a first dielectric layer, and wherein the plurality of first field plates are isolated from each other, and a starting first field plate is connected to the source region.

Abstract: Atomic layer deposition is enhanced using plasma. Plasma begins prior to flowing a second precursor into a chamber. The second precursor reacts with a first precursor to deposit a layer on a substrate. The layer may include at least one element from each of the first and second precursors. The layer may be TaN, and the precursors may be TaF5 and NH3. The plasma may begin during purge gas flow between a pulse of the first precursor and a pulse of the second precursor. Thermal energy assists the reaction of the precursors to deposit the layer on the substrate. The thermal energy may be greater than generally accepted for ALD (e.g., more than 300 degrees Celsius).

Abstract: A semiconductor device including: a semiconductor layer; a gate insulating layer; a gate electrode; a channel region; a source region and a drain region; a guard ring region; an offset insulating layer; a first interlayer dielectric; a first shield layer formed above the first interlayer dielectric and the guard ring region and electrically connected to the guard ring region; a second interlayer dielectric; and a second shield layer formed above the second interlayer dielectric, wherein the first shield layer is provided outside of both ends of the gate electrode in a channel width direction when viewed from the top side; and wherein the second shield layer is provided in at least part of a first region and/or at least part of a second region, the first region being a region between one edge of the gate electrode and an edge of the first shield layer opposite to the edge of the gate electrode in the channel width direction when viewed from the top side, and the second region being a region between the other e

Abstract: Channel regions continuous with transistor cells are disposed also below a gate pad electrode. The channel region below the gate pad electrode is fixed to a source potential. Thus, a predetermined reverse breakdown voltage between a drain and a source is secured without forming a p+ type impurity region below the entire lower surface of the gate pad electrode. Furthermore, a protection diode is formed in a conductive layer disposed at the outer periphery of an operation region.

Abstract: MOS device formed in a semiconductor body having a first conductivity type and a surface and housing a first current-conduction region and a second current-conduction region, of a second conductivity type. The first and second current-conduction regions define between them a channel, arranged below a gate region, formed on top of the surface and electrically insulated from the channel region. A conductive region extends on top of a portion of the channel, adjacent to and insulated from the gate region only on a side thereof facing the first current-conduction region. The conductive region is biased so as to modulate the current flowing in the channel.

Abstract: A P type semiconductor substrate includes a P type body region, an N type drift region formed away from the P type body region in a direction parallel to a substrate surface, an N type drain region formed in a region separated by a field oxide film in the N type drift region so as to have a concentration higher than the N type drift region, an N type source region formed in the P type body region so as to have a concentration higher than the N type drift region. A P type buried diffusion region having a concentration higher than the N type drift region is formed of a plurality of parts each of which is connected to a part of the bottom surface of the P type body region and extends parallel to the substrate surface and its tip end reaches the inside of the drift region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device 1 including a cell region 2 formed with a semiconductor element 6 and a periphery region 3 formed in the periphery of the cell region 2. The semiconductor region 1 is arranged with an n? type drift region 12 formed in the cell region 2 and periphery region 3, a plurality of p? type columnar regions formed in the n? drift region 12 of the cell region 2, a plurality of p? type columnar resistance improvement regions 23n formed in the n? type drift region 12 of the periphery region 3, and a plurality of electrical field buffer regions 24n formed in an upper part of the p? type columnar region 23n. An interval Sn between the electrical field buffer region 24n and an adjacent electrical field buffer region 24n is different between an interior side and an exterior side of the periphery region 3.

Abstract: A thin film transistor of the present invention has an active layer including at least source, drain and channel regions formed on an insulating surface. A high resistivity region is formed between the channel region and each of the source and drain regions. A film capable of trapping positive charges therein is provided on at least the high resistivity region so that N-type conductivity is induced in the high resistivity region. Accordingly, the reliability of N-channel type TFT against hot electrons can be improved.

Abstract: Vertical power devices which include an insulated trench containing insulating material and a gate electrode, and related methods. A body region is positioned so that a voltage bias on the gate electrode will cause an inversion layer in the body region. A layer of permanent charge, at or near the sidewall of the trench, provides charge balancing for the space charge in the depleted semiconductor material during the OFF state. A conductive shield layer is positioned below the gate electrode in the insulating material, and reduces capacitive coupling between the gate and the lower part of the trench. This reduces switching losses. In other embodiments, a planar gate electrode controls horizontal carrier injection into the vertical conduction pathway along the trench, while a shield plate lies over the trench itself to reduce capacitive coupling.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method is disclosed for manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method can include simultaneously forming a first field insulating film and at least one second field insulating film on a front face side of a semiconductor layer. The at least one second field insulating film is separated from the first field insulating film and thinner than the first field insulating film. The method can include forming a drift region of a first conductivity type in a region of the semiconductor layer including the first field insulating film and the second field insulating film. The method can include forming a drain region of the first conductivity type in the front face of the semiconductor layer on a side of the first field insulating film. In addition, the method can include forming a source region of the first conductivity type in the front face of the semiconductor layer on a side of the second field insulating film.

Abstract: A lateral, extended drain, metal oxide semiconductor, field effect transistor (LEDMOSFET) with a high drain-to-body breakdown voltage (Vb) incorporates gate structure extensions on opposing sides of a drain drift region. The extensions are tapered such that a distance between each extension and the drift region increases linearly from one end adjacent to the channel region to another end adjacent to the drain region. In one embodiment, these extensions can extend vertically through the isolation region that surrounds the LEDMOSFET. In another embodiment, the extensions can sit atop the isolation region. In either case, the extensions create a strong essentially uniform horizontal electric field profile within the drain drift. Also disclosed are a method for forming the LEDMOSFET with a specific Vb by defining the dimensions of the extensions and a program storage device for designing the LEDMOSFET to have a specific Vb.

Abstract: Test structures including test trenches are used to define critical dimension of trenches in a via level of an integrated circuit to produce substantially the same depth. The trenches are formed at the periphery of the IC to serve as guard rings.