A semiconductor device, comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type, a first surface, and an opposed second surface; a gate structure supported by the first surface of the semiconductor substrate; a first current carrying region disposed in the semiconductor substrate at the first surface, wherein the first current carrying region is laterally separated from a first side of the gate structure; a drift region of a second conductivity type disposed in the semiconductor substrate at the first surface, wherein the second conductivity type is opposite the first conductivity type, and the drift region extends laterally from the first current carrying region to the first side of the gate structure; a second current carrying region disposed in the semiconductor substrate at the first surface, wherein the second current carrying region extends laterally from and is disposed along or aligned with a second side of the gate structure opposite the first side, and the second current carrying region is electrically connected through a conductive path (104, 134) to the opposed second surface of the semiconductor substrate, on which a backside contact is disposed; and a first buried region of the second conductivity type disposed in the semiconductor substrate below the first current carrying region, wherein the first buried region is vertically aligned with the first current carrying region, and a first portion of the semiconductor substrate with the first conductivity type is present between the first buried region and the first current carrying region, and wherein the first buried region is electrically floating. a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type, a first surface, and an opposed second surface; a gate structure supported by the first surface of the semiconductor substrate; a first current carrying region disposed in the semiconductor substrate at the first surface, wherein the first current carrying region is laterally separated from a first side of the gate structure; a drift region of a second conductivity type disposed in the semiconductor substrate at the first surface, wherein the second conductivity type is opposite the first conductivity type, and the drift region extends laterally from the first current carrying region to the first side of the gate structure; a second current carrying region disposed in the semiconductor substrate at the first surface, wherein the second current carrying region extends laterally from and is disposed along or aligned with a second side of the gate structure opposite the first side, and the second current carrying region is electrically connected through a conductive path (104, 134) to the opposed second surface of the semiconductor substrate, on which a backside contact is disposed; and a first buried region of the second conductivity type disposed in the semiconductor substrate below the first current carrying region, wherein the first buried region is vertically aligned with the first current carrying region, and a first portion of the semiconductor substrate with the first conductivity type is present between the first buried region and the first current carrying region, and wherein the first buried region is electrically floating.