Patent ID: 7714407

Claim:
A high voltage/power semiconductor device, the device comprising: a semiconductor layer; the semiconductor layer having a high voltage terminal end for connection to a high voltage terminal; the semiconductor layer having a low voltage terminal end for connection to a low voltage terminal; the semiconductor layer having a drift region between the high and low voltage terminal ends of the semiconductor layer; a dielectric layer above the drift region; and, an electrical conductor that extends across at least a part of the dielectric layer above the drift region, the electrical conductor being connected or connectable to the high voltage terminal end; the drift region having plural trenches therein positioned below the electrical conductor, the trenches extending laterally across at least a part of the drift region in the direction transverse the direction between the high and low voltage terminal ends of the semiconductor layer, the trenches being longitudinally spaced apart from each other in the direction between the high and low voltage terminal ends of the semiconductor layer, each trench containing a dielectric material.