Patent ID: 8344448

Claim:
A semiconductor device having a semiconductor body comprising an active area and a termination structure surrounding the active area, the termination structure comprising a plurality of lateral trenchgate transistor devices connected in series and extending from the active area towards a peripheral edge of the semiconductor body, each lateral device comprising a trench having a gate electrode therein separated from the semiconductor body by a layer of gate insulating material, the gate electrodes of the lateral devices extending through a region of a first conductivity type, and part way through an underlying region of a second, opposite conductivity type, the first conductivity type being one of n-type or p-type and the second conductivity type being the other of n-type or p-type, with each lateral device including an electrically conductive connection arranged between its gate electrode and the first conductivity type region at the side of the lateral device closer to the active area and configured to distribute a voltage difference between the active area and the peripheral edge across the lateral devices.