Patent ID: 8093655

Claim:
An integrated circuit having a trench transistor and comprising: a semiconductor body, subdivided into a cell array region having at least one cell array and an edge structure framing the cell array, the semiconductor body being provided with at least one doped source connection zone and at least one doped drain connection zone in the cell array; wherein the source connection zone is supplied by source potential through a first connection electrode and the drain connection zone is supplied by drain potential through a second connection electrode; a plurality of active trenches formed in the semiconductor body; a plurality of first control electrodes formed in the active trenches, wherein each first control electrode of the plurality of first control electrodes is formed in the active trench designated for this first control electrode, and each of the plurality of first control electrodes being insulated from the semiconductor body by a first insulation layer in the trench designated for this first control electrode; a plurality of second control electrodes, each second control electrode of the plurality of second control electrodes is arranged adjacent to and separated from a corresponding first control electrode located in the active trench designated for the first control electrode, the plurality of second control electrodes being field electrodes and each of the plurality of second control electrodes is insulated by a second insulation layer from the semiconductor body and the first control electrode located in the same active trench, the active trenches and the plurality of first control electrodes and the plurality of second control electrodes formed therein extending in a first lateral direction, wherein the plurality of first control electrodes are a plurality of gate electrodes and electrically connected to a first electrical line being supplied by gate potential; and wherein in the edge structure a selectable number of the plurality of second control electrodes are electrically connected to the first connection electrode through first connection means and a selectable number of the plurality of second control electrodes are electrically connected to a second electrical line connected to the plurality of first control electrodes through a second connection means, such that in the edge structure a part of the plurality of second control electrodes is electrically connected through the first connection electrode to the source potential and a part of the plurality of second control electrodes is contacted through the plurality of first control electrodes to the gate potential.