Patent ID: 8232579

Claim:
A semiconductor device, comprising: a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type; a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type complementary to the first conductivity type arranged in or on the first semiconductor layer; a region of the first conductivity type arranged in the second semiconductor layer; a first electrode contacting the region of the first conductivity type and the second semiconductor layer; a first trench extending into the first semiconductor layer; a second trench extending into the first semiconductor layer; a gate electrode arranged in the second trench; a further insulating layer extending along side walls and along a base of the second trench, wherein the further insulating layer includes a thickness higher than a thickness of an insulating layer extending along side walls of the first trench; and a voltage dependent short circuit diverter structure including electrically conductive material arranged in the first trench and coupled to the first electrode and a diverter region of the second conductivity type arranged to provide a diverter channel region of the second conductivity type between the diverter region and the second semiconductor layer in the event of a short circuit.