Patent ID: 7902596

Claim:
A bidirectional semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor region of a first conductivity type; first regions of the first conductivity type; second and third regions of a second conductivity type in the semiconductor region; a plurality of spaced trenches extending from a surface of the second and third regions and formed between the second and third regions, wherein the first regions of the first conductivity type are formed in at least bottom surfaces of the trenches and are floating potential regions to permit a bidirectional current flow, and wherein the second and third regions form the sidewalls of the trenches; fourth regions of the first conductivity type formed in the second regions; fifth regions of the first conductivity type formed in the third regions; first control electrodes formed on the sidewalls of the trenches and extending from the first regions to the fourth regions with an insulator film interposed therebetween; second control electrodes formed on the sidewalls of the trenches and extending from the first regions to the fifth regions with the insulator film interposed therebetween; first main electrodes formed on the fourth regions; and second main electrodes formed on the fifth regions, wherein current flows between the first and second main electrodes via the first regions in either direction due to the first regions being the floating potential regions, wherein each of the trenches includes both the first and second control electrodes, and wherein the first and second control electrodes in each of the trenches are spaced apart.