Patent ID: 7955929

Claim:
A method of forming a semiconductor device having an active area and a termination area surrounding the active area comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate; providing a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type over the semiconductor substrate; forming a mask layer over the semiconductor layer, the mask layer outlining at least three portions of a surface of the semiconductor layer, a first outlined portion outlining a floating region in the active area a second outlined portion outlining a first termination region in the termination area and a third outlined portion outlining a second termination region in the termination area; and providing dopant of a second conductivity type to the first, second and third outlined portions so as to provide a floating region of the second conductivity type buried in the semiconductor layer in the active area and first and second termination regions of the second conductivity type buried in the semiconductor layer in the termination area of the semiconductor device; wherein a distance between the second outlined portion and the third outlined portion is less than a lateral spread of the dopant through the semiconductor layer such that the step of providing dopant to the second and third outlined portions provides a merged termination region in the termination area.