Semiconductor device including a first element structure with a column layer and a second element structure

A semiconductor device comprising:

• a semiconductor layer having a first surface and a second surface;
• an element structure formed on the first surface side of the semiconductor layer and including a first conductivity type first region and a second conductivity type second region in contact with the first region;
• a gate electrode opposing the second region with a gate insulating film therebetween;
• a first conductivity type third region formed in the semiconductor layer to be in contact with the second region;
• and
• a first electrode formed on the semiconductor layer and electrically connected to the first region and the second region, wherein
• the element structure includes a first element structure and a second element structure, each of the first element structure and the second element structure including the first region and the second region,
• the first element structure includes a second conductivity type first column layer extending in a thickness direction of the semiconductor layer, the first column layer being separated from the second region in a direction along the first surface of the semiconductor layer,
• the second element structure further includes a second electrode opposing the third region with an insulating film therebetween,
• the second electrode is electrically connected to the first electrode,
• the semiconductor layer includes a first element region with a plurality of the first element structures arranged therein and a second element region with a plurality of the second element structures arranged therein,
• the first electrode covers the first element region and the second element region,
• the second element region is formed in a peripheral edge portion of the first electrode in a plan view,
• in the second element region, at least four second regions are adjoined to one another in both a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction,
• in the second element region, the second electrode is formed between two of the four second regions that are adjoined in the first direction,
• in the second element region, the gate electrode is formed between two of the four second regions that are adjoined in the second direction, and
• at least one of the four second regions has a quadrilateral shape in a plan view, and one side of the at least one second region having the quadrilateral shape opposes the second electrode, and the remaining three sides oppose the gate electrode.