Trench-gate semiconductor devices and the manufacture thereof

A vertical trench-gate semiconductor device comprising

• a semiconductor body having a top major surface, and
• a plurality of trench-gates comprising trenches extending into the semiconductor body from the top major surface with insulated gate electrodes therein,
• the semiconductor body comprising source and drain regions of a first conductivity type which are separated by a channel-accommodating region of a second, opposite conductivity type adjacent the trench-gates, wherein
• the trench-gates extend in stripes,
• the source regions extend transversely between the trench-gates in stripes, projection of the source stripes across the trench-gates defines intermediate trench portions between the projected source stripes, and mutually spaced regions of the second conductivity type are provided immediately below the intermediate trench portions which are connected to source potential.