Semiconductor device with increased maximum terminal voltage

In an integrated circuit including (i) a semiconductor island having a device, (ii) a lateral insulator, (iii) an adjacent conducting region separated from the island by the lateral insulator, and (iv) a device terminal conductor overlying a portion of the device, the lateral insulator and the adjacent conducting region,

• the island, lateral insulator and adjacent conducting region sharing a common surface, and the device terminal conductor being spaced from the common surface by an insulation layer immediately adjacent the common surface,
• a method of reducing the tendency for corner breakdown as a result of a field which passes through a corner of the island between the device terminal conductor and the adjacent conducting region by increasing the thickness of an insulation between the terminal conductor and the adjacent conducting region without increasing the thickness of the insulation layer immediately adjacent the surface of the island.

In a semiconductor device having an island with passive side isolation from a conductive region, insulation applied directly to the surface of the island in selected areas thereof, and a conductor which extends over a lateral edge of the island and the adjacent conductive region separated from the surface of the island by the insulation, the method of increasing the maximum terminal voltage of the device by the step of increasing the thickness of the insulation between the conductor and the surface of the island adjacent the lateral edge thereof and the adjacent conductive region without increasing the thickness of the insulation applied directly to the surface of the island in other areas, to thereby reduce corner breakdown due to the portion of the field which passes through the island between (i) the conductor and (ii) the adjacent conductive region.

A method of increasing the maximum terminal voltage of structures formed in islands with passive side isolation and a layer of insulation applied directly to the surface of the islands in selected areas including the area where the conductor crosses the island edge comprising the step of increasing the thickness of an insulation between the conductor with the largest potential difference to the adjacent conductive region in the area where the conductor crosses the island edge without increasing the thickness on the layer of insulation applied directly to the surface of the island in other areas thereof.

In a semiconductor device having a junction and an island contact where the device is within a semiconductor island passively isolated from an adjacent conductive region and where a contact conductor passes over the edge of the island separated from the surface thereof by a layer of insulation, a method of increasing the maximum terminal voltage of the device by the step of increasing the thickness of the insulation separating the contact conductor from the island surface,

• to thereby reducing the field which exists in the island between the contact conductor and the adjacent conductive region resulting from the passage of current through the contact conductor.

In an integrated circuit including (i) a semiconductor island having a device, (ii) a lateral insulator, (iii) an adjacent conducting region separated from the island by the lateral insulator, and (iv) a device terminal conductor overlying a portion of the device, the lateral insulator and the adjacent conducting region,

• the island, lateral insulator and adjacent conducting region sharing a common surface, and the device terminal conductor being spaced from the common surface by an insulation layer immediately adjacent the common surface,
• a method of reducing the tendency for corner breakdown as a result of a field which passes through a corner of the island between the device terminal conductor and the adjacent conducting region by increasing the depth of an insulation between the device terminal conductor and the adjacent conducting region without increasing the depth of the insulation between the device terminal conductor and the island.