Power semiconductor devices with shield and gate contacts and methods of manufacture

A semiconductor device comprising:

• a plurality of active trenches that define an active area;
• an edge area that is located outside of the active area;
• the plurality of active trenches comprising a lower shield poly, an upper gate poly, a first oxide layer and a second oxide layer wherein the first oxide layer separates the lower shield poly from the upper gate poly and the second oxide layer covers the upper gate poly;
• wherein the lower shield poly, upper gate poly, first oxide layer and second oxide layer conform to the shape of the active trench and extend from the active trench to a surface of the edge area;
• wherein, the edge area comprises a first opening that extends through the first oxide layer to the lower shield poly and a second opening that extends through the second oxide layer to the upper gate poly;
• the first opening is filled with a conductive material that makes electrical contact with the lower shield poly and the second opening is filled with conductive material that makes electrical contact with the upper gate poly;
• wherein the lower shield poly is electrically insulated from the substrate;
• wherein the second oxide layer is directly over the upper gate poly, the upper gate poly is directly over the first oxide layer, and the first oxide layer is directly over the lower shield poly;
• and
• wherein the first opening is lower than the second opening.