US Patent 7732848 Power semiconductor device with improved heat dissipation

A semiconductor device is disclosed that improves heat dissipation by providing blind contact elements on a dielectric layer. Embodiments are disclosed which include a substrate having at least one electrode contact area accessible at a surface of the substrate and a surface adjacent the electrode contact area, a dielectric layer disposed above the surface; an intermediate oxide layer disposed above the dielectric layer, a current conducting metallization layer disposed above the intermediate oxide layer; and at least one contact element vertically extending from the dielectric layer through the intermediate oxide layer to the metallization layer above the surface adjacent the electrode contact area, the at least one contact element having a heat conductivity that is higher than that of the intermediate oxide layer.