Patent attributes
A semiconductor device comprising a source region being electrically connected to a first load terminal (E) of the semiconductor device and a drift region comprising a first semiconductor material (M1) having a first band gap, the drift region having dopants of a first conductivity type and being configured to carry at least a part of a load current between the first load terminal (E) and a second load terminal (C) of the semiconductor device, is presented. The semiconductor device further comprises a semiconductor body region having dopants of a second conductivity type complementary to the first conductivity type and being electrically connected to the first load terminal (E), a transition between the semiconductor body region and the drift region forming a pn-junction, wherein the pn-junction is configured to block a voltage applied between the first load terminal (E) and the second load terminal (C). The semiconductor body region isolates the source region from the drift region and includes a reduced band gap zone comprising a second semiconductor material (M2) having a second band gap that is smaller than the first band gap, wherein the reduced band gap zone is arranged in the semiconductor body region such that the reduced band gap zone and the source region exhibit, in a cross-section along a vertical direction (Z), at least one of a common lateral extension range (LR) along a first lateral direction (X) and a common vertical extension range (VR) along the vertical direction (Z).
