Extrinsic field termination structures for improving reliability of high-voltage, high-power active devices

Abstract

Extrinsic structures formed outside the active regions of active devices can influence aging characteristics and performance of the active devices. An example integrated device including such an extrinsic structure includes an active region of a semiconductor device in a plurality of layers of semiconductor materials over a substrate, an isolation region in at least one of the layers of semiconductor materials, the isolation region extending around the semiconductor device in an area outside of the active region, an insulating layer over at least a portion of the active region and over at least a portion of the isolation region, a via in the isolation region and outside the active region, the via extending through the insulating layer and down to a conduction layer among the layers of semiconductor materials in the isolation region, and an interconnect within the via and directly on the conduction layer in the isolation region.