Semiconductor device

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a doped semiconductor substrate;

an epitaxial layer, disposed on top of the substrate, the epitaxial layer having a lower concentration of dopant than the substrate;

a switching region disposed on a top surface of the epitaxial layer; and

a contact diffusion disposed on the top surface of the epitaxial layer, the contact diffusion having a higher concentration of dopant than the epitaxial layer, wherein the contact diffusion extends around and surrounds the switching region in a plane parallel to a surface of the substrate;

wherein the epitaxial layer forms a barrier between the contact diffusion and the substrate, a barrier between the contact diffusion and the switching region, and a barrier between the switching region and the substrate, so that no coupling region extends through a full thickness of the epitaxial layer, and

wherein the substrate, the epitaxial layer, and the contact diffusion have the same conductivity type.

2. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising a contact terminal, wherein the contact diffusion extends from the contact terminal towards the substrate and is spaced apart from the substrate by the epitaxial layer.

3. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the barrier between the contact diffusion and the substrate, provided by the epitaxial layer, is at least 2 μm thick or at least 3 μm thick.

4. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the barrier between the contact diffusion and the substrate, provided by the epitaxial layer, is at least 20% of a full thickness of the epitaxial layer.

5. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the switching region comprises a plurality of limbs and the contact diffusion comprises a plurality of limbs interdigitated between the plurality of limbs of the switching region.

6. The semiconductor device of claim 5 , further comprising a metallic contact diffusion terminal disposed on top of the contact diffusion and interdigitated between the limbs of the switching region.

7. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the switching region comprises:

a base diffusion in contact with the top surface of the epitaxial layer; and

an emitter diffusion disposed on top of the base diffusion, the base diffusion configured to form a barrier between the emitter diffusion and the epitaxial layer.

8. The semiconductor device of claim 7 , wherein the emitter diffusion comprises at least one loop portion, disposed on top of the base diffusion, that extends around an inner portion of the base diffusion.

9. The semiconductor device of claim 5 , wherein each limb of the switching region comprises an emitter diffusion limb disposed on top of a base diffusion limb.

10. The semiconductor device of claim 9 , further comprising a metallic emitter contact is electrically connected to the emitter diffusion along at least a portion of a length of at least one limb of the emitter diffusion, and/or a metallic base contact is electrically connected to the base diffusion along at least a portion of a length of at least one limb of the base diffusion.

11. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the switching region comprises:

a body diffusion formed on the top surface of the epitaxial layer;

a source diffusion formed on top of the body diffusion; and

a gate disposed on top of the switching region between the source diffusion and the body diffusion;

wherein the substrate comprises a drain for the semiconductor device.

12. A chip-scale package device comprising the semiconductor device of claim 1 .

13. A method of providing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

providing a doped semiconductor substrate;

disposing an epitaxial layer on a top surface of the doped semiconductor substrate, the epitaxial layer having a lower concentration of dopant than the doped semiconductor substrate;

disposing a switching region on a top surface of the epitaxial layer; and

disposing a contact diffusion on the top surface of the epitaxial layer, the contact diffusion having a higher concentration of dopant than the epitaxial layer, wherein the contact diffusion extends around and surrounds the switching region in a plane parallel to a surface of the substrate;

wherein the epitaxial layer forms a barrier between the contact diffusion and the doped semiconductor substrate, a barrier between the contact diffusion and the switching region, and a barrier between the switching region and the doped semiconductor substrate, so that no coupling region extends through a full thickness of the epitaxial layer, and

wherein the doped semiconductor substrate, the epitaxial layer, and the contact diffusion have the same conductivity type.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the switching region and the contact diffusion are provided as part of a single process step.