Planar gate semiconductor device with oxygen-doped Si-layers

A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate having opposing first and second main surfaces; a plurality of transistor cells each including a source region, a drift zone, a body region separating the source region from the drift zone, a field plate trench extending into the drift zone and including a field plate, and a planar gate on the first main surface and configured to control current through a channel of the body region; a drain region at the second main surface; and a diffusion barrier structure including alternating layers of Si and oxygen-doped Si and a Si capping layer on the alternating layers of Si and oxygen-doped Si. The diffusion barrier structure may be interposed between body regions of adjacent transistor cells and/or extend along the channel of each transistor cell and/or vertically extend in the semiconductor substrate between adjacent field plate trenches.