Trench-gate semiconductor devices and their manufacture

Compact trench-gate semiconductor devices, for example a cellular power MOSFET with sub-micron pitch (Yc), are manufactured with self-aligned techniques that use sidewall spacers (52) in different ways. The trench-gate (11) is accommodated in a narrow trench (20) that is etched via a narrow window (52b) defined by the spacers (52) at sidewalls of a wider window (51a) of a mask (51) at the body surface (10a). The spacers (52) permit a source region (13) adjacent to the trench-gate (11) and an insulating overlayer (18) over the trench-gate (11) to be self-aligned to this narrow trench (20). The overlayer (18), which defines a contact window (18a) for a source electrode (33), is provided in a simple but reproducible manner by deposition and etch-back, after removing the spacers (52). Its overlap (y4, y4') with the body surface (10a) is well-defined, so reducing a short-circuit risk between the source electrode (33) and the trench-gate (11). Furthermore, implantation of the source region (13) is facilitated, and a channel-accommodating region (15) can also be provided using a high energy implant (61) after providing the insulating overlayer (18).