LDMOSFET HAVING A BRIDGE REGION FORMED BETWEEN TWO GATE ELECTRODES

A split gate power transistor includes a laterally configured power MOSFET including a doped silicon substrate, a stepped gate oxide layer formed on a surface of the substrate, and a split polysilicon layer formed over the stepped gate oxide layer. The stepped gate oxide layer includes a first gate oxide layer having a first thickness and a second gate oxide layer having a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness. The polysilicon layer is cut into two electrically isolated portions, a first portion forming a switching gate positioned over the first gate oxide layer and a first portion of a channel region of the substrate, and a second portion forming a static gate formed over the second gate oxide layer and a second portion of the channel region. A switching voltage is applied to the switching gate and a constant voltage is applied to the static gate.