Author: claimsbot

1. A steam drum washing machine comprising:
a casing;
a tub disposed in the casing and adapted so that water is supplied into the tub;
a drum rotatably mounted in the tub and adapted so that clothes are put in the drum and the water is supplied into the drum;
a steam generator to heat water to obtain steam and to supply the steam into the tub and the drum; and
a water-supply unit to supply the water into the tub and to the steam generator, wherein the water-supply unit includes:
a water-supply valve assembly to supply the water;
a detergent box assembly mounted between the water-supply valve assembly and the tub for storing a detergent; and
an auxiliary water-supply tube connected between the water-supply valve assembly and the detergent box assembly.
2. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the water-supply unit comprises:
a water-supply tube connected at one end thereof to the steam generator for supplying the water into the steam generator.
3. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the water-supply unit includes a steam tube having one end connected to the steam generator and the other end disposed in the tub, the end of the steam tube disposed in the tub being formed in the shape of a nozzle.
4. The machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a gasket located between the tub and the casing to prevent leakage.
5. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the steam generator is disposed in the casing.
6. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the steam generator is disposed below the tub between the tub and the casing.
7. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the steam generator is disposed above the tub between the tub and the casing.
8. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the water-supply unit is disposed in the casing.
9. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the steam generator comprises:
a pressure container; and
a heater mounted in the pressure container for heating the water in the pressure container.
10. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the steam generator comprises a safety unit for preventing overheating of the heater.
11. The machine as set forth in claim 9, wherein the pressure container comprises:
an upper container part forming the upper part of the pressure container; and
a lower container part forming the lower part of the pressure container.
12. The machine as set forth in claim 9, wherein the steam generator comprises a thermal insulator for shielding the pressure container.
13. The machine as set forth in claim 9, further comprising a temperature sensor to sense the temperature inside the pressure container, and the heater is selectively operated based on the sensed temperature sensed by the temperature sensor for adjusting the temperature of the steam to maintain the steam at a predetermined temperature.
14. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the water-supply unit includes a steam tube having one end connected to the steam generator and the other end disposed in the tub, the one end of the steam tube connected to the steam generator is located higher then the other end of the steam tube disposed in the tub.
15. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the water-supply unit includes a steam tube having one end connected to the steam generator and the other end disposed in the tub, and the machine further comprising a gasket located between the tub and the casing and wherein the end of the steam tube penetrates through the upper end of the gasket.
16. The machine as set forth in claim 15, wherein the end of the steam tube disposed in the tub is formed in the shape of a nozzle.
17. The machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the water-supply unit includes a steam tube having one end connected to the steam generator and the other end disposed in the tub for supplying the steam into the tub and the drum.
18. The machine as set forth in claim 17, wherein the steam generator comprises:
an airtight pressure container connected to the water-supply tube and the steam tube between the water-supply tube and the steam tube;
a heater mounted in the pressure container for heating the water stored in the pressure container;
an inlet valve disposed between the water-supply tube and the pressure container for supplying the water into the pressure container; and
an outlet valve disposed between the steam tube and the pressure container for supplying the steam into the steam tube.
19. The machine as set forth in claim 18, wherein the steam generator further comprises a water level sensor for sensing the amount of the water stored in the pressure container to control the operations of the inlet valve and the outlet valve.
20. The machine as set forth in claim 18, wherein the steam generator further comprises a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature inside the pressure container to control the operation of the heater on the basis of the temperature inside the pressure container.
21. The machine as set forth in claim 18, wherein the steam generator further comprises an automatic pressure switch for stopping the operation of the heater when the pressure inside the pressure container is over a predetermined pressure.
22. The machine as set forth in claim 18, wherein the steam generator further comprises an automatic temperature switch for stopping the operation of the heater when the temperature inside the pressure container is over a predetermined temperature.
23. The machine as set forth in claim 18, wherein the steam generator further comprises a thermal insulator for shielding the pressure container.
24. The machine as set forth in claim 18, wherein the pressure container comprises an upper container part forming the upper part of the pressure container, and a lower container part forming the lower part of the pressure container, the upper container part and the lower container part being attached to each other.
25. The machine as set forth in claim 18, wherein the inlet valve and the outlet valve are pressure valves that can be opened or closed depending upon the pressure inside the pressure container.
26. The machine as set forth in claim 18, wherein the heater is horizontally disposed in the lower part of the pressure container so that the heater can be submerged under the water even when the water is supplied into the pressure container to the minimum water level.
27. The machine as set forth in claim 26, wherein the heater is an electric heater formed in the shape of a curved pipe.
28. The machine as set forth in claim 17, further comprising a gasket located between the tub and the casing and wherein the end of the steam tube penetrates through the upper end of the gasket.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. In an interactive television environment, a method comprising:
aggregating pixel widths of a portion of a text string for a row in a display area having at least one row;
if the aggregated pixel widths for that row exceed a width of the row, searching back through characters of the portion of the text string until a space is located;
breaking the portion of the text string at the located space; and
if aggregated pixel widths for a last row of the display area exceed an allocated pixel width for the last row, truncating a portion of the text string for that last row at a space, comprising:
if the aggregated pixel widths of the portion of the text string for that last row exceed the allocated pixel width of the last row, searching back through characters of that portion of the text string until the space is located; and
inserting an ellipsis in a location immediately adjacent to the location of the space.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein inserting the ellipsis in the location immediately adjacent to the location of the space includes inserting the ellipsis in place of the space.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein searching back through characters of the portion of the text string until the space is located comprises comparing an index of each of the characters with array values until an array value corresponding to an index of the space is located.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein aggregating pixel widths of the portion of the text string includes obtaining pixel width values of characters in the portion from an array and summing the obtained pixel width values.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
incrementing to a next row; and
for that next row, repeating the aggregating pixel widths, searching until a space is located, and breaking at the located space.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising advancing an index corresponding to the located space of any row by 1 to allow a subsequent portion of the text string for the next row to begin with a character different from the space.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the portion of the text string broken at the located space, and the portion of the text string truncated at the last row, to a browser.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the portion of the text string broken at the located space is provided separately to the browser than the portion of the text string truncated at the last row.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the display area comprises part of a page and wherein the portions of the text string on the page comprise a substring, the method further including:
creating additional pages to each fit an additional substring of the text string;
breaking a portion of each substring at a last row of each page at a space; and
providing a control to allow movement from one page to another.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein creating additional pages to each fit an additional substring comprises:
creating a page array that tracks a number of pages;
for the page array, creating page objects having a property that specifies the substring that fits inside a particular page; and
generating the pages that fit the substrings specified by the property based on the page objects and based on a number of pages counted from the page array.
11. The method of claim 9, further comprising setting a character after a space from a previous page as a first character in a subsequent page.
12. The method of claim 9, further comprising controlling format of the text string from one page to another.
13. An article of manufacture, comprising:
a machine-readable medium usable in an interactive television environment and having stored thereon instructions to:
aggregate pixel widths of a portion of a text string for a row in a display area having at least one row;
if the aggregated pixel widths for that row exceed a width of the row, search back through characters of the portion of the text string until a space is located;
break the portion of the text string at the located space; and
if aggregated pixel widths for a last row of the display area exceed an allocated pixel width for the last row, truncate a portion of the text string for that last row at a space, comprising:
if the aggregated pixel widths of the portion of the text string for that last row exceed the allocated pixel width of the last row, search back through characters of that portion of the text string until the space is located; and
insert an ellipsis in a location immediately adjacent to the location of the space.
14. The article of manufacture of claim 13 wherein the machine-readable medium further includes instructions stored thereon to advance an index corresponding to the located space of any row by 1 to allow a subsequent portion of the text string for a next row to begin with a character different from the space.
15. The article of manufacture of claim 13 wherein the display area comprises part of a page and wherein the portions of the text string on the page comprise a substring, the machine-readable medium further including instructions stored thereon to:
create additional pages to each fit an additional substring of the text string;
break a portion of each substring at a last row of each page at a space; and
provide a control to allow movement from one page to another.
16. The article of manufacture of claim 15 wherein the machine-readable medium further includes instructions stored thereon to control format of substrings from one page to another.
17. An interactive television system, comprising:
a means for aggregating pixel widths of a portion of a text string for a row in a display area having at least one row;
a means for searching back through characters of the portion of the text string until a space is located, if the aggregated pixel widths for that row exceed a width of the row;
a means for breaking the portion of the text string at the located space; and
a means for truncating a portion of the text string for a last row of the display area at a space, if aggregated pixel widths for the last row exceed an allocated pixel width for the last row, wherein the means for truncating a portion of the text string includes:
a means for searching back through characters of that portion of the text string until the space is located, if the aggregated pixel widths of the portion of the text string for that last row exceed the allocated pixel width of the last row; and
a means for inserting an ellipsis in a location immediately adjacent to the location of the space.
18. The system of claim 17 wherein the display area comprises part of a page and wherein the portions of the text string on the page comprise a substring, the system further including:
a means for creating additional pages to each fit an additional substring of the text string;
a means for breaking a portion of each substring at a last row of each page at a space; and
a means for providing a control to allow movement from one page to another.
19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a means for controlling format of substrings from one page to another.
20. In an interactive television environment, a method comprising:
aggregating pixel widths of a portion of a text string for a row in a page having at least one row;
if the aggregated pixel widths for that row exceed a width of the row, searching back through characters of the portion of the text string until a space is located;
breaking the portion of the text string at the located space;
if aggregated pixel widths for a last row of the page exceed an allocated pixel width for the last row, truncating a portion of the text string for that last row at a space, wherein the portions of the text string on the page together comprise a substring of the text string;
creating additional pages to each fit a subsequent substring of the text string; and
breaking a portion of each subsequent substring at a last row of each page at a space.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein creating additional pages to each fit a subsequent substring comprises:
creating a page array that tracks a number of pages;
for the page array, creating page objects having a property that specifies the substring that fits inside a particular page; and
generating the pages that fit the substrings specified by the property based on the page objects and based on a number of pages counted from the page array.
22. The method of claim 21, further comprising controlling format of the substrings from one page to another.
23. An article of manufacture, comprising:
a machine-readable medium usable in an interactive television system and having instructions stored thereon to:
aggregate pixel widths of a portion of a text string for a row in a page having at least one row;
search back through characters of the portion of the text string until a space is located, if the aggregated pixel widths for that row exceed a width of the row;
break the portion of the text string at the located space;
truncate a portion of the text string for a last row of the page at a space, if aggregated pixel widths for the last row exceed an allocated pixel width for the last row, wherein the portions of the text string on the page together comprise a substring of the text string;
create additional pages to each fit a subsequent substring of the text string; and
break a portion of each subsequent substring at a last row of each page at a space.
24. The article of manufacture of claim 23 wherein the instructions to create additional pages to each fit a subsequent substring comprise instructions to:
create a page array that tracks a number of pages;
for the page array, create page objects having a property that specifies the substring that fits inside a particular page; and
generate the pages that fit the substrings specified by the property based on the page objects and based on a number of pages counted from the page array.
25. The article of manufacture of claim 23 wherein the machine-readable medium further includes instructions stored thereon to control the format of the substrings from one page to another.
26. An interactive television system, comprising:
a means for aggregating pixel widths of a portion of a text string for a row in a page having at least one row;
a means for searching back through characters of the portion of the text string until a space is located, if the aggregated pixel widths for that row exceed a width of the row;
a means for breaking the portion of the text string at the located space
a means for truncating a portion of the text string for a last row of the page at a space, if aggregated pixel widths for the last row exceed an allocated pixel width for the last row, wherein the portions of the text string on the page together comprise a substring of the text string;
a means for creating additional pages to each fit a subsequent substring of the text string; and
a means for breaking a portion of each subsequent substring at a last row of each page at a space.
27. The system of claim 26 wherein the means for creating additional pages to each fit a subsequent substring comprises:
a means for creating a page array that tracks a number of pages;
for the page array, a means for creating page objects having a property that specifies the substring that fits inside a particular page; and
a means for generating the pages that fit the substrings specified by the property based on the page objects and based on a number of pages counted from the page array.

1. An intra-field interpolation device for converting an interlaced video signal to a de-interlaced video signal, the device comprising:
a gradient unit receiving an image field for determining a gradient of a first line above a target pixel in the image field and a second line below the target pixel in the image field;
a first pixel difference unit receiving the image field of the interlaced video signal for determining a pair of pixel difference sets on either side of a normal axis of the target pixel in an alternate field of the interlaced video to thereby generate two candidate blending angles for the target pixel, wherein the first pixel difference unit is for generating the two candidate blending angles for the target pixel further according to the gradient;
a second pixel difference unit receiving the image field for determining two reference pixel differences in the image field being along a reference angle on either side of the normal axis of the target pixel;
an angle selection unit being coupled to the first pixel difference unit and the second pixel difference unit for determining an optimal blending angle according to the two candidate blending angles determined by the first pixel difference unit, and the two reference pixel differences determined by the second pixel difference unit; and
a weighted blending unit being coupled to the angle selection unit and receiving the image field for blending a plurality of pixel values in the image field along the optimal blending angle to thereby generate the target pixel in the de-interlaced video signal.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the second pixel difference unit is for determining the two reference pixel differences being along a 45 degree reference angle on either side of the normal axis of the target pixel.
3. An intra-field interpolation device for converting an interlaced video signal to a de-interlaced video signal, the device comprising:
a first pixel difference unit receiving an image field of the interlaced video signal for determining a pair of pixel difference sets on either side of a normal axis of a target pixel in an alternate field of the interlaced video to thereby generate two candidate blending angles for the target pixel;
a second pixel difference unit receiving the image field for determining two reference pixel differences in the image field being along a reference angle on either side of the normal axis of the target pixel;
an angle selection unit being coupled to the first pixel difference unit and the second pixel difference unit for determining an optimal blending angle according to the two candidate blending angles determined by the first pixel difference unit, and the two reference pixel differences determined by the second pixel difference unit; and
a weighted blending unit being coupled to the angle selection unit and receiving the image field for blending a plurality of pixel values in the image field along the optimal blending angle to thereby generate the target pixel in the de-interlaced video signal;
wherein the angle selection unit includes an angle voting unit for determining the optimal blending angle further according to two previously utilized blending angles; wherein the two previously utilized blending angles correspond to blending angles for two previous pixels that were interpolated prior to the target pixel.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the weighted blending unit is for performing weighted blending of a plurality of pixels values further along the normal axis to generate the target pixel.
5. The device of claim 4, wherein the weighted blending unit is for performing a two-phase weighting algorithm to interpolate the target pixel; pixel information along the normal axis being weighted according to a first weight, and pixel information along the optimal axis being weighted according to a second weight.
6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a low-pass filter for removing noise from the interlaced video signal.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first pixel difference unit is for utilizing a first pixel difference algorithm being substantially different from a second pixel difference algorithm utilized by the second pixel difference unit.
8. An intra-field interpolation method of converting an interlaced video signal to a de-interlaced video signal, the method comprising:
receiving an image field of the interlaced video signal;
utilizing a gradient unit for determining a gradient of a first line above a target pixel in the image field and a second line below the target pixel in the image field;
utilizing a first pixel difference unit for determining a pair of pixel difference sets on either side of a normal axis of the target pixel in an alternate field of the interlaced video to thereby generate two candidate blending angles for the target pixel, wherein the two candidate blending angles for the target pixel are generated further according to the gradient;
utilizing a second pixel difference unit for determining two reference pixel differences in the image field being along a reference angle on either side of the normal axis of the target pixel;
utilizing an angle selection unit for determining an optimal blending angle according to the two candidate blending angles and the two reference pixel differences; and
utilizing a blending unit for blending a plurality of pixel values in the image field along the optimal blending angle to thereby generate the target pixel in the de-interlaced video signal.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining the two reference pixel differences being along a 45 degree reference angle on either side of the normal axis of the target pixel.
10. An intra-field interpolation method of converting an interlaced video signal to a de-interlaced video signal, the method comprising:
receiving an image field of the interlaced video signal;
utilizing a first pixel difference unit for determining a pair of pixel difference sets on either side of a normal axis of a target pixel in an alternate field of the interlaced video to thereby generate two candidate blending angles for the target pixel;
utilizing a second pixel difference unit for determining two reference pixel differences in the image field being along a reference angle on either side of the normal axis of the target pixel;
utilizing an angle selection unit for determining an optimal blending angle according to the two candidate blending angles and the two reference pixel differences, and
further according to two previously utilized blending angles; wherein the two previously utilized blending angles correspond to blending angles for two previous pixels that were interpolated prior to the target pixel; and
utilizing a blending unit for blending a plurality of pixel values in the image field along the optimal blending angle to thereby generate the target pixel in the de-interlaced video signal.
11. The method of claim 8, further comprising performing weighted blending of a plurality of pixels values further along the normal axis to generate the target pixel.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising performing a two-phase weighting algorithm to interpolate the target pixel; pixel information along the normal axis being weighted according to a first weight, and pixel information along the optimal axis being weighted according to a second weight.
13. The method of claim 8, further comprising removing noise from the interlaced video signal.
14. The method of claim 8, further comprising utilizing a first pixel difference algorithm to determine the pair of pixel difference sets being substantially different from a second pixel difference algorithm utilized to determine the two reference pixel differences.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1: A semiconductor device, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type;
a first semiconductor element having a front surface structure in a main surface of the semiconductor substrate;
a second semiconductor element having a front surface structure in the main surface of the semiconductor substrate, the front surface structure of the second semiconductor element being separated from the front surface structure of the first semiconductor element;
a rear surface electrode for the first and second semiconductor elements;
a first semiconductor region of a second conductivity type selectively formed in the main surface of the semiconductor substrate so as to be between the front surface structure of the first semiconductor element and the front surface structure of the second semiconductor element and so as to surround the front surface structure of the first semiconductor element and the front surface structure of the second semiconductor element;
a second semiconductor region of the first conductivity type formed in the main surface of the semiconductor substrate outside the first semiconductor region and separated therefrom; and
at least one trench filled with an insulating layer in the first semiconductor region between the first semiconductor element and the second semiconductor element, respective ends of the at least one trench extending parallel to the main surface out of the first semiconductor region into the second semiconductor region so as to divide the first semiconductor region into a first semiconductor element side and a second semiconductor element side, thereby forming an isolation structure that includes the first semiconductor region between the first semiconductor element and the second semiconductor element and the at least one trench filled with the insulating layer, electrically isolating the front surface structure of the first semiconductor element from the front surface structure of the second semiconductor element.
2. A semiconductor device, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type;
a first semiconductor element having a front surface structure in a main surface of the semiconductor substrate;
a second semiconductor element having a front surface structure in the main surface of the semiconductor substrate, the front surface structure of the second semiconductor element being separated from the front surface structure of the first semiconductor element;
a rear surface electrode for the first and second semiconductor elements;
a first semiconductor region of a second conductivity type selectively formed in the main surface of the semiconductor substrate so as to be between the front surface structure of the first semiconductor element and the front surface structure of the second semiconductor element and so as to surround the front surface structure of the first semiconductor element and the front surface structure of the second semiconductor element;
a second semiconductor region of the second conductivity type formed in the main surface of the semiconductor substrate outside the first semiconductor region and in contact therewith;
a first trench filled with an insulating layer in the first semiconductor region, surrounding the front surface structure of the first semiconductor element;
a second trench filled with an insulating layer in the first semiconductor region, surrounding the front surface structure of the second semiconductor element, the second trench being separated from the first trench;
a third trench filled with an insulating layer in the first semiconductor region, separated from the first and second trenches and surrounding the first and second trenches so as to divide the first semiconductor region into an inner side and an outer side, thereby forming an isolation structure that includes the first and second trenches and the first semiconductor region between the first semiconductor element and the second semiconductor element, electrically isolating the front surface structure of the first semiconductor element from the front surface structure of the second semiconductor element.
3. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein a width of a portion where the first and third trenches are closest to one another is equal to a width of a portion where the first and second trenches are closest to one another.
4. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein a width of a portion where the second and third trenches are closest to one another is equal to a width of a portion where the first and second trenches are closest to one another.
5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the first semiconductor region that is between the first semiconductor element and the second semiconductor element has a width that withstands at least 60% of a guaranteed maximum breakdown voltage, said portion of the first semiconductor region being completely depleted when the breakdown voltage is reached.
6. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein a portion of the first semiconductor region that is between the first semiconductor element and the second semiconductor element has a width that withstands at least 60% of a guaranteed maximum breakdown voltage, said portion of the first semiconductor region being completely depleted when the breakdown voltage is reached.
7. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein portions of the first semiconductor region located between outer sides of the front surface structure of the first semiconductor element and the second semiconductor region and located between outer sides of the front surface structure of the second semiconductor element and the second semiconductor region form termination structures.
8. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein portions of the first semiconductor region located between outer sides of the front surface structure of the first semiconductor element and the second semiconductor region and located between outer sides of the front surface structure of the second semiconductor element and the second semiconductor region form termination structures.
9. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,
wherein the front surface structure of the first semiconductor element further includes a third semiconductor region of the second conductivity type in the main surface of the semiconductor substrate, the third semiconductor region being in contact with the first semiconductor region and having a higher concentration of impurities than the first semiconductor region, and
wherein the front surface structure of the second semiconductor element further includes a fourth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type in the main surface of the semiconductor substrate, the fourth semiconductor region being in contact with the first semiconductor region and having a higher concentration of impurities than the first semiconductor region,
wherein the semiconductor device further includes:
an interlayer insulating film formed on at least a portion of the third semiconductor region, on at least a portion of the first semiconductor region, and on at least a portion of the fourth semiconductor region;
a first input electrode in contact with the third semiconductor region and an adjacent portion of the first semiconductor region, the first input electrode extending over a portion of the interlayer insulating film;
a second input electrode in contact with the fourth semiconductor region and an adjacent portion of the first semiconductor region, the second input electrode extending over a portion of the interlayer insulating film;
a semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type formed on another main surface of the semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor layer having a higher concentration of impurities than the semiconductor substrate; and
a rear surface electrode in contact with the semiconductor layer.
10. The semiconductor device according to claim 2,
wherein the front surface structure of the first semiconductor element further includes a third semiconductor region of the second conductivity type in the main surface of the semiconductor substrate, the third semiconductor region being in contact with the first semiconductor region and having a higher concentration of impurities than the first semiconductor region, and
wherein the front surface structure of the second semiconductor element further includes a fourth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type in the main surface of the semiconductor substrate, the fourth semiconductor region being in contact with the first semiconductor region and having a higher concentration of impurities than the first semiconductor region,
wherein the semiconductor device further includes:
an interlayer insulating film formed on at least a portion of the third semiconductor region, on at least a portion of the first semiconductor region, and on at least a portion of the fourth semiconductor region;
a first input electrode in contact with the third semiconductor region and an adjacent portion of the first semiconductor region, the first input electrode extending over a portion of the interlayer insulating film;
a second input electrode in contact with the fourth semiconductor region and an adjacent portion of the first semiconductor region, the second input electrode extending over a portion of the interlayer insulating film;
a semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type formed on another main surface of the semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor layer having a higher concentration of impurities than the semiconductor substrate; and
a rear surface electrode in contact with the semiconductor layer.
11. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a depth of each of said at least one trench is greater than or equal to 1.75 \u03bcm and less than 5.0 \u03bcm.
12. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a width of each of said at least one trench is greater than or equal to 1.8 \u03bcm and less than 6.0 \u03bcm.
13. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein silicon carbide, gallium nitride, a gallium nitride-based compound, or silicon is used as a semiconductor material of said semiconductor substrate.
14. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein silicon carbide, gallium nitride, a gallium nitride-based compound, or silicon is used as a semiconductor material of said semiconductor substrate.
15. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,
wherein a four-layer hexagonal silicon carbide single crystal is used as a semiconductor material of said semiconductor substrate, and
wherein an impurity dosage of the first semiconductor region is 1.1\xd71013cm2 to 1.75\xd71013cm2.
16. The semiconductor device according to claim 2,
wherein a four-layer hexagonal silicon carbide single crystal is used as a semiconductor material of said semiconductor substrate, and
wherein an impurity dosage of the first semiconductor region is 1.1\xd71013cm2 to 1.75\xd71013cm2.
17. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:
forming a first semiconductor element and a second semiconductor element in a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, the first semiconductor element having a front surface structure in a main surface of the semiconductor substrate, the second semiconductor;
forming a rear surface electrode for the first and second semiconductor elements;
selectively forming a first semiconductor region of a second conductivity type in the main surface of the semiconductor substrate such that the first semiconductor region is located between the front surface structure of the first semiconductor element and the front surface structure of the second semiconductor element as well as surrounding the front surface structure of the first semiconductor element and the front surface structure of the second semiconductor element;
forming a second semiconductor region of the first conductivity type in the main surface of the semiconductor substrate outside the first semiconductor region and separated therefrom; and
forming at least one trench filled with an insulating layer in the first semiconductor region between the first semiconductor element and the second semiconductor element, respective ends of the at least one trench extending parallel to the main surface out of the first semiconductor region into the second semiconductor region so as to divide the first semiconductor region into a first semiconductor element side and a second semiconductor element side, thereby forming an isolation structure that includes said at least one trench filled with the insulating layer and the first semiconductor region between the first semiconductor element and the second semiconductor element, electrically isolating the front surface structure of the first semiconductor element from the front surface structure of the second semiconductor element.