Power integrated circuits (PICs), tailored for power
electronics applications (drivers, actuators, regulators, etc.),
that require voltages higher than standard 5-volt digital
CMOS processes, are usually fabricated either resorting to
expensive solutions, (e.g. BCD), or even to dedicated smart
power technologies [1]. State-of-the-art semiconductor
devices, like MOSFETs, IGBTs or TrenchFETs, are used,
in all cases, as switching devices, with extremely low
voltage drops at on-state, low leakage current at off-state
and ultra-fast switching times, features that are crucial to
attain low power losses and thus increased circuit efficiency.