The current invention introduces a modulated field element incorporated into the semiconductor device outside the controlling electrode and active areas. This element changes its conductivity and/or dielectric properties depending on the electrical potentials of the interface or interfaces between the modulated field element and the semiconductor device and/or incident electromagnetic radiation. The element is either connected to only one terminal of the semiconductor device, or not connected to any terminal of a semiconductor device nor to its active area(s). Such an element can be used as modulated field plate, or a part of a field plate, as a passivation layer or its part, as a guard ring or its part, as a smart field or charge control element or its part, as a feedback element or its part, as a sensor element or its part, as an additional electrode or its part, as an electromagnetic signal path or its part, and/or for any other functions optimizing or modernizing device performance.