A silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor element includes a semiconductor layer, a dielectric layer on a surface of the semiconductor layer, a gate electrode layer on the dielectric layer, a first doped region, a second doped region, a shallow doped region and a third doped region. The semiconductor layer is of a first conductivity type. The first doped region is of a second conductivity type and includes an upper doping boundary spaced from the surface by a first depth. The shallow doped region is of the second conductivity type, and extends from the surface to a shallow doped depth. The second doped region is adjacent to the shallow doped region and is at least partially in the first doped region. The third doped region is of the second conductivity type and at least partially overlaps the first doped region.