Patent ID: 9236472
Filing Date: 2016-01-12
CPC Classification: H01L

Claim Text:
1. A device comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type; a device isolating region in the semiconductor substrate, defining an active area, and having a second conductivity type; a body region in the active area and having the first conductivity type; a source region in the active area and having the second conductivity type; and a drain region in the active area and spaced from the body region to define a conduction path of the device, the drain region having the second conductivity type; wherein at least one of the body region and the device isolating region is a composite region that comprises a plurality of contiguous, constituent regions, each constituent region being disposed along a respective part of a junction between the body region and the device isolating region to establish a non-uniformity, the non-uniformity defining a non-uniform spacing along the junction between the device isolating region and the body region to establish a first breakdown voltage lower than a second breakdown voltage in the conduction path, and wherein the body region comprises a first well on which the source region is disposed and a second well adjacent the first well and spaced from the device isolating region to establish the first breakdown voltage.