Patent ID: 8368177
Filing Date: 2013-02-05
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. An integrated circuit, comprising: a semiconductor body of a first conductivity type, the semiconductor body comprising: a first semiconductor zone of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type, said first semiconductor zone extending to a surface of the semiconductor body; a second semiconductor zone of the first conductivity type embedded in the first semiconductor zone and extending as far as the surface; a third semiconductor zone of the second conductivity type at least partly projecting from the first semiconductor zone along a lateral direction running parallel to the surface; a contact structure which provides an electrical contact with the first and second semiconductor zones at the surface; wherein the second semiconductor zone is arranged, along the lateral direction, between the part of the third semiconductor zone which projects from the first semiconductor zone and a part of the contact structure in contact with the first semiconductor zone; wherein the first, second and third semiconductor zones form a bipolar ESD structure having a vertical discharge current path with respect to the surface of the semiconductor body; and wherein an electrical breakdown voltage between the semiconductor body and the first and third semiconductor zones occurs in a location of a curvature of the part of the third semiconductor zone which projects from the first semiconductor zone so that the location of the electrical breakdown voltage is spatially decoupled from the vertical discharge current path of the bipolar ESD structure.