Junction barrier Schottky rectifier comprising: a substrate layer having a first conductivity type; a drift layer (132A, 132B) having the first conductivity type, wherein the drift layer (132A, 132B) is on the substrate layer and has a lower peak net doping concentration than the substrate layer; a plurality of emitter regions in the drift layer (132A, 132B) adjacent to a first main side of the junction barrier Schottky rectifier, each emitter region having a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type; a first metal contact layer forming a Schottky contact with the drift layer (132A, 132B) and an ohmic contact with each one of the emitter regions on the first main side of the junction barrier Schottky rectifier; and a second metal contact layer forming an ohmic contact with the substrate layer on a second main side of the junction barrier Schottky rectifier opposite to the first main side, wherein the drift layer (132A, 132B) includes a first drift layer section and a second drift layer section, wherein the first drift layer section forms a layer separating the second drift layer section from the first metal contact layer, wherein the Schottky contact is formed only between the first drift layer section and the first metal contact layer, and a peak net doping concentration of the first drift layer section is at least two times lower than a minimum net doping concentration of the second drift layer section, and for each emitter region the first drift layer section includes a layer section which is in contact with the respective emitter region to form a pn-junction between the first drift layer section and the respective emitter region, wherein the thickness of this layer section in a direction perpendicular to the first and second main sides of the junction barrier Schottky rectifier is at least 0.1 μm, characterized in that each one of the emitter regions comprises a first emitter section and a second emitter section, wherein in each emitter region a lateral side of the first emitter section is covered by the second emitter section, and a peak net doping concentration of the second emitter section is at least two times higher than a peak net doping concentration of the first emitter section, and in each emitter region the second emitter section extends to the second drift layer section, while the first emitter section is separated from the second drift layer section by said layer section of the first drift layer section. a substrate layer having a first conductivity type; a drift layer (132A, 132B) having the first conductivity type, wherein the drift layer (132A, 132B) is on the substrate layer and has a lower peak net doping concentration than the substrate layer; a plurality of emitter regions in the drift layer (132A, 132B) adjacent to a first main side of the junction barrier Schottky rectifier, each emitter region having a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type; a first metal contact layer forming a Schottky contact with the drift layer (132A, 132B) and an ohmic contact with each one of the emitter regions on the first main side of the junction barrier Schottky rectifier; and a second metal contact layer forming an ohmic contact with the substrate layer on a second main side of the junction barrier Schottky rectifier opposite to the first main side, wherein the drift layer (132A, 132B) includes a first drift layer section and a second drift layer section, wherein the first drift layer section forms a layer separating the second drift layer section from the first metal contact layer, wherein the Schottky contact is formed only between the first drift layer section and the first metal contact layer, and a peak net doping concentration of the first drift layer section is at least two times lower than a minimum net doping concentration of the second drift layer section, and for each emitter region the first drift layer section includes a layer section which is in contact with the respective emitter region to form a pn-junction between the first drift layer section and the respective emitter region, wherein the thickness of this layer section in a direction perpendicular to the first and second main sides of the junction barrier Schottky rectifier is at least 0.1 μm, characterized in that each one of the emitter regions comprises a first emitter section and a second emitter section, wherein in each emitter region a lateral side of the first emitter section is covered by the second emitter section, and a peak net doping concentration of the second emitter section is at least two times higher than a peak net doping concentration of the first emitter section, and in each emitter region the second emitter section extends to the second drift layer section, while the first emitter section is separated from the second drift layer section by said layer section of the first drift layer section.