A lateral single-photon avalanche diode, comprising: - a semiconductor body, - a pn-junction, and - anode and cathode terminals (3, 4), - the semiconductor body including a base layer of semiconductor material of a first type of conductivity, a first further layer of semiconductor material of the first type of conductivity on the base layer and a second further layer of semiconductor material of the first type of conductivity on the first further layer, - wherein the base layer and the second further layer have an intrinsic doping or a doping concentration that is lower than a doping concentration of the first further layer and the doping concentration of the first further layer is selected to achieve a desired breakdown voltage, - the diode further comprises a doped region of a second type of conductivity, which is opposite to the first type of conductivity, - wherein the pn-junction is formed between the doped region and the base layer, the first further layer and the second further layer of the semiconductor body, and - the anode and cathode terminals (3, 4) being electrically connected to one of the first further layer and the doped region, respectively, characterized in that - the first further layer is a first epitaxial layer grown on the base layer, - the second further layer is a second epitaxial layer grown on the first further layer, - the semiconductor body comprises a trench, the trench penetrating the second further layer and the first further layer and extending into the base layer, the trench being filled with an electrically conductive material doped for the second type of conductivity, thus forming the doped region. - a semiconductor body, - a pn-junction, and - anode and cathode terminals (3, 4), - the semiconductor body including a base layer of semiconductor material of a first type of conductivity, a first further layer of semiconductor material of the first type of conductivity on the base layer and a second further layer of semiconductor material of the first type of conductivity on the first further layer, - wherein the base layer and the second further layer have an intrinsic doping or a doping concentration that is lower than a doping concentration of the first further layer and the doping concentration of the first further layer is selected to achieve a desired breakdown voltage, - the diode further comprises a doped region of a second type of conductivity, which is opposite to the first type of conductivity, - wherein the pn-junction is formed between the doped region and the base layer, the first further layer and the second further layer of the semiconductor body, and - the anode and cathode terminals (3, 4) being electrically connected to one of the first further layer and the doped region, respectively, - the first further layer is a first epitaxial layer grown on the base layer, - the second further layer is a second epitaxial layer grown on the first further layer, - the semiconductor body comprises a trench, the trench penetrating the second further layer and the first further layer and extending into the base layer, the trench being filled with an electrically conductive material doped for the second type of conductivity, thus forming the doped region.