Patent ID: 8269270

Claim:
A vertical semiconductor component comprising: a semiconductor body, having an inner region and an edge region that is arranged between the inner region and an edge of the semiconductor body; at least one semiconductor junction between a first semiconductor zone of a first conduction type, the first semiconductor zone being arranged in the region of a first side of the semiconductor body in the inner region, and a second semiconductor zone of the second conduction type, the second semiconductor zone adjoining the first semiconductor zone in the vertical direction, distinguished by a contiguous third semiconductor zone of the second conduction type, the third semiconductor zone being arranged at a distance from the first semiconductor zone in the second semiconductor zone in the vertical direction of the semiconductor body and extending as far as the edge region in the lateral direction of the semiconductor body, and the doping of the third semiconductor zone being selected in such a manner that it is completely depleted of charge carriers when a reverse voltage is applied to the pn junction; and wherein the doping of the third semiconductor zone is selected such that an electric field caused by the reverse voltage and which propagates from the pn junction in the second semiconductor zone punches through the third semiconductor zone as the reverse voltage increases.