Patent ID: 8188539

Claim:
A semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor layer; a body region of a first conductivity type formed in the semiconductor layer and extending from a first surface of the semiconductor layer; a first region of a second conductivity type formed in the body region, the first region extending from the first surface of the semiconductor layer and providing a current electrode region of the semiconductor device; and a second region of the first conductivity type formed in the body region; a protection region of the first conductivity type formed in the body region and surrounding the first region, wherein the second region extends below the protection region, wherein a doping concentration of the first conductivity type in the protection region is greater than a doping concentration of the first conductivity type in the body region, and wherein the doping concentration of the first conductivity type in the protection region is greater than the doping concentration of the first conductivity type in the body region by a factor in the range of 2 to 3.