Patent ID: 8138520

Claim:
A bi-directional diode structure comprising: a substrate of a first conductivity type having a surface; a first diode that includes a first doped region of a second conductivity type formed on the surface of the substrate, the first doped region having an edge that is distal from the surface of the substrate; a second diode that includes a second doped region of the first conductivity type formed on the surface of the substrate and within the first doped region wherein the second doped region has a periphery; and a third doped region of the first conductivity type formed on the surface of the substrate and within the first doped region, the third doped region having a side spaced a first distance from a portion of the periphery of the second doped region and having a bottom edge of the third doped region positioned no greater than about twenty five microns from the edge of the first doped region wherein a current-voltage characteristic curve of the bi-directional diode structure is substantially symmetrical for a current flow in both directions through the bi-directional diode structure without a snap-back wherein the current increases but a voltage drop across the bi-directional diode structure decreases.