Patent ID: 8101997

Claim:
A semiconductor device with a charge carrier compensation structure in a semiconductor body, comprising: a substrate having a top surface; a first group of epitaxial growth zones having a first doping type situated adjacent the top surface of the substrate, such that a first one of the epitaxial growth zones covers the entire top surface and the remaining epitaxial growth zones of the first group are stacked on upon another; a plurality of column shaped charge compensation zones of a second conduction type complementing the first conduction type extending through the first group of epitaxial growth zones such that drift zones of the first conduction type alternate laterally with the column shaped charge compensation zones of the second conduction type; a second group of epitaxial growth zones having the second conduction type adjacent the first group of epitaxial growth zones, such that the epitaxial growth zones of the second group are stacked one upon another; and a plurality of column shaped drift zones of the first conduction type extending through the second group of epitaxial growth zones such that charge compensation zones of the second conduction type alternate laterally with the column shaped drift zones of the first conduction type; wherein the column shaped drift zones have a smaller surface area than the drift zones of the first epitaxial growth zones.