Patent ID: 7482669

Claim:
A semiconductor device with a semiconductor body, the device comprising: a substrate of a first conductivity type; a first semiconductor region that includes a plurality of sub-regions of the first conductivity type that have a first doping concentration and a further semiconductor region of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type, the further semiconductor region surrounding each of the sub-regions and separating the sub-regions from each other, the first semiconductor region located on the substrate, wherein the sub regions extend from the second semiconductor region into the substrate; a second semiconductor region of the first conductivity type and having a second doping concentration which is lower than the first doping concentration, the second semiconductor region located on the first semiconductor region; a third semiconductor region of the second conductivity type and having a third doping concentration ranging between the first and the second doping concentration, the third semiconductor region located on the second semiconductor region; a fourth semiconductor region of the first conductivity type and having a fourth doping concentration which is higher than the third doping concentration, the fourth semiconductor region located on the third semiconductor region, and wherein the fourth doping concentration is higher than the first doping concentration; a first electric connection conductor that is located on a side of the semiconductor body and that is electrically connected to the further semiconductor region; and a second electric connection conductor that is located on and electrically connected to the fourth semiconductor region, wherein an electric voltage is applied across the first and second connection conductors during operation of the device, and wherein the thickness and the doping concentration of the second and the third semiconductor region are such that these regions are completely depleted during operation of the device.