Patent ID: 6933559

Claim:
A semiconductor structure, comprising: a substrate of a first conductivity type; a first buried layer of a second conductivity type disposed on the substrate; a second buried layer of the first conductivity type disposed on the first buried layer, and separated from the substrate by the first buried layer; an epitaxial region of the second conductivity type having a bottom surface disposed on the second buried layer, and further having a top surface; a first deep via disposed through the epitaxial region such that a first electrical pathway is formed from the top surface of the epitaxial region to the first buried layer; a second deep via disposed through the epitaxial region such that a second electrical pathway is formed from the top surface of the epitaxial region to the second buried layer; a contact region of the second conductivity type disposed in the epitaxial region, the contact region having a top surface that is coplanar with the top surface of the epitaxial region; and a protection region of the second conductivity type disposed in the epitaxial region, the protection region having a top surface that is coplanar with the top surface of the epitaxial region, and the protection region spaced apart from the contact region, and spaced apart from the first and second deep vias, wherein the contact region and the protection region each have a greater doping concentration than the epitaxial region; and wherein the protection region comprises a ring around the contact region.