Patent ID: 7232734

Claim:
A radiation-emitting semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor body and a substrate, which silicon-containing semiconductor device has a lateral semiconductor diode which is situated on an insulating layer that separates the diode from the substrate, which lateral semiconductor diode successively comprises a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type and with a first doping concentration, a second semiconductor region of the first or a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type and with a second doping concentration that is lower than the first doping concentration, and a third semiconductor region of the second conductivity type and with a third doping concentration that is higher than the second doping concentration, the first and the third semiconductor region each being provided with a connection region, and, during operation, radiation being generated in the second semiconductor region as a result of recombination of charge carriers injected from the first and the third semiconductor region in the second semiconductor region, characterized in that the second semiconductor region comprises a central portion that is surrounded by a further portion the bandgap of which is larger than that of the central portion.