Patent ID: 8324727

Claim:
An electrostatic discharge protective device (ESD) comprising: a first conductive contact, on an upper external surface of the device that is exposed for direct contact with an ESD source, having an upward facing planar surface; a second conductive contact, on a lower external surface of the device, opposite the upper external surface, that is exposed for direct contact with the ESD source, having a downward facing planar surface substantially parallel to the upward facing planar surface; an insulating layer disposed between the first and second conductive contacts, the insulating layer having an opening therein; and a voltage switchable dielectric layer disposed within the opening and in direct physical contact with the first and second conductive contacts to provide electrostatic discharge protection by operatively switching from a relatively non-conductive state to a relatively conductive state in response to contact of the ESD source with the first or second contacts.