Patent ID: 8686510

Claim:
An ESD protection element for use in an electrical circuit, comprising: a fin structure comprising: a first connection region having a first conductivity type, a second connection region having a second conductivity type, which is opposite to the first conductivity type, a first body region and a second body region, which are formed between the first connection region and the second connection region, the first body region having the second conductivity type and being formed adjacent to the first connection region, the second body region having the first conductivity type and being formed adjacent to the second connection region, and the first body region and the second body region having a dopant concentration that is lower than a dopant concentration of the first connection region and is lower than a dopant concentration of the second connection region, a diffusion region formed between the first body region and the second body region, the diffusion region being formed directly adjacent to the first body region and directly adjacent to the second body region, the diffusion region having the first conductivity type or the second conductivity type, and the diffusion region having a dopant concentration that is substantially the same as at least one of the dopant concentration of the first connection region and the dopant concentration of the second connection region; and a gate region formed on or above the first body region or the second body region; and a gate control device electrically coupled to the gate region and configured to control at least one electrical potential applied to the gate region.