Patent ID: 6888176

Claim:
A semiconductor device comprising: a layer of semiconductor material; a plurality of regions of first and second opposite conductivity-types disposed in the layer of semi-conductor material; one region of the plurality comprising an anode-emitter; another region of the plurality of regions comprising a cathode-emitter; the cathode-emitter of conductivity type opposite to that of the anode-emitter; at least two regions of the plurality of regions disposed between the anode-emitter and the cathode-emitter; the anode-emitter defining a junction where it meets one of the at least two regions; a first electrode disposed over at least one of the regions between the anode and the cathode emitters; and epitaxial material on the cathode and/or anode-emitter regions of the layer of semiconductor material; the epitaxial material offset laterally from and clear of the junction of the anode and/or cathode emitter region(s) at the surface of the layer of semiconductor material.