Patent ID: 8580640

Claim:
A process for manufacturing an electronic device, the process comprising: forming, on a semiconductor body having a first conductivity type, a first mask having a first window and a second window above a first surface portion and a second surface portion of the semiconductor body; forming, within said first and second surface portions of the semiconductor body underneath the first and second windows, at least a first conductive region and a second conductive region of a second conductivity type, said first and second conductive regions facing one another; forming a second mask on the semiconductor body, the second mask having a plurality of windows above surface portions of said first and second conductive regions; forming, within said first and second conductive regions and underneath the plurality of windows, a plurality of third conductive regions having the first conductivity type; removing completely the first and second mask; performing a thermal activation process of the first, second, and third conductive regions to form a protective region from the third conductive region; and forming body and source regions; wherein the step of forming the second mask comprises forming spacer elements at least partially overlapping the second conductive region, in an area of lateral boundary of the first conductive region.