Patent ID: 7973385

Claim:
A semiconductor device comprising: a doped substrate of a first doping polarity; a doped semiconductor material of a second doping polarity, wherein the semiconductor material of the second doping polarity is on, or in, the substrate, and wherein the second doping polarity is opposite the first doping polarity such that the semiconductor material of the second doping polarity and the substrate form a diode; an inductor on or above the semiconductor material of the second doping polarity; and a pattern in the semiconductor material of the second doping polarity for reducing eddy currents, wherein the pattern comprises: a doped semiconductor material of the first doping polarity arranged so as to reduce eddy currents; and at least one trench within the doped semiconductor material of the first doping polarity, the trench being arranged so as to reduce eddy currents, wherein, at least at a depth at which the trench is closest to the inductor, the doped semiconductor material of the first doping polarity fully surrounds the trench so that, at least at said depth, the trench does not touch the doped semiconductor material of the second doping polarity.