Patent ID: 7875950

Claim:
A Schottky diode structure comprising: a region of semiconductor material having a first major surface and a first conductivity type; a doped region of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type formed in the region of semiconductor material and extending from the first major surface, wherein the doped region comprises a first portion having a first dopant concentration in proximity to the first major surface and a second portion having a second dopant concentration in proximity to the first major surface, and wherein the second dopant concentration of the second portion is less than the first dopant concentration of the first portion, and wherein the first portion forms a first pn junction with a first part of the region of semiconductor material, and wherein the second portion forms a second pn junction with a second part of the region of semiconductor material; a first conductive contact electrically coupled to a third part of the region of semiconductor material; and a second conductive contact contacting the second portion at the first major surface but not the first portion, and wherein the second conductive contact forms a first Schottky barrier with a fourth part of the region of semiconductor material and a second Schottky barrier with the second portion, and wherein the first portion extends into the region of semiconductor material at a first vertical distance, and wherein the second conductive contact is offset from the first portion a lateral distance in a range from about 50% to about 80% of the first vertical distance.