Patent ID: 8421196

Claim:
A semiconductor device, comprising: a drift zone of a first conductivity type formed within a semiconductor body, wherein one side of opposing sides of the drift zone adjoins a first zone within the semiconductor body and the other side adjoins a second zone within the semiconductor body; first semiconductor subzones of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type, the first semiconductor subzones being formed within each of the first and second zones opposing each other along a lateral direction extending parallel to a surface of the semiconductor body; a second semiconductor subzone within each of the first and second zones formed between the first semiconductor subzones along the lateral direction; and wherein an average concentration of dopants within the second semiconductor subzone along 10% to 90% of an extension of the second semiconductor subzone along a vertical direction perpendicular to the surface is smaller than the average concentration of dopants along a corresponding section of extension within the drift zone.