Patent ID: 7655563

Claim:
A method for preventing the formation of dentrites, the method comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate comprising a first doping region of a first conduction type; forming a second doping region in the semiconductor substrate, the second doping region comprising a second conduction type that is opposite to the first conduction type; forming a highly doped connection in at least part of the second doping region, the highly doped connection region comprising the second conduction type; forming a highly doped discharge region in at least the first and second doping regions, the highly doped discharge region comprising the second conduction type; forming an insulation layer over a surface of the first doping region, the second doping region, the highly doped connection region, and the highly doped discharge region; forming an electrically conductive structure that extends through the insulation layer and is electrically connected to the highly doped connection region, wherein a surface area of the electrically conductive structure is less than 0.4 μm 2 ; and planarizing the insulation layer after forming the electrically conductive structure, wherein during the planarization charge carriers dissipate from the second doping region into at least one of the semiconductor substrate and the first doping region, preventing the formation of dentrites.