Patent ID: 7684165

Claim:
A circuit element for protecting a load circuit, comprising: a signal input for applying a signal; a signal output; a signal path connecting the signal input to the signal output and leading via a trace arranged on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate and bordering on a first heat-dissipating region and a second heat-dissipating region, wherein the second heat-dissipating region includes a trench region in the semiconductor substrate, which is formed such that the trace is meltable over the trench region by local heating above the trench region by the poor heat dissipation thereof, and wherein the trench region defines a cavity below the trace, the dimension of which in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the semiconductor substrate, on which the trace is arranged, is greater than its dimension in a direction of the extension of the trace, so that the cavity acts as a capillary for sucking off the molten trace material; and an interrupter for irreversibly interrupting the signal path upon the reception of a control signal at the same.