Patent ID: 7067852

Claim:
A device formed in a semiconductor material of a first conductivity type, the semiconductor material having a surface, the device comprising: a first well of a second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor material, the first well having a dopant concentration; a second well of the second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor material, the second well having a dopant concentration and being spaced apart from the first well; a first contact region of the first conductivity type formed in the first well; a second contact region of the second conductivity type formed in the first well, the second contact region being electrically connected to the first contact region to have a same potential; a first trigger region of the second conductivity type formed in the first well, the first trigger region being spaced apart from the first and second contact regions; a third contact region of the first conductivity type formed in the second well; a fourth contact region of the second conductivity type formed in the second well, the fourth contact region being electrically connected to the third contact region to have a same potential; a second trigger region of the second conductivity type formed in the second well, the second trigger region being spaced apart from the third and fourth contact regions; a separation region of the semiconductor material located only between the first and second trigger regions, the separation region contacting the surface, the first trigger region, and the second trigger region, the separation region having only the first conductivity type; and a device region that overlies and contacts the surface at a location where the separation region contacts the surface between the first and second trigger regions, the device region at the location being free of a gate, and not lying below a gate.