Patent ID: 8283696

Claim:
A diode formed integrally with a power integrated circuit, the diode comprising: a substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface; an N-type extension region on the upper surface and extending into the substrate; a P-type extension region in the substrate, below and on the N-type extension region and having an N well; an anode on the upper surface of the substrate; a cathode on the upper surface of the substrate, laterally spaced from the anode and disposed in the N-type extension region, said cathode including a highly doped N-type region adjacent a highly doped P-type region; a lateral transistor in the anode region; a lateral PNP transistor in the cathode region; and a vertical parasitic transistor through which parasitic substrate leakage current flows for reducing the voltage difference between an emitter and a base of the vertical parasitic transistor.