Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
223 words
A semiconductor device including a semiconducting body for a bipolar transistor, said device comprising: a first semiconductor area being a collector zone of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor area being a base zone of a second opposite conductivity type, said base zone being disposed between said collector zone and a surface of said semiconductor body, a third semiconductor area being an emitter zone of said first conductivity type embedded into said base zone, an insulating layer covering at least a portion of said surface, a base metallization contacting said base zone through a first window in said insulating layer, an emitter metallization forming an emitter connection electrode to said emitter zone through a second window in said insulating layer, a connection conductor connected to said emitter connection electrode, and a diode located in said collector zone, said diode including a first region of said first conductivity type and a second region of said second conductivity type entirely surrounded by said first region except for a portion adjoining said surface and contacting said emitter metallization and said connector conductor, said first region including at least a portion between said base zone and said second region, said second region being located entirely below said emitter connection electrode, said emitter connection electrode contacting said second region through a third window in said insulating layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
223 words
A semiconductor device including a semiconducting body for a bipolar transistor, said device comprising: a first semiconductor area being a collector zone of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor area being a base zone of a second opposite conductivity type, said base zone being disposed between said collector zone and a surface of said semiconductor body, a third semiconductor area being an emitter zone of said first conductivity type embedded into said base zone, an insulating layer covering at least a portion of said surface, a base metallization contacting said base zone through a first window in said insulating layer, an emitter metallization forming an emitter connection electrode to said emitter zone through a second window in said insulating layer, a connection conductor connected to said emitter connection electrode, and a diode located in said collector zone, said diode including a first region of said first conductivity type and a second region of said second conductivity type entirely surrounded by said first region except for a portion adjoining said surface and contacting said emitter metallization and said connector conductor, said first region including at least a portion between said base zone and said second region, said second region being located entirely below said emitter connection electrode, said emitter connection electrode contacting said second region through a third window in said insulating layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said second region of said diode is situated at a small distance from said base zone, said small distance being such that depletion zones of a collector-base junction and of a p-n junction of said diode merge in an operating state.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein said second region of said diode extends below said surface to substantially the same depth that said base zone does.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said second region of said diode extends below said surface to substantially the same depth that said base zone does.