Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
A diode comprising a body of semiconducting material having a substantially planar surface, a first region of one conductivity type in said body and extending downwardly from said planar surface, said first region having an opening bounded by a predetermined number of sides through which a portion of said body projects so that said first region encircles said portion of said body, and a second region of the opposite conductivity type within said portion of said body and extending downwardly from said planar surface, said second region bounded by a predetermined number of sides and partialy overlapping said first region so that at least two rectifying junctions exist at the intersections of said first and second regions wherein each of said rectifying junctions has a finite area and is positioned with respect to said first and second regions so that the sum of said finite areas of said rectifying junctions is a constant value independent of the position of said second region with respect to said first region at said planar surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
172 words
A diode comprising a body of semiconducting material having a substantially planar surface, a first region of one conductivity type in said body and extending downwardly from said planar surface, said first region having an opening bounded by a predetermined number of sides through which a portion of said body projects so that said first region encircles said portion of said body, and a second region of the opposite conductivity type within said portion of said body and extending downwardly from said planar surface, said second region bounded by a predetermined number of sides and partialy overlapping said first region so that at least two rectifying junctions exist at the intersections of said first and second regions wherein each of said rectifying junctions has a finite area and is positioned with respect to said first and second regions so that the sum of said finite areas of said rectifying junctions is a constant value independent of the position of said second region with respect to said first region at said planar surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The device set forth in claim 1 wherein said diode is a zener diode and said rectifying junctions are zener breakdown junctions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device set forth in claim 2 wherein said predetermined number of sides bounding one of said opening of said first region and said second region is n sides where n is an even integer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The device set forth in claim 3 wherein said predetermined number of sides bounding the other of said opening of said first region and said second region is m sides where m is an even integer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said rectifying junctions is in one of said sides opposite another of said sides containing another of said rectifying junctions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device set forth in claim 5 wherein n is 4 and said sides are substantially straight.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device set forth in claim 6 wherein m is 4 and said sides are substantially straight.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device set forth in claim 7 wherein said first region is of N conductivity type material and is more highly doped adjacent said rectifying junctions than said second region.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The device set forth in claim 8 wherein said first region is more highly doped adjacent said rectifying junctions than said second region by a factor of about ten.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
The device set forth in claim 9 including an overlap area in said first region adjacent said rectifying junction wherein said overlap area is more highly doped than said second region adjacent said rectifying junctions by a factor of about nine.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device set forth in claim 7 wherein said second region is of N conductivity type material and is more highly doped adjacent said rectifying junctions than said first region.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The device set forth in claim 11 wherein said second region is more highly doped adjacent said rectifying junctions than said first region by a factor of about ten.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
The device set forth in claim 12 including an overlap area in said first region adjacent said rectifying junction wherein said overlap area is more highly doped than said first region adjacent said rectifying junctions by a factor of about nine.