Zener diode having a reference diode and a protective diode

Abstract

Abstract A zener diode having a semiconductor body (1) with a surface zone (1') doped with more than 10 18 atoms/cc, in which at least two regions (2, 3) are provided through diffusion, which regions have substantially the same concentration of doping atoms and adjoin a surface (4) of the surface zone (1') and form p-n junctions (5,6) with the surface zone (1'), a first region (2) having a smaller lateral cross-section and a smaller depth than a second region (3). Both regions (2, 3) are connected to a first connection electrode (7, 8) provided on the surface (4), and a second connection electrode (9), which is spaced apart from the regions (2, 3), is provided on the semiconductor body (1). The first region has a side edge (10) which is formed through lateral diffusion and which is at least partly spaced apart from the second region (3). A higher electric field is created locally in the junction (5) during operation of the zener diode owing to the side edge (10). The current voltage characteristic of the zener diode is steeper as a result of this.

Inventors

• 👤 Johannes H. M. M. Quint

Bibliographic Details