Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Gerrit Willem Jan Ter Horst

Einte Holwerda

Klaastinus Hendrikus Sanders

Jozeph Peter Karl Hoefsmit

Pieter Weyert Lukey

Nicolaus Antonius Maria Koper

Klaas Van Der Vlist

The invention relates to a semiconductor device with a diode. The semiconductor body ( ) comprises a stack of a first semiconductor region provided with a first connection conductor ( ) and a second semiconductor region ( ) connected to a second connection conductor ( ), wherein a rectifying junction is present between the two semiconductor regions ( ) having opposite conductivity types. Such a device is&mdash;after a rotation through 90 degrees&mdash;suitable for surface mounting. However, in particular at high voltage and/or high power levels, the diode may suffer from breakdown or a high leakage current. In a device according to the invention, a portion ( A) of the first semiconductor region ( ) is electrically insulated from the rest ( B) of the first semiconductor region ( ), the semiconductor body ( ) is provided with means ( ) by which said portion ( A) is connected with electrical conduction to the second semiconductor region ( ), and the second connection conductor ( ) is situated on said portion ( A) of the first semiconductor region ( ). The resulting device is directly suitable for surface mounting, i.e. without the need of rotation, and is much less prone to breakdown or high leakage currents, even in high-voltage and/or high-power applications. The portions ( A, B) may be easily separated by a groove ( ). The means ( ) may be a conductive channel created in a simple manner by means of a current pulse through the rectifying junction. Manufacture of the device is both simple and inexpensive.

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Stadskanaal, Netherlands

Gerrit Willem Jan Ter Horst