The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 23, 2005
Filed:
Sep. 18, 2000
Raymond Van Roijen, Nijmegen, NL;
Johannes Hendrik Hermanus Alexius Egbers, Nijmegen, NL;
Adrianus Willem Ludikhuize, Eindhoven, NL;
Anco Heringa, Eindhoven, NL;
Raymond Van Roijen, Nijmegen, NL;
Johannes Hendrik Hermanus Alexius Egbers, Nijmegen, NL;
Adrianus Willem Ludikhuize, Eindhoven, NL;
Anco Heringa, Eindhoven, NL;
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V., Eindhoven, NL;
Abstract
In high-voltage devices comprising a lightly doped region () provided with a heavily doped contact zone, damage caused by local breakdown at the corner of the contact zone may occur as a result of the Kirk effect at a high current density. To improve the robustness of the device, an annular protection zone () of the same conductivity type is provided so as to surround the contact zone at a small distance. As a result, breakdown will occur initially at the corner of the protection zone. However, due to the resistance between the protection zone and the contact zone, a more uniform current distribution is obtained, which prevents damage caused by local current concentration.