A semiconductor device of unpopular type has Schottky-contacts (6) laterally separated by regions in the form of additional layers (7, 7') of semiconductor material on top of a drift layer (3). Said additional layers being doped according to a conductivity type being opposite to the one of the drift layer. At least one (7') of the additional layers has a substantially larger lateral extension and thereby larger area of the interface to the drift layer than adjacent such layers (7) for facilitating the building-up of a sufficient voltage between that layer and the drift layer for injecting minority charge carriers into the drift layer upon surge for surge protection.
Patent also granted in Europe EP2033226 (B1) 2012-07-11 and Japan JP5784773 (B2) 2015-09-24. International application WO 2007/139487 (A1) 2007-12-06.