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Abstract

In a semiconductor component, a pn junction which emerges at a main surface (2) of a semiconductor substrate (1) at the edge of a highly doped zone (3) is formed by a laterally bounded, highly doped zone (3) extending inwards from a main surface (2) of the semiconductor substrate (1) and by a lightly doped zone surrounding the highly doped zone. The edge of the highly doped zone (3) is formed by a guard zone (6b) whose doping density gradually decreases in a direction parallel to the main surface (2) from the highly doped zone (3) towards the pn junction. Any surface breakdown of the pn junction is prevented by the fact that the guard zone (6b) has a maximum penetration depth near the highly doped zone (3) and that the maximum penetration depth of the guard zone (6b) is greater than the penetration depth of the adjacent highly doped zone (3). The guard zone (6b) has a maximum doping density which does not appreciably exceed 10.sup.15 cm.sup.-3, a width which is comparable with a thickness of the slightly doped zone and a maximum penetration depth which is between 40 .mu.m and 80 .mu.m. The doping density of the guard zone (6b) decreases approximately linearly or stepwise in a direction parallel to the main surface (2).

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