Passivation structure with voltage equalizing loops

A semiconductor device comprising:

• a semiconductor die body of a first conductivity type;
• an active region formed in said semiconductor body, said active region including a regions of said second conductivity type terminating near the peripheral border of said active region;
• and
• a passivation structure disposed around said active region, said passivation structure including a continuous strip of resistive material of substantially uniform width, said continuous strip crossing itself once around said active region to form a first closed loop of an electrically resistive material that serves as an inner boundary of said passivation structure, and a second time to form a second closed loop of said electrically resistive material around said first closed loop and serving as an outer boundary of said passivation structure, and a looping strip of said electrically resistive material that loops around said first closed loop without crossing itself and terminates at said second closed loop;
• wherein said looping strip extends from the outer edge of said first closed loop at one end thereof and terminates at the inner edge of said second closed loop at its other end.