Semiconductor device having breakdown voltage limiter regions

A semiconductor device comprising:

• a semiconductor chip having a first major surface and a second major surface facing opposite to the first major surface;
• a first main electrode on the first major surface;
• a second main electrode on the second major surface;
• an active region in electrical contact with the first main electrode;
• and
• a layer with low electrical resistance in electrical contact with the second main electrode;
• an alternating-conductivity-type drain drift layer between the active region and the layer with low electrical resistance;
• wherein the alternating-conductivity-type drain drift layer comprises first semiconductor regions of a first conductivity type and second semiconductor regions of a second conductivity type;
• wherein the first semiconductor regions and the second semiconductor regions are arranged alternately with each other;
• and
• wherein the alternating-conductivity-type drain drift layer further includes breakdown voltage limiter regions of the second conductivity type in the second semiconductor regions having a higher impurity concentration than adjacent portions of the first conductivity type in the first semiconductor regions.