Method of forming a semiconductor device and structure therefor

A method of forming a semiconductor device comprising:

• providing a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, the semiconductor substrate having a first surface;
• forming a first doped region of a second conductivity type on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate and extending a first distance into the semiconductor substrate wherein the first doped region forms a base region of a first bipolar transistor;
• forming a second doped region of the first conductivity type in the first doped region wherein the second doped region forms an emitter region of the first bipolar transistor;
• forming a third doped region of the second conductivity type on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate and extending a second distance into the semiconductor substrate wherein the third doped region forms a base region of a second bipolar transistor;
• forming a fourth doped region of the first conductivity type in the third doped region wherein the fourth doped region forms an emitter region of the second bipolar transistor and wherein a portion of the semiconductor substrate forms a common collector region of both the first and second bipolar transistors;
• forming an electrical connection between the fourth doped region and a base node of the semiconductor device;
• and
• forming a component in series between the base node of the semiconductor device and the first doped region.

A semiconductor device comprising:

• a first transistor having a first current carrying electrode, a second current carrying electrode, and a control electrode;
• a first bipolar transistor having a collector coupled to the first current carrying electrode of the first transistor, a base coupled to the second current carrying electrode of the first transistor, and an emitter of the first bipolar transistor coupled to a first terminal of the semiconductor device;
• a component coupled between the control electrode of the first transistor and the emitter of the first bipolar transistor wherein a first terminal of the component is connected directly to the control electrode of the first transistor such that the component is coupled in series between the control electrode of the first transistor and a second terminal of the semiconductor device;
• and
• wherein the first transistor is one of a second bipolar transistor or a first MOS transistor, wherein the first bipolar transistor has an emitter-collector breakdown voltage that is either no less than an emitter-collector breakdown voltage of the second bipolar transistor or no less than a gate-to-source operating voltage of the first MOS transistor.