Punch-through resistor
 The continuing miniaturization of integrated circuits leads to a demand for ever higher resistance values. In conventional diffused resistors or poly resistors, an increase in the resistance value also means an increase in the surface area. Such resistors, moreover, are highly dependent on the doping concentration and sensitive to temperature changes. A resistor according to the invention comprises a resistor region 18 with a length and doping concentration which are chosen such that an electric field is applied at which velocity saturation of charge carriers takes place in the envisaged range of operation. The connection regions are connected to the resistor region via rectifying junctions 21, 22. In a specific embodiment, these junctions are formed by pn junctions, so that the resistor has, for example, an npn shape. The dimensions are furthermore chosen such that, within said operational range, electrons are injected into the p-type resistor regions by punch-through between the n-type connection regions 19, 20, traversing the resistor region at the saturation velocity. Since the charge carriers supplying the current are of the type opposed to that of the resistor material, it is prevented that the resistance value becomes very low at low voltages. 
U.S. Philips Corporation
H H
H01L H01L
inventional inventional
Godefridus A.M. Willem Catharina H.H.
Hurkx Van Der Wel Emons