a substrate having a first conductivity type;

a semiconductor layer formed over said substrate and having lower and upper surfaces;

a source region of the first conductivity type and a lightly-doped drain extension region of the first conductivity type formed in the semiconductor layer proximate the upper surface of said semiconductor layer, said source and lightly-doped drain extension regions being spaced from one another;

a body region of a second conductivity type formed in said semiconductor layer, said body region forming a channel region between said source and lightly-doped drain extension regions and extending under said source region;

a conductive gate formed over a gate dielectric layer formed over said channel region;

a drain contact electrically connecting said lightly-doped drain extension region to said substrate and laterally spaced from said channel region, said drain contact comprising a highly-doped drain contact region formed between said substrate and said lightly-doped drain extension region in said semiconductor layer, wherein a topmost portion of said highly-doped drain contact region is spaced from said upper surface of said semiconductor layer by at least a part of said lightly-doped drain extension region; and

a source contact electrically connecting said source region to said body region.