Abstract: A depthwise-oriented capacitor comprises a cluster of separate, parallel, narrow elongated oppositely-doped conductive regions extending depthwise into a semiconductor substrate, for example, in an integrated circuit. The conductive regions can be parallel plates, but are preferably column shaped. The conductive regions are formed by ion implanting or diffusing a dopant into the substrate in a direction aligned with a crystallographic channel thereof to facilitate maximum ion penetration. P-type regions form one pole of the capacitor and N-type regions interspersed among the p-type regions form the opposite pole. Doping concentrations within the regions are sufficient to establish metal-like electric field boundary conditions. The bulk of the substrate containing the conductive regions is either near-intrinsic or semi-insulative so that the semiconductor material between the conductive regions is substantially nonconductive.