US2370493A - Manufacture of selenium elements - Google Patents

Manufacture of selenium elements Download PDF

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Publication number
US2370493A
US2370493A US485381A US48538143A US2370493A US 2370493 A US2370493 A US 2370493A US 485381 A US485381 A US 485381A US 48538143 A US48538143 A US 48538143A US 2370493 A US2370493 A US 2370493A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
selenium
pressure
water
manufacture
treatment
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US485381A
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English (en)
Inventor
Saslaw Otto
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Federal Telephone and Radio Corp
Original Assignee
Federal Telephone and Radio Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority to BE463819D priority Critical patent/BE463819A/xx
Application filed by Federal Telephone and Radio Corp filed Critical Federal Telephone and Radio Corp
Priority to US485381A priority patent/US2370493A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US2370493A publication Critical patent/US2370493A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/02—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/04—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having potential barriers, e.g. a PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer
    • H01L21/06—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having potential barriers, e.g. a PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer the devices having semiconductor bodies comprising selenium or tellurium in uncombined form other than as impurities in semiconductor bodies of other materials
    • H01L21/10—Preliminary treatment of the selenium or tellurium, its application to the foundation plate, or the subsequent treatment of the combination
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/02—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/04—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having potential barriers, e.g. a PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer
    • H01L21/06—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having potential barriers, e.g. a PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer the devices having semiconductor bodies comprising selenium or tellurium in uncombined form other than as impurities in semiconductor bodies of other materials
    • H01L21/10—Preliminary treatment of the selenium or tellurium, its application to the foundation plate, or the subsequent treatment of the combination
    • H01L21/103—Conversion of the selenium or tellurium to the conductive state
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/02—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/04—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having potential barriers, e.g. a PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer
    • H01L21/06—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having potential barriers, e.g. a PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer the devices having semiconductor bodies comprising selenium or tellurium in uncombined form other than as impurities in semiconductor bodies of other materials
    • H01L21/10—Preliminary treatment of the selenium or tellurium, its application to the foundation plate, or the subsequent treatment of the combination
    • H01L21/105—Treatment of the surface of the selenium or tellurium layer after having been made conductive

Definitions

  • Selenium elements such as rectifiers are commonly made by placing an adherent layer of selenium on a carrier plate and heat treating the selenium to crystallize it to the metallic form. A counterelectrode is then placed over the metallic selenium surface, for example by spraying on a suitable alloy metal which closely adheres to the selenium.
  • -It is then a common practice to electro-form the element by connecting it in a D. C. circuit with the counterelectrode connected to one electrical terminal and the carrier plate to the other.
  • Such an element exhibits the well-known rectifying characteristics of transmitting much more current in one direction than in the other when placed in an alternating current circuit. It is a common theory that the rectifying action is due to the presence of a blocking layer of minute thickness which forms at the junction surface between the selenium layer and the counterelectrode over it.
  • I improve the rectifying characteristic of the element by applying to the selenium a small amount of water, preferably distilled water, before the application of the counterelectrode. This is preferably done during the heat treatment. It is the common practice to subject the selenium surface to pressure during the heat treatment and to use a pressure disc or plate in contact with the selenium surface of a material which does not readily react with .or contaminate the selenium, for example, a mica disc.
  • Selenium elements have heretofore been treated with humidity but these have been surface treatments, for example by placing the selenium coated disc after conversion to the metallic form in an atmosphere of water vapor or,moisture which puts the moisture on the surface. I have found that my treatment, however, wherein the drop of water is applied during the heat pressure treatment causes the water to saturate the selenium producing a different and better effect than by a mere surface treatment with moisture.
  • Fig. 1 illustrates a selenium coated element to which the water treatment may be applied
  • Fig. 2 illustrates a pressure disc containing a drop of water
  • Fig. 3 shows in perspective the arrangement of the selenium coated element and pressure disc between the platens of a press.
  • the selenium element shown in Fig. 1 comprises a base plate I which may, for example, be of aluminum, iron or steel or may be nickel plated if desired. In accordance with a common practice it is shown with a central hole 2 although it will be understood that the central hole need not necessarily be used.
  • the surface of the plate is commonly roughened and there is then applied to it in a well-known manner a layer 3 of selenium. This may, for example, be applied by melting selenium powder and spreading it over the surface of the plate, then allowing the selenium to cool, leaving an adherent layer of vitreous selenium.
  • Fig. 3 illustrates an arrangement showing the pressure sheet 4 which may be, for example, mica having the drop of water 5 on its under surface and facing the selenium layer 3.
  • the selenium element is then compressed with the pressure sheet against the selenium surface between the platens 6 and 1 of the press, and preferably heat is applied during the pressure treatment.
  • a satisfactory pressure treatment is to apply heat at a temperature of around to C. for a time such as a half hour or so, after which the selenium element may be taken out of the press and away from the pressure sheet 4 and the heat treatment continued without an pressure at a higher temperature of, for example, around 200 C.
  • the pressure sheet with its drop of water was in contact with the selenium, the water has had a'chance to permeate the selenium and perform its beneficial function.
  • the counterelectrode may be applied, for example, by spraying with Wood's metal or the like over the treated selenium surface, .after which disc may be electro-formed-in the usliaHn er.
  • the method of treating a selenium coated 7 element which comprises compressing the element at an elevated temperature with a small quantity of water in contact with the selenium.
  • the method of treating a selenium coated element comprising a base plate carrying-a layer of selenium in vitreous form which comprises I applying a pressure plate to the selenium surface, inserting between the pressure plate and the selenium surface an amount of water not greater than that which can be carried by said surface, applying pressure through the pressure plate to the wet surface of the selenium and heating the selenium during the application of said pressure.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)
US485381A 1943-05-01 1943-05-01 Manufacture of selenium elements Expired - Lifetime US2370493A (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
BE463819D BE463819A (US08088918-20120103-C00476.png) 1943-05-01
US485381A US2370493A (en) 1943-05-01 1943-05-01 Manufacture of selenium elements

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US485381A US2370493A (en) 1943-05-01 1943-05-01 Manufacture of selenium elements

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US2370493A true US2370493A (en) 1945-02-27

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US485381A Expired - Lifetime US2370493A (en) 1943-05-01 1943-05-01 Manufacture of selenium elements

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US (1) US2370493A (US08088918-20120103-C00476.png)
BE (1) BE463819A (US08088918-20120103-C00476.png)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2908592A (en) * 1939-01-22 1959-10-13 Int Standard Electric Corp Method of producing a selenium rectifier

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2908592A (en) * 1939-01-22 1959-10-13 Int Standard Electric Corp Method of producing a selenium rectifier

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
BE463819A (US08088918-20120103-C00476.png)

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