US2805369A - Semi-conductor electrode system - Google Patents

Semi-conductor electrode system Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US2805369A
US2805369A US374209A US37420953A US2805369A US 2805369 A US2805369 A US 2805369A US 374209 A US374209 A US 374209A US 37420953 A US37420953 A US 37420953A US 2805369 A US2805369 A US 2805369A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
semi
electrode system
impurities
electrode
conductor electrode
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
US374209A
Inventor
Adrianus Van Wieringen
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.)
US Philips Corp
North American Philips Co Inc
Original Assignee
US Philips 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
Application filed by US Philips Corp filed Critical US Philips Corp
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US2805369A publication Critical patent/US2805369A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • 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
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L23/00—Details of semiconductor or other solid state devices
    • H01L23/02—Containers; Seals
    • H01L23/04—Containers; Seals characterised by the shape of the container or parts, e.g. caps, walls
    • H01L23/043—Containers; Seals characterised by the shape of the container or parts, e.g. caps, walls the container being a hollow construction and having a conductive base as a mounting as well as a lead for the semiconductor body
    • H01L23/051—Containers; Seals characterised by the shape of the container or parts, e.g. caps, walls the container being a hollow construction and having a conductive base as a mounting as well as a lead for the semiconductor body another lead being formed by a cover plate parallel to the base plate, e.g. sandwich type
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L24/00—Arrangements for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies; Methods or apparatus related thereto
    • H01L24/01—Means for bonding being attached to, or being formed on, the surface to be connected, e.g. chip-to-package, die-attach, "first-level" interconnects; Manufacturing methods related thereto
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L29/00—Semiconductor devices adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching, or capacitors or resistors with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier, e.g. PN junction depletion layer or carrier concentration layer; Details of semiconductor bodies or of electrodes thereof  ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor

Definitions

  • the invention relates to semi-conductors, and, in particular, to electrode systems for granular semi-conductors, such as crystal diodes or transistors.
  • a known method of manufacturing granular semiconducting bodies results in a more or less egg-shaped body, the narrow top of which has a much higher concentration of impurities than the wider lower portion, that is to say, the impurities in the semi-conducting body which adversely affect its elec tric properties, for example, its rectifying properties, are lumped in the top of the body or grain.
  • British Patent No. 683,248 it has been proposed to mount the eggshaped body with the top projecting outwardly from the metallic support and to remove the top with its undesirable impurities to form a contact surface.
  • the present invention is based on the discovery that it is possible to take advantage of the presence of these undesirable impurities by securing the narrow top of the body to a base electrode, since a rectifying junction at this area is undesirable.
  • the electrode system according to the invention therefore, comprises an egg-shaped semiconducting body, the narrow end of which has a higher concentration of impurities than the wider end.
  • a good electrical ohmic connection is effected to the narrow end, i. e., it is secured to a base electrode, and the wider end is flattened, e. g., by grinding, for the purpose of effecting a rectifying connection thereto.
  • the advantage of the construction according to the invention is that, not only are the impurities in the semiconductor arranged in a zone in which they are not harmful, but their presence is actually utilized to reduce the contact resistance to the base. It is preferred that the flattened, wider part of the egg-shaped body contains no impurities, i. e., it consists solely of pure semi-conducting material, since this reduces the risk that this surface may become contaminated.
  • the electrode system of the invention comprises a rod-shaped base electrode 1 provided with a supply conductor 2 and having a granular semi-conducting body 3 secured to it by means of solder 4.
  • the body is egg-shaped and has its head on the top portion 5 adjacent the base 1. Its wider upper end 6 is flattened, for example, by grinding, at 7.
  • the higher concentration of impurities in the head 5 is denoted by cross-shading.
  • a pointed electrode 8 positioned on the semi-conducting body 3 and forming a rectifying connection therewith is welded at 9 to a rod 10, which, similar to the base 1, is provided with a supply conductor 11.
  • the rods 1 and 10 are secured by means of solder 12 in a holder constituted by a glass tube 13 which has sealed in it two aligned metal tubes 14 made, for example, of ferrochromium.
  • the invention is not limited to the arrangement of the base 1 and the pointed electrode 8 as shown in the drawing, nor to electrode systems comprising a single pointed electrode, but will be applicable also to three or four electrode systems, such as transistors and the like.
  • a semi-conductor device comprising a granular, eggshaped, semi-conductive body of which the narrow head has a greater concentration of impurities than the opposite end, said opposite end having a planar portion, means effecting a rectifying connection at the planar portion, and means effecting an ohmic connection at the narrow head.
  • the semiconductive body comprises an element selected from the group consisting of germanium and silicon.

Description

P 3, 1957 A. VAN WIERINGEN 2,805,369
SEMI-CONDUCTOR ELECTRODE SYSTEM Filed Aug. 14, 1955 1 1 I I!!! I 1 1 1 1 11 f ff .11 1 1 111 1 11 1 1111 1/ I l I INVENTOR ADRlANUS VAN W IERINGEN AGENT Patented Sept. 3, 1957 SEMI-CONDUCTOR ELECTRODE SYSTEM Adrianus van Wieringen, Eindhoven, Netherlands, as-
signor, by mesne assignments, to North American Philips Company, lnc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application August 14, 1953, Serial No. 374,209
Claims priority, application Netherlands August 27, 1952 2 Claims. (Cl. 317236) The invention relates to semi-conductors, and, in particular, to electrode systems for granular semi-conductors, such as crystal diodes or transistors.
A known method of manufacturing granular semiconducting bodies, e. g., of germanium or silicon, results in a more or less egg-shaped body, the narrow top of which has a much higher concentration of impurities than the wider lower portion, that is to say, the impurities in the semi-conducting body which adversely affect its elec tric properties, for example, its rectifying properties, are lumped in the top of the body or grain. In British Patent No. 683,248, it has been proposed to mount the eggshaped body with the top projecting outwardly from the metallic support and to remove the top with its undesirable impurities to form a contact surface.
The present invention is based on the discovery that it is possible to take advantage of the presence of these undesirable impurities by securing the narrow top of the body to a base electrode, since a rectifying junction at this area is undesirable. The electrode system according to the invention, therefore, comprises an egg-shaped semiconducting body, the narrow end of which has a higher concentration of impurities than the wider end. A good electrical ohmic connection is effected to the narrow end, i. e., it is secured to a base electrode, and the wider end is flattened, e. g., by grinding, for the purpose of effecting a rectifying connection thereto.
The advantage of the construction according to the invention is that, not only are the impurities in the semiconductor arranged in a zone in which they are not harmful, but their presence is actually utilized to reduce the contact resistance to the base. It is preferred that the flattened, wider part of the egg-shaped body contains no impurities, i. e., it consists solely of pure semi-conducting material, since this reduces the risk that this surface may become contaminated.
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing in which the single figure is a sectional view of one embodiment of the invention.
Referring now to the drawing, the electrode system of the invention comprises a rod-shaped base electrode 1 provided with a supply conductor 2 and having a granular semi-conducting body 3 secured to it by means of solder 4. The body is egg-shaped and has its head on the top portion 5 adjacent the base 1. Its wider upper end 6 is flattened, for example, by grinding, at 7. The higher concentration of impurities in the head 5 is denoted by cross-shading.
A pointed electrode 8 positioned on the semi-conducting body 3 and forming a rectifying connection therewith is welded at 9 to a rod 10, which, similar to the base 1, is provided with a supply conductor 11. The rods 1 and 10 are secured by means of solder 12 in a holder constituted by a glass tube 13 which has sealed in it two aligned metal tubes 14 made, for example, of ferrochromium.
It will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the arrangement of the base 1 and the pointed electrode 8 as shown in the drawing, nor to electrode systems comprising a single pointed electrode, but will be applicable also to three or four electrode systems, such as transistors and the like.
What is claimed is:
1. A semi-conductor device comprising a granular, eggshaped, semi-conductive body of which the narrow head has a greater concentration of impurities than the opposite end, said opposite end having a planar portion, means effecting a rectifying connection at the planar portion, and means effecting an ohmic connection at the narrow head.
2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the semiconductive body comprises an element selected from the group consisting of germanium and silicon.
References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,572,993 Douglas et a1. Oct. 30, 1951 2,603,692 Scatf et a1 July 15, 1952 2,666,874 Barton Jan. 19, 1954 2,723,370 Bradshaw et al Nov. 8, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 683,248 Great Britain Nov. 26, 1952

Claims (1)

1. A SEMI-CONDUCTOR DEVICE COMPRISING A GRANULAR, EGGSHAPED, SEMI-CONDUCTIVE BODY OF WHICH THE NARROW HEAD HAS A GREATER CONCENTRATION OF IMPURITIES THAN THE OPPOSITE END, SAID OPPOSITE END HAVING A PLANAR PORTION, MEANS EFFECTING A RECTIFYING CONNECTION AT THE PLANAR PORTION, AND MEANS EFFECTING AN OHMIC CONNECTION AT THE NARROW HEAD.
US374209A 1952-08-27 1953-08-14 Semi-conductor electrode system Expired - Lifetime US2805369A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL321679X 1952-08-27

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US2805369A true US2805369A (en) 1957-09-03

Family

ID=19784006

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US374209A Expired - Lifetime US2805369A (en) 1952-08-27 1953-08-14 Semi-conductor electrode system

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US2805369A (en)
BE (1) BE522343A (en)
CH (1) CH321679A (en)
FR (1) FR1082401A (en)
GB (1) GB728573A (en)
NL (2) NL80736C (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2866929A (en) * 1955-12-01 1958-12-30 Hughes Aircraft Co Junction-type-semiconductor devices and method of making the same
US3002134A (en) * 1957-09-19 1961-09-26 Sylvania Electric Prod Electrical translator device and method of manufacture

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2572993A (en) * 1947-10-25 1951-10-30 Gen Electric Co Ltd Crystal contact device
US2603692A (en) * 1945-12-29 1952-07-15 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Rectifier and method of making it
GB683248A (en) * 1950-10-06 1952-11-26 Gen Electric Co Ltd Improvements in or relating to the manufacture of crystal contact devices
US2666874A (en) * 1950-08-25 1954-01-19 Rca Corp Construction of semiconductor devices

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2603692A (en) * 1945-12-29 1952-07-15 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Rectifier and method of making it
US2572993A (en) * 1947-10-25 1951-10-30 Gen Electric Co Ltd Crystal contact device
US2666874A (en) * 1950-08-25 1954-01-19 Rca Corp Construction of semiconductor devices
GB683248A (en) * 1950-10-06 1952-11-26 Gen Electric Co Ltd Improvements in or relating to the manufacture of crystal contact devices
US2723370A (en) * 1950-10-06 1955-11-08 Hazeltine Research Inc Electrically semiconductive crystalline body

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2866929A (en) * 1955-12-01 1958-12-30 Hughes Aircraft Co Junction-type-semiconductor devices and method of making the same
US3002134A (en) * 1957-09-19 1961-09-26 Sylvania Electric Prod Electrical translator device and method of manufacture

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR1082401A (en) 1954-12-29
GB728573A (en) 1955-04-20
CH321679A (en) 1957-05-15
BE522343A (en)
NL80736C (en)
NL172085B (en)

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US2770761A (en) Semiconductor translators containing enclosed active junctions
US2861018A (en) Fabrication of semiconductive devices
US2937324A (en) Silicon carbide rectifier
US2879188A (en) Processes for making transistors
US2944321A (en) Method of fabricating semiconductor devices
US3027501A (en) Semiconductive device
US3239908A (en) Method of making a semiconductor device
US2994018A (en) Asymmetrically conductive device and method of making the same
US2840497A (en) Junction transistors and processes for producing them
US2861226A (en) High current rectifier
US2789258A (en) Intrinsic coatings for semiconductor junctions
US2929750A (en) Power transistors and process for making the same
GB877285A (en) Improvements in semiconductor device
US3335296A (en) Semiconductor devices capable of supporting large reverse voltages
US2792540A (en) Junction transistor
US3585454A (en) Improved case member for a light activated semiconductor device
US2777974A (en) Protection of semiconductive devices by gaseous ambients
US2805369A (en) Semi-conductor electrode system
GB848619A (en) Improvements in or relating to the fabrication of semiconductor rectifiers
DE1044284B (en) Semiconducting electrode system, e.g. B. crystal diode or transistor
US2830238A (en) Heat dissipating semiconductor device
US2719253A (en) Nonlinear conduction elements
US3241013A (en) Integral transistor pair for use as chopper
US2723370A (en) Electrically semiconductive crystalline body
US2849665A (en) Ultra high power transistor