US2896137A - Radio active electrode construction - Google Patents

Radio active electrode construction Download PDF

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US2896137A
US2896137A US364006A US36400653A US2896137A US 2896137 A US2896137 A US 2896137A US 364006 A US364006 A US 364006A US 36400653 A US36400653 A US 36400653A US 2896137 A US2896137 A US 2896137A
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active electrode
type
electrode construction
radio active
germanium
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US364006A
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Lehovec Kurt
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Sprague Electric Co
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Sprague Electric Co
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L29/00—Semiconductor devices specially adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching and having potential barriers; Capacitors or resistors having potential barriers, e.g. a PN-junction depletion layer or carrier concentration layer; Details of semiconductor bodies or of electrodes thereof ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
    • 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
    • H01L29/00—Semiconductor devices specially adapted for rectifying, amplifying, oscillating or switching and having potential barriers; Capacitors or resistors having potential barriers, e.g. a PN-junction depletion layer or carrier concentration layer; Details of semiconductor bodies or of electrodes thereof ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
    • H01L29/66—Types of semiconductor device ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
    • H01L29/68—Types of semiconductor device ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor controllable by only the electric current supplied, or only the electric potential applied, to an electrode which does not carry the current to be rectified, amplified or switched
    • H01L29/70—Bipolar devices
    • H01L29/72—Transistor-type devices, i.e. able to continuously respond to applied control signals

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a new and improved type of electrode construction which is primarily useful with transistors.
  • One type of transistor consists of a body of a semiconductive material to which there is attached a low resistance electrode, and against which is pressed two other point contacts termed the emitter and the collector, re spectively. There is a need for improving the effectiveness of either or both of these last electrodes.
  • forming procedures such as are mentioned in the Wallace Patent No. 2,563,503, have been recommended particularly for the collector electrode. While such procedures are elfective, they, nevertheless, do not provide point contact arrangements of the desired effectiveness.
  • This consists primarily of a body of a semi-conductive material 10, such as, for example, n-type germanium, which has been provided on one surface with a low resistance metallic layer 11, such as, for example, a rhodium layer of from 0.0001 to 0.01 inch in thickness by plating.
  • a semi-conductive material such as, for example, n-type germanium
  • a low resistance metallic layer 11 such as, for example, a rhodium layer of from 0.0001 to 0.01 inch in thickness by plating.
  • two wire electrodes 12 and 13 are positioned in accordance with known procedures.
  • At least one of these two electrodes 12 and 13 used with the present invention differs from the prior art probes in that it is provided with a source of alpha particles so as to bombard the adjacent surface of the semiconductor with the same particles in order to alter the type of conduction of the semi-conductor.
  • the semi-conductors used with the present invention are of the n-type germanium, and a p-n junction is formed adjacent to the electrodes by bombardment from the alpha particle source.
  • the source of alpha particles is, of course, capable of variation.
  • a preferred source is polonium metal which has been plated upon the external surface of the Wire probe.
  • the probes can consist of a substantially hollow tube, the center of which is filled with the same metal or another type of source.
  • polonium as an alpha particle source.
  • Other sources such as thorium, thorium carbide, and the like, can also be used.
  • other semi-conductive materials besides germanium such as, for example, silicon or silicon carbide can be used with the invention.
  • a point-contact transistor having a body of n-type conductivity, a base electrode in ohmic contact with said body, an emitter electrode in rectifying contact with said body, and a collector electrode in contact with said body in close proximity to said emitter electrode; the improvement comprising providing said collector electrode with a source of alpha-particle radiation so as to produce a region of p-type conductivity in said body surrounding said collector contact.
  • a wire probe for a transistor which comprises a central conductive core around which is plated a thin layer of polonium.
  • a transistor comprising a body of n-type germanium, a low resistance base electrode attached to said body, and a wire probe bearing against said body, said wire probe being plated with a layer of alpha-particleemitting polonium to create a permanent pn junction within the germanium adjacent to said probe.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Bipolar Transistors (AREA)

Description

July 21, 1959 K. LEHOVEC 2,896,137
RADIO ACTIVE ELECTRODE CONSTRUCTION Filed June 25, 1953 INVENTOR. KURT LEHOVEO BY 5 ms A 'roausvs United States Patent RADIO ACTIVE ELECTRODE CONSTRUCTION Kurt Lehovec, Williamstown, Mass., assignor to Sprague Electric Company, North Adams, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 25, 1953, Serial No. 364,006
3 Claims. (Cl. 317-235) The present invention relates to a new and improved type of electrode construction which is primarily useful with transistors.
One type of transistor consists of a body of a semiconductive material to which there is attached a low resistance electrode, and against which is pressed two other point contacts termed the emitter and the collector, re spectively. There is a need for improving the effectiveness of either or both of these last electrodes. In order to accomplish such ends, forming procedures, such as are mentioned in the Wallace Patent No. 2,563,503, have been recommended particularly for the collector electrode. While such procedures are elfective, they, nevertheless, do not provide point contact arrangements of the desired effectiveness.
It is an object of the instant invention to improve upon the aforegoing and related prior art. A further object of the invention is to manufacture highly eflicient transistors. These and other objects of the invention, as well as its advantages will be apparent from this description, the accompanying claims, as Well as the accompanying drawmg.
This drawing diagrammatically shows the type of construction employed with the instant invention.
This consists primarily of a body of a semi-conductive material 10, such as, for example, n-type germanium, which has been provided on one surface with a low resistance metallic layer 11, such as, for example, a rhodium layer of from 0.0001 to 0.01 inch in thickness by plating. Against another surface of the semi-conductive body 10, two wire electrodes 12 and 13 are positioned in accordance with known procedures.
At least one of these two electrodes 12 and 13 used with the present invention differs from the prior art probes in that it is provided with a source of alpha particles so as to bombard the adjacent surface of the semiconductor with the same particles in order to alter the type of conduction of the semi-conductor. Preferably, the semi-conductors used with the present invention are of the n-type germanium, and a p-n junction is formed adjacent to the electrodes by bombardment from the alpha particle source.
The source of alpha particles is, of course, capable of variation. A preferred source is polonium metal which has been plated upon the external surface of the Wire probe. Alternately, the probes can consist of a substantially hollow tube, the center of which is filled with the same metal or another type of source.
It has been known for quite some time that the electrical conductivity of a semi-conductor could be altered by particle bombardment. As an example of this reference is made to the Lark-Horovitz Patent No. 2,588,254, relating to a device comprising a unitary body of germanium having a plurality of p-n type junctions through:
2,896,137, Patented July 21, 1959 out its length. Reference is also made to the text Semi-Conductor Materials published in 1951 by Academic Press, Inc., of New York. On page 66 of this last reference alpha particles, deuterons, neutrons, and fast electrons are indicated as types of radiation which can change n-type germanium to p-type germanium, and which can increase the conductivity of the p-type germanium. Nowhere in any of these or other references is there any indication that a thin layer could be created adjacent to point contacts by the means described.
It will be realized by those skilled in the art that the inclusion of an alpha particle source upon the collector of the transistor utilizing an n-type germanium body serves to create a p-n boundary close to the collector probe. The depth of this boundary varies with the quantity of alpha particles available for bombardment. Thus, it is believed that the beneficial results of the present invention are similar to the results obtained by electrical forming of the collector of a transistor. It will be further realized by those skilled in the art that this separate forming step is not necessary with the particular constructions herein set forth, and that the described units can be easily and conveniently produced on a mass production scale.
Further, those skilled in the art will realize that the invention is not limited to the use of polonium as an alpha particle source. Other sources, such as thorium, thorium carbide, and the like, can also be used. Similarly, other semi-conductive materials besides germanium, such as, for example, silicon or silicon carbide can be used with the invention.
As many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope hereof, it is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the specific embodiments hereof except as defined in the appended claims.
What is claimed is:
1. In a point-contact transistor having a body of n-type conductivity, a base electrode in ohmic contact with said body, an emitter electrode in rectifying contact with said body, and a collector electrode in contact with said body in close proximity to said emitter electrode; the improvement comprising providing said collector electrode with a source of alpha-particle radiation so as to produce a region of p-type conductivity in said body surrounding said collector contact.
2. A wire probe for a transistor which comprises a central conductive core around which is plated a thin layer of polonium.
3. A transistor comprising a body of n-type germanium, a low resistance base electrode attached to said body, and a wire probe bearing against said body, said wire probe being plated with a layer of alpha-particleemitting polonium to create a permanent pn junction within the germanium adjacent to said probe.
References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,563,503 Wallace Aug. 7, 1951 2,586,080 Pfann Feb. 19, 1952 2,604,496 Hunter July 22, 1952 2,641,639 Slade June 9, 1953 2,651,009 Meyer Sept. 1, 1953 2,666,814 Shockley Jan. 19, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 434,133 Germany Sept. 22, 1926
US364006A 1953-06-25 1953-06-25 Radio active electrode construction Expired - Lifetime US2896137A (en)

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Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE434133C (en) * 1924-01-31 1926-09-22 Sigwart Ruppel Dipl Ing Contact detector
US2563503A (en) * 1951-08-07 Transistor
US2586080A (en) * 1949-10-11 1952-02-19 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Semiconductive signal translating device
US2604496A (en) * 1951-02-08 1952-07-22 Westinghouse Electric Corp Semiconductor relay device
US2641639A (en) * 1949-12-23 1953-06-09 Rca Corp Point electrode for semiconductor devices
US2651009A (en) * 1952-05-03 1953-09-01 Bjorksten Res Lab Inc Transistor design
US2666814A (en) * 1949-04-27 1954-01-19 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Semiconductor translating device

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2563503A (en) * 1951-08-07 Transistor
DE434133C (en) * 1924-01-31 1926-09-22 Sigwart Ruppel Dipl Ing Contact detector
US2666814A (en) * 1949-04-27 1954-01-19 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Semiconductor translating device
US2586080A (en) * 1949-10-11 1952-02-19 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Semiconductive signal translating device
US2641639A (en) * 1949-12-23 1953-06-09 Rca Corp Point electrode for semiconductor devices
US2604496A (en) * 1951-02-08 1952-07-22 Westinghouse Electric Corp Semiconductor relay device
US2651009A (en) * 1952-05-03 1953-09-01 Bjorksten Res Lab Inc Transistor design

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