Semiconductor devices and methods

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF FORMING SEMICONDUCTOR CIRCUIT ELEMENTS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PREPARING A MELT OF SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL DOPED TO YIELD A CRYSTAL OF ONE CONDUCTIVITY TYPE, MAINTAINING SAID MELT WITH A SURFACE LAYER OF SAID MELT EXPOSED TO THE CONTENTS OF A CLOSED CHAMBER, INTRODUCING AN IMPURITY ATMOSPHERE INTO SAID CHAMBER, EFFECTIVE TO IMPART THE OPPOSITE CONDUCTIVITY TYPE TO SAID SURFACE LAYER OF SAID MELT, CONTACTING SAID SURFACE LAYER OF SAID MELT WITH A SEED OF SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL, PULLING SAID SEED AWAY FROM SAID SURFACE LAYER TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM SAID MELT HAVING A CIRCULAR CROSS-SECTION WITH A CORE OF SAID ONE CONDUCTIVITY TYPE AND AN OUTER SHELL OF SAID OPPOSITE CONDUCTIVITY TYPE, TRANSVERSELY CUTTING SAID CRYSTAL AT SPACED LOCATIONS TO PROVIDE A PLURALITY OF SEMICONDUCTOR ELEMENTS, AND BONDING OHMIC CONTACTS TO THE CORE AND SHELL OF EACH OF SAID SEMICONDUCTOR ELEMENTS.