Process and apparatus for the preparation of semi-conductors from arsenides and phosphides and detectors formed therefrom

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF A COMPOUND INCLUDING A METALLOID FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ARSENIC, ANTIMONY AND PHOSPHORUS AND A METAL FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALUMINUM, GALLIUM AND INDIUM, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF INSERTING A QUANTITY OF ONE OF SAID METALLOIDS AND A QUANTITY OF ONE OF SAID METALS INTO A REFRACTORY TUBE, EXHAUSING AND SEALING SAID TUBE, DISPOSING SAID TUBE IN AN INCLINED POSITION WITH ONE END THEREOF LOW THAN THE OTHER END THEREOF AND WITH SAID QUANTITIES OF METALLOID AND METAL BOTH IN THE LOWER END OF SAID TUBE, HEATING SAID LOWER END TO A TEMPERATURE OF SUBSTANTIALLY 1000*C., SIMULTANEOUSLY HEATING THE UPPER END OF SAID TUBE TO AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE NOT GREATER THAN 650*C., AT WHICH ELEVATED TEMPERATURE SAID METALLOID HAS AN EQUILIBRIUM VAPOR PRESSURE SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW ITS EQUILIBEIUM VAPOR PRESSURE AT 1000*C., WHEREBY SAID ONE METALLOID DISTILLS FROM SAID LOWER END AND CONDENSES AT THE UPPER END OF SAID TUBE AND EXISTS IN SAID TUBE IN THE GASEOUS STATE SUBSTANTIALLY AT ITS EQUILIBRIUM VAPOR PRESSURE AT SAID ELEVATED TEMPERATURE WHILE SAID METAL REACTS WITH SAID METALLOID IN THE GASEOUS STATE, AND RECOVERING THE COMPOUND PRODUCED THEREBY FROM THE TUBE.