Gas discharge device for producing extremely pure crystalline semiconductor substances

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING RODLIKE EXTREMELY PURE SEMICONDUCTOR BODIES BY CHEMICAL DECOMPOSITION OF A GASEOUS SEMICONDUCTOR COMPOUND IN A GAS DISCHARGE TO LIBERATE PURE SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTANCE THEREFROM FOR DEPOSIT OF SUCH SUBSTANCE UPON A CARRIER THEREFOR, COMPRISING A REACTION VESSEL, A RODLIKE ELECTRODE EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY INTO SAID VESSEL AND CONSTITUTING A CARRIER AT THE LOWER END PORTION THEREOF FOR THE SUBSTANCE TO BE DE POSITED, A SECOND ELECTRODE EXTENDING INTO SAID VESSEL WITH THE INNER END PORTION THEREOF EXTENDING TOWARD, BUT SPACED FROM THE INNER END OF SAID CARRIER ELECTRODE AND FORMING A DISCHARGE GAP THEREWITH, A FIRST CONDUIT EXTENDING INTO SAID VESSEL HAVING AN OUTLET THEREIN WHICH IS DISPOSED ADJACENT SUCH GAP OPERATIVE TO DISCHARGE A GASEOUS SEMICONDUCTOR COMPOUND IN THE DIRECTION OF AND AGAINST THE LOWER END PORTION OF SAID CARRIER ELECTRODE, THE LATTER ELECTRODE BEING AXIALLY MOVABLE RELATIVE TO THE ADJACENT VESSEL WALL AND THE SECOND ELECTRODE TO ENABLE THE WITHDRAWAL OF SAID CARRIER ELECTRODE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DEPOSIT OF SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTANCE AT THE LOWER END THEREOF COMPRISING A MOLTEN ZONE, A SECOND CONDUIT ASSOCIATED WITH SAID VESSEL FOR SUPPLYING A REACTION AGENT TO THE VESEL INTERIOR, SAID VESSEL HAVING AN OUTLET THEREIN FOR THE DISCHARGE OF OTHER REACTION PRODUCTS, AND MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID CARRIER ELECTRODE AND SAID SECOND ELECTRODE IN CIRCUIT WITH AN ELECTRIC CURRENT SOURCE TO PRODUCE A GAS DISCHARGE EFFECTIVE OVER THE MOLTEN ZONE AT THE LOWER END PORTION OF SAID CARRIER ELECTRODE, WHEREBY SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTANCE WILL BE CONTINUOUSLY DEPOSITED, IN THE FORM OF A MOLTEN DROP ON THE INNER END FACE OF THE CARRIER ELECTRODE TO PRODUCE SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL IN THE SHAPE OF AN ELONGATED RODLIKE MEMBER, SAID SECOND CONDUIT ENVELOPING PART OF SAID SECOND ELECTRODE FOR CONDUCTING A REACTION AGENT TO SAID GAP WITH SUCH AGENT FLOWING ABOUT THE INNER END OF SAID SECOND ELECTRODE AND PREVENTING DEPOSIT OF LIBERATED SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTANCE THEREON.