Semiconducting cubic boron nitride and methods for preparing the same

Claim 1

THE PROCESS FOR MAKING ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTING CUBIC BORON NITRIDE HAVING A SPECIFIC ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE OF BELOW 10**10 OHM-CENTIMETERS WHICH COMPRISES HEATING AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES OF AT LEAST 1200*C. AND PRESSURES OF AT LEAST 42,000 ATMOSPHERE A MIXTURE OF INGREIDENTS COMPRISING (1) AT LEAST ONE CATALYST METAL SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF ALKALI METALS, ALKALINE EARTH METALS, LEAD, ANTIMONY, TIN AND NITRIDES OF THE FOREGOING METALS, (2) A SOURCE OF BORON SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF ELEMENTAL BORON, HEXAGONAL BORON NITRIDE AND COMPOUNDS OF BORON DECOMPOSABLE TO ELEMENTAL BORON AT THE ABOVE ELEVATED TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURES, (3) A SOURCE OF NITROGEN SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF HEXAGONAL BORON NITRIDE AND NITROGEN-CONTAINING COMPOUNDS OF THE AFORESAID CATALYST MATERIALS WHICH PROVIDE A SOURCE OF NITROGEN UNDER THE TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURES USED FOR EFFECTING FORMATION OF THE CUBIC CRYSTAL STRUCTURE BORON NITRIDE, AND (4) A POSITIVE AMOUNT UP TO 10 PERCENT, BY WEIGHT, BASED ON THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF (2) AND (3) OF AN ADDITIVE SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF SILICON AND GERMANIUM, THE CATALYTIC PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS BEING THOSE REQUIRED TO FORM THE ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTING CUBIC BORON NITRIDE.