Reduction of germanium dioxide

Claim 1

A METHOD OF REDUCING GERMANIUM DIOXIDE TO GERMANIUM METAL WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF PLACING A CHARGE OF GERMANIUM DIOXIDE WITHIN THE CAVITY OF A GRAPHITE BOAT LEAVING A FREE SPACE THEREOVER WITHIN SAID CAVITY, COMPLETELY ENCLOSING SAID CAVITY SO AS TO SEAL SAID GERMANIUM DIOXIDE THEREIN AND TO CLOSE SAID OVERLYING FREE SPACE AT ITS TOP, SIDES AND ENDS SAVE FOR PERMITTING GAS ENTRY AT ONE END AND DISCHARGE THEREOF FROM THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID BOAT THROUGH OPENINGS OF CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF SAID OVERLYING FREE SPACE, HEATING SAID BOAT AND ITS CONTENT IN A CHAMBER TO A TEMPERATURE OF APPROXIMATELY 650*C., PASSING A STREAM OF REDUCING GAS FROM A SOURCE OF SUPPLY IN A CLOSED CONDUIT THROUGH SAID CHAMBER AND DIRECTLY INTO SAID ENTRY TO EFFECT PASSAGE OF ESSENTIALLY ALL OF THE REDUCING GAS USED IN THE OVERALL PROCESS THROUGH SAID CAVITY AND THE DISCHARGE THEREOF FROM THE OTHER END OF SAID CAVITY, AND TO PREVENT ENTRY OF SUCH REDUCING GAS INTO SAID CHAMBER UNTIL AFTER SUCH GAS HAS BEEN DISCHARGED FROM SAID CAVITY, AND PROVIDING AND MAINTAINING A FLOW RATE OF SAID GAS SUFFICIENTLY TO EFFECTIVELY REMOVE FROM OVER THE GERMANIUM DIOXIDE THE WATER VAPOR FORMED DURING THE REDUCTION ACTION IN SUCH MANNER AS TO ENABLE THE REDUCTION OF GERMANIUM DIOXIDE TO GERMANIUM METAL TO PROCEED TO COMPLETION WITHIN A SIGNIFICANTLY SHORTER TIME THAN REQUIRED IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH SEALING OF SAID BOAT.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF REDUCING GERMANIUM DIOXIDE TO GERMANIUM METAL WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF PLACING A CHARGE OF GERMANIUM DIOXIDE WITHIN THE CAVITY OF A GRAPHITE BOAT LEAVING A FREE SPACE THEREOVER WITHIN SAID CAVITY, COMPLETELY ENCLOSING SAID CAVITY SO AS TO SEAL SAID GERMANIUM DIOXIDE THEREIN AND TO CLOSE SAID OVERLYING FREE SPACE AT ITS TOP, SIDES AND ENDS SAVE FOR PERMITTING GAS ENTRY AT ONE END AND DISCHARGE THEREOF FROM THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID BOAT THROUGH OPENINGS OF CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF SAID OVERLYING FREE SPACE, HEATING SAID BOAT AND ITS CONTENT IN A CHAMBER TO A TEMPERATURE OF APPROXIMATELY 650*C., PASSING A STREAM OF REDUCING GAS FROM A SOURCE OF SUPPLY IN A CLOSED CONDUIT THROUGH SAID CHAMBER AND DIRECTLY INTO SAID ENTRY TO EFFECT PASSAGE OF ESSENTIALLY ALL OF THE REDUCING GAS USED IN THE OVERALL PROCESS THROUGH SAID CAVITY AND THE DISCHARGE THEREOF FROM THE OTHER END OF SAID CAVITY, AND TO PREVENT ENTRY OF SUCH REDUCING GAS INTO SAID CHAMBER UNTIL AFTER SUCH GAS HAS BEEN DISCHARGED FROM SAID CAVITY, AND PROVIDING AND MAINTAINING A FLOW RATE OF SAID GAS SUFFICIENTLY TO EFFECTIVELY REMOVE FROM OVER THE GERMANIUM DIOXIDE THE WATER VAPOR FORMED DURING THE REDUCTION ACTION IN SUCH MANNER AS TO ENABLE THE REDUCTION OF GERMANIUM DIOXIDE TO GERMANIUM METAL TO PROCEED TO COMPLETION WITHIN A SIGNIFICANTLY SHORTER TIME THAN REQUIRED IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH SEALING OF SAID BOAT.