Apparatus for doping and contacting semiconductor bodies

Claim 1

DEVICE FOR ELECTROLYTICALLY FORMING A DOPED SURFACE ZONE AND JUNCTION ON A CRYSTALLINE SEMICONDUCTOR BODY, COMPRISING A GAS-TIGHT VESSEL ADAPTED TO CONTAIN AN ELECTROLYTE IN AN INERT ATMOSPHERE, A HOLLOW HOLDER FOR THE SEMICONDUCTOR BODY OF A MATERIAL CHEMICAL INERT WITH RESPECT TO THE ELECTROLYTE, AND CURRENT SUPPLY LEADS, ONE OF WHICH IS ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED WITH THE SEMICONDUCTOR BODY AND IS MOUNTED WITHIN THE HOLDER SO AS TO BE SHIELDED WITH RESPECT TO THE ELECTROLYTE, SAID HOLDER COMPRISING A TUBE HAVING A FRONT-FACE EDGE ADAPTED FOR TIGHT SEALING CONTACT ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SEMICONDUCTOR BODY; MEANS CONNECTED WITH SAID TUBE FOR PRODUCING IN ITS HOLLOW SPACE DURING THE ELECTROLYSIS PROCESS A NEGATIVE PRESSURE FOR HOLDING THE SEMICONDUCTOR BODY TIGHTLY AGAINST SAID FRONT-FACE EDGE OF SAID TUBULAR HOLDER, SAID TUBULAR HOLDER BEING FURTHER PROVIDED WITH AN OPEN ANNULAR GROOVE, SAID DEVICE HAVING ELECTRIC LEAD MEANS FOR SUPPLYING CURRENT TO THE SEMICONDUCTOR BODY DISPOSED IN SAID GROOVE, SAID LEAD FOR CONTACTING SAID SEMICONDUCTOR BODY BEING CIRCULAR AND COAXIAL WITH SAID GROOVE.