Method for producing homogeneous crystals of mixed semiconductive materials

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A HOMOGENEOUS SEMICONDUCTIVE CRYSTAL CONSTITUTED ESSENTIALLY OF PREDETERMINED MUTUALLY SOLUBLE CONSTITUTES, WHICH PROCESS COMPRISES: (A) PROVIDING IN A REACTION VESSEL A CHARGE COMPRISING SAID CONSTITUENTS; (B) HEATING SAID CHARGE, BY HEATING MEANS, AND MAINTAINING THEREIN A TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION CONSISTING OF TEMPERATURES IN EXCESS OF THE MELTING TEMPERATURE OF SAID CHARGE THROUGHOUT SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF SAID CHARGE EXCEPT FOR ONE PORTION OF SAID CHARGE IN WHICH PORTION IS MAINTAINED A LOWER TEMPERATURE AND IN WHICH PORTION FREEZING TO A SOLID STATE BODY OCCURS; AND (C) DISPLACING SAID BODY RELATIVE TO SID HEATING MEANS TO SIMULTANEOUSLY ESTABLISH, AT OPPOSITE INTERFACES OF SAID BODY WITH THE MELTED PORTION OF SID CHARGE, FREEZING AT ONE OF SAID INTERFACES AND MELTING AT THE OTHER OF SAID INTERFACES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE DISPLACEMENT DURATION.