Deep diode transistor

Claim 1

A semiconductor transistor comprising a body of semiconductor material having two opposed major surfaces forming respectively the top and bottom surfaces of the body, a predetermined level of resistivity, a predetermined first type conductivity, a preferred crystal structure and a vertical axis substantially perpendicular to the major opposed surfaces and aligned substantially parallel with a first preferred crystal axis of the material of the body; at least one of the opposed major surfaces having a predetermined crystal planar orientation which is one selected from the group consisting of (100), (110) and (111); at least three integral planar-like regions of alternate and opposite type conductivity formed in the body to form, respectively, the collector, the base, and the emitter regions of the transistor; at least one of the planar-like regions comprising recrystallized semiconductor material of the body having a predetermined type conductivity and a predetermined level of resistivity and so oriented within the body as to be aligned with a second preferred crystal axis of the material of the body; each of the planar-like regions extending between, and terminating in, the opposed major surfaces of the body, the region having a vertical aligned substantially parallel with the vertical axis of the body and opposed end surfaces, each of which is coextensive with a respective one of the opposed major surfaces; the recrystallized material is formed in situ by the migration of a melt of metal-rich semiconductor material of the body through the material of the body by thermal gradient zone melting at a predetermined elevated temperature along a thermal gradient substantially parallel with the first preferred crystal axis and the vertical axis of the body and has a predetermined level of concentration of the metal of the melt as determined by the solid solubility limit of that metal in that semiconductor material at that predetermined elevated temperature of migration and the metal is distributed substantially uniformly throughout the entire region; the metal consisting of at least one dopant impurity material to impart the type conductivity and level of resistivity to the planar region; a P-N junction formed by the abutting, contiguous surfaces of the material of each of the planar regions and the material of the body, and each P-N junction being substantially perpendicular to, and exposed at, the major opposed surfaces of the body.