Patent US4757055A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4040171A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Deep diode zeners
Assignee: General Electric Co
•
Filing: 1976-04-22
•
Granted: 1977-08-09
•
Expires: 1996-04-22
Abstract
Abstract A deep diode zener has a lamellar structured body of single crystal semiconductor material. The lamellar structure is produced by a thermal gradient zone melting process embodying the thermal migration of metal "wires" through the body to form a region of conductivity opposite to that of the body. The material of the region is recrystallized semiconductor material of the body with solid solubility of the metal "wire" to impart the desired type conductivity and resistivity to the region.
Inventors
- 👤 Harvey E. Cline
- 👤 Thomas R. Anthony
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 13:21
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D8/00; H10D8/20; H10D8/25; C; C30; C30B; C30B13/00; C30B13/02; H10D62/00; H10D62/40; H10D84/00; H10D84/201; H10D84/204; H10D84/221; H10P; H10P95/00; H10P95/50; H10W; H10W90/00; H10W72/00; H10W72/50; H10W72/541; H10W72/5453; H10W72/551; H10W72/552; H10W72/5524; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/983
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
359 words
A method for making a deep diode zener comprising the process steps of a. selecting a body of semiconductor material having two opposed major surfaces which are, respectively, the top and bottom surfaces thereof, a selected level of resistivity, a selected first type conductivity, a preferred planar crystal structure orientation for at least one of the major surfaces which is one selected from the group consisting of (100), (110) and (111) and a vertical axis substantially aligned with a first crystal axis of the material of the body; b. disposing an array of metal on the major surface having a preferred planar crystal structure orientation, the metal comprising at least one material suitable for imparting to a portion of the material of the body a predetermined level of resistivity and a predetermined second type conductivity; c. heating the body and the metal array to an elevated temperature sufficient to form an array of melt of metal-rich semiconductor material on the major surface of the body; d. establishing a temperature gradient in the body substantially parallel with the vertical axis of the body and the first crystal axis, the major surface having the array of metals being at the lower temperature; e. migrating the array of metal-rich semiconductor material through the body from the major surface along the temperature gradient in the direction of the higher temperature to form a plurality of regions of recrystallized semiconductor material of the body having a selected second type conductivity and solid solubility of the metal of the array distributed substantially uniformly throughout the region, the level of concentration of the metal being determined by the temperature of migration, the type and the composition of the metal, and the semiconductor material migrated therethrough; f. affixing a first ohmic electrical contact to one the regions of recrystallized semiconductor material of the body, and g. affixing a second ohmic electrical contact to a selective portion of the original material of the body, the first and second contact arrangement being such as to cause the processed body to function as a zener diode when voltage is applied across the processed body between the two ohmic electrical contacts.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
359 words
A method for making a deep diode zener comprising the process steps of a. selecting a body of semiconductor material having two opposed major surfaces which are, respectively, the top and bottom surfaces thereof, a selected level of resistivity, a selected first type conductivity, a preferred planar crystal structure orientation for at least one of the major surfaces which is one selected from the group consisting of (100), (110) and (111) and a vertical axis substantially aligned with a first crystal axis of the material of the body; b. disposing an array of metal on the major surface having a preferred planar crystal structure orientation, the metal comprising at least one material suitable for imparting to a portion of the material of the body a predetermined level of resistivity and a predetermined second type conductivity; c. heating the body and the metal array to an elevated temperature sufficient to form an array of melt of metal-rich semiconductor material on the major surface of the body; d. establishing a temperature gradient in the body substantially parallel with the vertical axis of the body and the first crystal axis, the major surface having the array of metals being at the lower temperature; e. migrating the array of metal-rich semiconductor material through the body from the major surface along the temperature gradient in the direction of the higher temperature to form a plurality of regions of recrystallized semiconductor material of the body having a selected second type conductivity and solid solubility of the metal of the array distributed substantially uniformly throughout the region, the level of concentration of the metal being determined by the temperature of migration, the type and the composition of the metal, and the semiconductor material migrated therethrough; f. affixing a first ohmic electrical contact to one the regions of recrystallized semiconductor material of the body, and g. affixing a second ohmic electrical contact to a selective portion of the original material of the body, the first and second contact arrangement being such as to cause the processed body to function as a zener diode when voltage is applied across the processed body between the two ohmic electrical contacts.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 1 including practicing the process step prior to the depositing of the metal array on the major surface of selectively etching a selective portion of the major surface of the body to form an array of depressions therein into which the metal is deposited.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the metal is vapor deposited.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the preferred planar crystal structure orientation is (111), and the first crystal axis is <111>.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the semiconductor material is one selected from the group consisting of silicon, silicon carbide, gallium arsenide and germanium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the semiconductor material is N-type silicon, and the metal is aluminum.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the preferred planar crystal structure is (100), and the first crystal axis is <100>.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the semiconductor material is one selected from the group consisting of silicon, silicon carbide, gallium arsenide and germanium.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the semiconductor material is N-type silicon, and the metal is aluminum.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the preferred planar crystal structure orientation is (110), and the first crystal axis is <110>.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the semiconductor material is one selected from the group consisting of silicon, silicon carbide, gallium arsenide and germanium.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the semiconductor material is N-type silicon, and the metal is aluminum.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the metal array comprises an array of metal wires, each of the wires having a preferred stable wire direction as determined by the preferred planar crystal structure orientation of the major surface, the stable wire direction being oriented parallel with a second crystal axis of the semiconductor material of the body.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 13 including practicing the process step prior to the depositing of the metal array on the major surface of selectively etching a selective portion of the major surface of the body to form an array of depressions therein into which the metal is deposited.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the preferred planar crystal structure orientation is (111), and the first crystal axis is <111>.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the semiconductor material is one selected from the group consisting of silicon, silicon carbide, gallium arsenide and germanium.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the semiconductor material is N-type silicon, and the metal is aluminum.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the second crystal axis is at least one selected from the group consisting of <011>, <101>, <110>, <112>, <211> and <121>.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the second crystal axis is at least one selected from the group consisting of <011>, <101>, <110>, <112>, <211> and <121>.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the second crystal axis is at least one selected from the group consisting of <011>, <101>, <110>, <112>, <211> and <121>.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the preferred planar crystal structure orientation is (100), the first crystal axis is <100>, and the second crystal axis is at least one selected from the group consisting of <011> and <011>.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 21 wherein the semiconductor material is one selected from the group consisting of silicon, silicon carbide, gallium arsenide and germanium.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 22 wherein the semiconductor material is N-type silicon, and the metal is aluminum.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the preferred planar crystal structure orientation is (110), the first crystal axis is <110>, and the second crystal axis is <110>.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 24 wherein the semiconductor material is one selected from the group consisting of silicon, silicon carbide, germanium and gallium arsenide.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 25 wherein the semiconductor material is N-type silicon, and the metal is aluminum.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the array consists of a plurality of metal wires, and the thermal migration produces a lamellar structure of a plurality of integral planar regions.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method of claim 27 wherein the lamellar structure consists of four integral planar regions, the first and the third regions being of first type conductivity, the second and the fourth regions being of second type conductivity, and including the process steps of affixing the first ohmic electrical contact to the first region, and affixing the second ohmic electrical contact to the fourth region.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 28 including the additional process step of affixing a third ohmic electrical contact to a selected portion of the surface of each of the second and the third regions and an exposed portion of the P-N junction formed by the abutting second and third regions of opposite type conductivity.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 27 wherein thermal migrating of the metal wires produces five integral planar regions of alternate and opposite type conductivity, the first, third and fifth regions are of first type conductivity, the second and fourth regions are of second type conductivity, and including affixing the first ohmic electrical contact to the first region, affixing the second ohmic electrical contact to the fifth region.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
138 words
The method of claim 27 wherein thermal migrating of the metal wires produces six integral planar regions of alternate and opposite type conductivity, the first, the third and the sixth regions being of first type conductivity, the second, the fourth and the fifth regions being of a second and opposite type conductivity, the first and second regions comprising a first diode structure, the third and fourth regions comprising a second diode structure, the fifth and sixth regions comprising a zener diode, and including affixing the first ohmic electrical contact to the first region, affixing the second ohmic electrical contact to the sixth region, and affixing a third ohmic electrical contact to a selective surface area of the second and third regions and a portion of a P-N junction formed between the second and third regions and exposed thereat.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
71 words
The method of claim 21 wherein thermal migrating of the metal array produced at least three concentric abutting regions of opposite type conductivity and a P-N junction formed by each pair of abutting surfaces of material of opposite type conductivity, the two innermost concentric regions comprising the zener diode, and the outermost concentric regions providing electrical isolation means for the zener diode from the remainder of the material of the body.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2813048A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-08-08 | 1981-02-07 | 1981-08-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-08-08 | 1985-02-07 | 1985-08-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-08-08 | 1989-02-07 | 1989-08-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |