Patent US4089713A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4089713A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Diffusion of donors into (Hg Cd) Te through use of Ga-Al alloy
Assignee: Honeywell Inc
•
Filing: 1977-01-06
•
Granted: 1978-05-16
•
Expires: 1997-01-06
Abstract
Abstract A method of adjusting donor concentration in a body of mercury cadmium telluride comprising the steps of contacting the mercury cadmium telluride with a quantity of donor material selected from the group consisting of gallium and gallium alloys containing up to 3% of aluminum, tin or cadmium and heating the body at a temperature of at least 200 DEG C for a sufficient time to diffuse the donor material within the body. The donor material is placed in contact with the body of mercury cadmium telluride by immersing the body in a molten quantity of the donor material to wet the surface thereof. Further included is the step of removing any undistributed donor material after heating. Also disclosed is a method of adjusting the donor concentration in the first region of mercury cadmium telluride with respect to a second adjacent region by practicing the process of this invention on the first region only. Since donor materials tend to increase the N-type concentration, a PN junction can be formed from P-type material and an N N+ junction may be formed from N-type material.
Inventors
- 👤 Eric Shanks Johnson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 22:09
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P32/00; H10P32/10; H10P32/14; H10P32/16; H10P32/17
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
The method of adjusting the donor concentration in a body of mercury cadmium telluride, comprising the steps of: contacting a body of mercury cadmium telluride with a quantity of a donor material selected from the group consisting of gallium and gallium alloys containing up to 5% by weight of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, tin and cadmium; and heating said body at a temperature of at least 150° C for a sufficient time to diffuse said donor material within said body.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
85 words
The method of adjusting the donor concentration in a body of mercury cadmium telluride, comprising the steps of: contacting a body of mercury cadmium telluride with a quantity of a donor material selected from the group consisting of gallium and gallium alloys containing up to 5% by weight of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, tin and cadmium; and heating said body at a temperature of at least 150° C for a sufficient time to diffuse said donor material within said body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein from 10 10 atoms per cubic centimeter to 10 20 per cubic centimeter of gallium are diffused in said mercury cadmium telluride.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said gallium alloy contains from 1/2 to 5% by weight aluminum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said gallium alloy contains from 1/2 to 5% by weight of tin.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said gallium alloy contains from 1/2 to 5% by weight cadmium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said temperature ranges from 250° to 400° C.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of increasing the donor concentration in a first region of mercury cadmium telluride with respect to a second adjacent region of mercury cadmium telluride, comprising the steps of: contact the exterior surface of the first region of said mercury cadmium telluride with a quantity of a donor material selected from the group consisting of gallium and gallium alloys containing up to 5% by weight of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, tin and cadmium; and heating said first region at a temperature of at least 150° C for a sufficient time to distribute said donor material within said body.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of increasing the donor concentration in a first region of mercury cadmium telluride with respect to a second adjacent region of mercury cadmium telluride, comprising the steps of: contact the exterior surface of the first region of said mercury cadmium telluride with a quantity of a donor material selected from the group consisting of gallium and gallium alloys containing up to 5% by weight of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, tin and cadmium; and heating said first region at a temperature of at least 150° C for a sufficient time to distribute said donor material within said body.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 7 wherein from 10 10 atoms per cubic centimeter to 10 20 atoms per cubic centimeter of gallium are diffused in said mercury cadmium telluride.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said gallium alloy contains from 1/2 to 5% by weight aluminum.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said gallium alloy contains from 1/2 to 5% by weight of tin.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said gallium alloy contains from 1/2 to 5% by weight cadmium.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said temperature ranges from 150° to 400° C.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said second region is P-type and said quantity of donor material is sufficient to render said first region N-type, thereby forming a PN junction.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said second region is N-type and said quantity of donor material is sufficient to render said first region N+ type.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
84 words
In a method of adjusting the donor concentration of a body of mercury cadmium telluride, including the steps of contacting said body with a quantity of gallium and heating at a temperature of at least 200° C for a sufficient time to diffuse said gallium into said mercury cadmium telluride, the improvement comprising: alloying from 1/2 to 5% of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, tin and cadmium with said gallium prior to contacting said gallium with said mercury cadmium telluride.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
84 words
In a method of adjusting the donor concentration of a body of mercury cadmium telluride, including the steps of contacting said body with a quantity of gallium and heating at a temperature of at least 200° C for a sufficient time to diffuse said gallium into said mercury cadmium telluride, the improvement comprising: alloying from 1/2 to 5% of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, tin and cadmium with said gallium prior to contacting said gallium with said mercury cadmium telluride.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-05-15 | 1981-11-14 | 1982-05-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-05-15 | 1985-11-14 | 1986-05-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-05-15 | 1989-11-14 | 1990-05-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |