US2189576A - Dry plate rectifier and method of producing same - Google Patents

Dry plate rectifier and method of producing same Download PDF

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Publication number
US2189576A
US2189576A US147577A US14757737A US2189576A US 2189576 A US2189576 A US 2189576A US 147577 A US147577 A US 147577A US 14757737 A US14757737 A US 14757737A US 2189576 A US2189576 A US 2189576A
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semi
layer
conductor
electrode
layers
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US147577A
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Brunke Fritz
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General Electric Co
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General Electric Co
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/02—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/04—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having potential barriers, e.g. a PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer
    • H01L21/06—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having potential barriers, e.g. a PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer the devices having semiconductor bodies comprising selenium or tellurium in uncombined form other than as impurities in semiconductor bodies of other materials
    • H01L21/10—Preliminary treatment of the selenium or tellurium, its application to the foundation plate, or the subsequent treatment of the combination
    • H01L21/101—Application of the selenium or tellurium to the foundation plate
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/02—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/04—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having potential barriers, e.g. a PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer
    • H01L21/06—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having potential barriers, e.g. a PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer the devices having semiconductor bodies comprising selenium or tellurium in uncombined form other than as impurities in semiconductor bodies of other materials
    • H01L21/10—Preliminary treatment of the selenium or tellurium, its application to the foundation plate, or the subsequent treatment of the combination

Definitions

  • My invention relates to dry plate rectiflers, and like devices such as light-sensitive cells, wherein a semi-conductor layer composed, for example, of selenium or a selenium compound is deposited, either by a fusion processor a vaporization process, on a base or carrier electrode preferably composed of a light metal.
  • the object of the invention is to provide higher efficiency devices of the above type and an improved method of producing such devices.
  • the thickness of the resulting semiconductor layer is not maintained within deflnite limits.
  • the vaporization method even more than the mechanical method such as the melting of the semi-conductor material on the carrier electrode, is characterized by the occurrence of non-uniform layers and of thin portions in the layers. the layers when the rectifier is placed in operation tending to break down at these thinner portions.
  • the semi-conducting layer when formed in accordance with the processes employed heretofore, must be made relatively thick.
  • the thickness of the semi-conducting layer is 0.1 mm.
  • A'relatively large increase in the efiiciency of a rectifier of this type could be attained if the thickness of the semi-conductor layer could be held to a smaller value, since the resistance of the layer and the accompanying power loss would also be smaller.
  • a method of depositing the semi-conductor materia] on the carrier electrode whereby the thickness of the deposit is reduced, and the resulting advantage of higher efliciency, and at the same time added security against breakdown, is attained.
  • the construction and method of operation of a rectifier incorporating rectifier cells formed in accordance with the invention will be illustrated hereinafter in connection with a rectifier of the selenium type.
  • the invention is not, however, limited, in its application, to the selenium rectifier but may also be applied to advantage in the construction of rectifiers and like devices incorporating other semi-conductor materials for example tellurlum.
  • Figs. l, 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views of rectifier cells incorporatvthe second layer 5.
  • the rectifier cell comprises a carrier electrode I, preferably composed of a material of the group comprising the light metals, aluminum, magnesium and beryllium, a counterelectrode 2, and semi-conductor material 3 deposited on the carrier electrode I and between the latter electrode and the counter-electrode 2.
  • the semi-conductor material 3 comprises two layers, a first layer 4 in contact with the carrier electrode I, and a second layer 5 between layer 4 and the counter-electrode 2.
  • the depositing of the material is preferably performed by the vaporization process.
  • the thin layer 4, of an order of thickness preferably considerably less than 0.1 mm., preferably cornposed of selenium or a selenium compound, is first deposited on the carrier electrode by exposing the latter to the vapor of the material.
  • the electrode having the thin layer 4 formed thereon is maintained under pressure for several hours at a temperature between 100 C. and the melting point of selenium, or the pressure on the coated electrode may be maintained only for a short time, the temperature treatment continuing for a longer time.
  • the carrier electrode I having layer 4 thereon is exposed again to the vapor of the semi-conductor material and the secondthin layer 5, for example, of the order of 0.01 mm. in thickness, is deposited on the rst layer 4, the heat and pressure treatment being applied as before.
  • the carrier electrode having thereon the superimposed layers 4 and 5 may then be subjected to further treatment usual in the production of an efficient rectifier.
  • the depositing of the layers 4 and 5 has been described as being performed by the vaporization process.
  • the invention is not limited to the use of the vaporization process however.
  • the first layer. 4, especially, may be produced by a mechanical process, for example, by the melting of the semi-conductor on the carrier electrode. It is preferable, however, in every case to produce the second layer, 5, by the vaporization process.
  • the ratio of forward current to reverse current, of the order of ten to twenty times, compared with the factor for the conventional selenium rectiiier was obtained.
  • the quality factor of rectiflers produced in accordance with the present invention was 60,000 at three volts, while in the case of the conventional rectifier the factor was 2,000.
  • the cause of this surprising effect may lie in the formation of a second blocking layer between the two semiconductor layers 4 and 5.
  • the reverse current which is blocked by the blocking layer normally formed at the surface of the single semi-conductor layer generally employed and represented by the first layer 4, is blocked further by the second semiconductor layer 5, while this blocking layerhas no eiect on the current in the forward direction.
  • a still further considerable increase in the power of the rectifier can be produced if the two semi-conductor layers are made of different materials, one of the layers being of higher conductivity than the other.
  • the effect is especially marked when the material having the better conductivity is employed for the iirst layer. Diiierent modications of the same material may he employed for the two layers.
  • the rectiiier is of the selenium type I have found it expedient, as illustrated in Fig. 2, to add a small quantity of iodine to the lower layer 5.
  • the upper layer l being composed of selenium.
  • the invention is not limited to the provision of two semi-conductor layers of the same or different materials. As illustrated in Fig. 3, several semi-conductor layers for example, 5 and 8, may be superimposed in the same manner as shown for the two layers n Figs. 1 and 2, in order to obtain a further increase in the efficiency of the rectifier.
  • the method of producing a dry plate element having a carrier electrode which includes melting a semi-conductor material and flowing said material over a surface of said electrode to form a semi-conductor coating thereon, and subsequently exposing said coated surface to the vapor of a semi-conductor material a plurality of times to form a plurality of semi-conductor layers superimposed on said semi-conductor coating.
  • the method of producing a dry plate element having a carrier electrode which includes providing a plurality of semi-conductor materials ci different conductivities, exposing said electrode to the vapor of one of said semi-conductor materials until a layer of said one of said semi-conductor materials substantially less than 0.1 millimeter in thickness is formed on said electrode, said one material having the highest conductivity of said plurality of materials, and subsequently exposing said layer to the vapor of another of said semi-conductor materials until a layer of said other of said semi-conductor materials of the order of 0.01 millimeter in thickness is formed on said first-named layer.
  • the method of producing a dry plate element having a carrier electrode which includes providing a plurality of semi-conductor materials, one of said materials having a higher conductivity than the others oi' said materials, applying to said electrode a layer of said one of said semi-conductor materials, and subsequently applying to said layer a series of superimposed layers of others of said semi-conductor materials.
  • the method of producing a dry plate element having a carrier electrode which includes exposing said electrode to the vapor of a semiconductor material until a layer substantially less than 0.1 millimeter in thickness is formed on said electrode, and subsequently exposing said electrode having said layer thereon to the vapor of a semi-conductor material until a layer of the order of 0.01 millimeter in thickness is formed on said first-named layer.
  • a dry plate element including a carrier electrode, and a coating of semi-conductive material for said element constituted by a series oi' thin semi-conductor layers super-imposed on said electrode, the total thickness of said layers being substantially less than the required thickness of a coating of semi-conductive material for said element if said last-named coating were constituted by a single semi-conductor layer only.
  • a dry plate element including a carrier electrode, a semi-conductor layer on said electrode, and at least one semi-conductor layer superirm posed on said rst named layer, said first-named one of said layers in contact with said electrode being ci greater conductivity than the rest of said layers, the total thickness of said layers being substantially less than the required thickness ci a coating of semi-conductor material for said element if said coating were constituted by a single semi-conductor layer only.
  • a dry plate element including a carrier electrode, a semi-conductor on said electrode composed of selenium, and a semi-conductor layer on said iirst-named layer composed of a mixture of selenium and iodine.
  • a dry plate element including a carrier electrode composed of a material of the group comprising aluminum, magnesium and beryllium and alloys of said metals, a semi-conductor layer on said electrode composed of selenium, and a semiconductor layer on said first-named layer composed of a mixture of selenium and iodine.
  • a dry plate element including a carrier electrode, a coating of semi-conductor material on said electrode including two layers, one of said layers being in contact with said electrode and of substantially less thickness than would be required for the entire coating if said entire coating were formed in a single layer only, and the second layer being in contact with said iirst layer and of such thickness that the total thickness of said first and second layers is substantially less than said required thickness of said coating if formed in a single layer.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Physical Vapour Deposition (AREA)
  • Heat Sensitive Colour Forming Recording (AREA)
US147577A 1935-06-22 1937-06-10 Dry plate rectifier and method of producing same Expired - Lifetime US2189576A (en)

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DE482239X 1935-06-22

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Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2446467A (en) * 1944-11-11 1948-08-03 Fansteel Metallurgical Corp Dry plate rectifier
US2575388A (en) * 1947-01-06 1951-11-20 Vickers Inc Electrical rectifiers
US2608611A (en) * 1949-08-17 1952-08-26 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Selenium rectifier including tellurium and method of making it
US2659846A (en) * 1951-05-15 1953-11-17 Int Rectifier Corp Selenium element and method of making it
US2663831A (en) * 1950-02-14 1953-12-22 Int Standard Electric Corp Selenium dry-disk rectifier
US2803541A (en) * 1953-05-29 1957-08-20 Haloid Co Xerographic plate
US2819433A (en) * 1951-03-22 1958-01-07 Syntron Co Selenium rectifiers and the method of making the same
US2833675A (en) * 1953-10-01 1958-05-06 Rca Corp Method of imparting red response to a photoconductive target for a pickup tube
US2869057A (en) * 1951-12-18 1959-01-13 Itt Electric current rectifier
US2901348A (en) * 1953-03-17 1959-08-25 Haloid Xerox Inc Radiation sensitive photoconductive member
US2963365A (en) * 1956-02-16 1960-12-06 Rca Corp Electrostatic printing
DE974421C (de) * 1943-07-05 1960-12-22 Aeg Trockengleichrichter mit Halbleiterschicht und Verfahren zu seiner Herstellung

Families Citing this family (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE511647A (es) * 1939-01-22
DE909846C (de) * 1941-06-20 1954-04-26 Aeg Verfahren zur Herstellung eines unsymmetrisch leitenden Systems mit Selen als Halbleiter
DE883784C (de) * 1949-04-06 1953-06-03 Sueddeutsche App Fabrik G M B Verfahren zur Herstellung von Flaechengleichrichtern und Kristallverstaerkerschichten aus Elementen
NL153851B (nl) * 1949-05-30 Lonza Ag Werkwijze voor de bereiding van methacrylzuur uit alfa-hydroxyisoboterzuur.
DE892330C (de) * 1950-06-20 1953-10-04 Siemens Ag Trockengleichrichter
NL178572B (nl) * 1952-06-19 Vaw Ver Aluminium Werke Ag Werkwijze voor het vloeimiddelvrij solderen van aluminium materialen.
DE975018C (de) * 1952-07-17 1961-07-06 Siemens Ag Verfahren zur Herstellung von Selengleichrichtern
DE1060053B (de) * 1953-02-10 1959-06-25 Siemens Ag Verfahren zur Herstellung von Selengleichrichtern mit einem mehrschichtigen Halbleiter mit verschiedenem Gehalt an Halogen und elektropositiven Zusaetzen in den einzelnen Schichten
DE966906C (de) * 1953-04-09 1957-09-19 Siemens Ag Verfahren zur sperrfreien Kontaktierung von Flaechengleichrichtern oder -transistoren mit einem eine p-n-Schichtung aufweisenden Halbleitereinkristall
NL196784A (es) * 1954-04-30 1900-01-01

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE974421C (de) * 1943-07-05 1960-12-22 Aeg Trockengleichrichter mit Halbleiterschicht und Verfahren zu seiner Herstellung
US2446467A (en) * 1944-11-11 1948-08-03 Fansteel Metallurgical Corp Dry plate rectifier
US2575388A (en) * 1947-01-06 1951-11-20 Vickers Inc Electrical rectifiers
US2608611A (en) * 1949-08-17 1952-08-26 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Selenium rectifier including tellurium and method of making it
US2663831A (en) * 1950-02-14 1953-12-22 Int Standard Electric Corp Selenium dry-disk rectifier
US2819433A (en) * 1951-03-22 1958-01-07 Syntron Co Selenium rectifiers and the method of making the same
US2659846A (en) * 1951-05-15 1953-11-17 Int Rectifier Corp Selenium element and method of making it
US2869057A (en) * 1951-12-18 1959-01-13 Itt Electric current rectifier
US2901348A (en) * 1953-03-17 1959-08-25 Haloid Xerox Inc Radiation sensitive photoconductive member
US2803541A (en) * 1953-05-29 1957-08-20 Haloid Co Xerographic plate
US2833675A (en) * 1953-10-01 1958-05-06 Rca Corp Method of imparting red response to a photoconductive target for a pickup tube
US2963365A (en) * 1956-02-16 1960-12-06 Rca Corp Electrostatic printing

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GB482239A (en) 1938-03-25
NL49864C (es)

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