Patent GB-984932-A (GB)
Title: Solid state devices
IPC: H01L29/76
Filed: 1961-04-17
Abstract: 984,932. Semi-conductor devices. RADIO CORPORATION OF AMERICA. April 17, 1961 [May 2, 1960], No. 13854/61. Heading H1K. A semi-conductor device comprises a thin layer (grid) of metal sandwiched between and forming potential barriers with two semiconductor zones of the same conductivity type, each provided with an ohmic contact. The device is biased so that a high proportion of the increased energy majority carriers emitted into the thin layer from one of the zones cross into the second (collector) zone without loss of energy. When the zones are N type the layer is of a high work function material such as gold, silver, nickel, tellurium or copper, and the ohmic contacts of low work function metals such as indium, gallium, tin, lead, and cerium. With P type zones the layer is of low work function material and the ohmic contacts of high work function material. Preferably, the potential barrier at the emitter-grid junction is made higher than that at the collector-grid junction by using different materials for the emitter and collector, by using the same material for both zones in conjunction with a composite grid having different work functions at its two faces, or by a combination of the two methods. A composite grid may comprise discrete layers of different, materials or may exhibit a continuous change of composition between its faces. Suitable semi-conductor materials are cadmium, sulphide, selenide and telluride, zinc sulphide, selenide and oxide, lead oxide, germanium and silicon. In one example, the emitter and collector are of highly doped N type cadmium sulphide and the grid is copper at the emitter face and gold at the collector face. Alternatively, the emitter is highly doped cadmium sulphide, the collector less highly doped N type lead monoxide and the grid gold. The device shown in Fig. 9 is made by maintaining an N type chlorine-doped monocrystal of cadmium sulphide 25b at liquid air temperature, while evaporating first an electron permeable copper layer 29b and then a layer 27b of lead-doped 1 ohm cm. lead oxide on it, and subsequently applying indium ohmic contacts 21b, 33b to opposite faces of the composite wafer. In a modification of this (Fig. 10), all the layers including the cadmium sulphide crystal are formed on a glass, ceramic or metal substrate 61, the metal layers 21c, 33e, 51c extending in different directions as shown to facilitate connection to them. If the substrate is metal, the lower indium layer may be omitted. The device shown in Fig. 12 is made by melting an indium contact 33e on a chlorine doped cadmium sulphide crystal 29e, evaporating on a copper mesh-form electrode 27e while at liquid air temperature, evaporating on a lead doped lead oxide layer 25e and melting on indium electrode 21e. Alternatively, a continuous copper layer is provided by extending the evaporation period. In a photo-sensitive arrangement, Fig. 13, the grid may be continuous, of mesh-form, or as shown, an array of isolated areas of indium. The emitter and collector 25f, 29f are of P type grey selenium and P type lead oxide respectively and the ohmic contacts 21f, 33b to both are of iron. The layers through which the radiation is directed to the grid should be thin to reduce absorption. Selenium and lead oxide have different filtering effects so that the device is sensitive only to infra-red if illuminated via the selenium, but sensitive also to red and yellow light if illuminated through the lead oxide. The theory of operation and biasing arrangements of all the devices are discussed.