Patent GB-748414-A (GB)
Title: Semiconductor signal translating elements and devices utilizing them
IPC: H03C1/36
Filed: 1953-06-12
Abstract: 748,414. Transistors. WESTERN ELECTRIC CO., Inc. June 12, 1953 [June 19, 1952; Aug. 15, 1952], No. 16230/53. Class 37. [Also in Group XL (c)] A transistor comprising a base zone of one conductivity type semiconductor between emitter and collector zones of opposite conductivity type, has the active portion of the emitter junction restricted to a very small area; this is achieved by shaping the semi-conductor and/or providing a biasing arrangement which renders most of the junction useless for emitter operation. Fig. 2 shows an NPN transistor in which the N-type material has been removed so as to leave PN junctions of small area. This shaping may be effected by an electrolytic etching treatment in which pulses of current are applied between the P-type zone 3 material and the N-type zones 1 and 2 (the negative terminal being connected to zone 3) while the semiconductor is immersed in an electrolyte. During treatment, one or more faces of the NPN block are protected by a lacquer to restrict the area of electrolytic action. In Fig. 3, the effective area of the emitter junction in an NPN transistor, is reduced by passing a current from auxiliary base electrode 8 to the main base electrode 7, which establishes a potential gradient through the base zone 3 so that only a small area is forward biased relative to the emitter zone 1; the major portion of the PN junction is reverse biased and so cannot operate to inject minority charge carriers. The shaped semiconductor body of Fig. 2 may also be biased in this way, so that the effective area of the small emitter junction between zones 1 and 3 is even further reduced. Figs. 2 and 3 show the NPN transistors biased in the normal manner so that an input signal Vg applied to the emitter 5 appears in amplified form in the load RL connected in the circuit of collector 6. In all arrangements, the N and P portions may be interchanged provided the polarity of all bias sources is reversed. A transistor with a small emitter junction according to the invention has a much lower base resistance, lower current amplification factor, and may be operated at much higher frequencies than a normal junction transistor. Fig. 8 shows an alternative construction in which the NPN zones form a cylinder, and the base to base bias current is arranged to flow radially from the main base electrode 57 to auxiliary base electrode 58 which surrounds the P-zone 53. Connection to electrode 53 is made on an axial hole through the emitter N-zone 51. This construction provides an advantageous non-linear voltage gradient through the base zone 53. In a further modification (Fig. 10, not shown) a magnetic field is applied across the base zone of an NPN transistor as shown in Fig. 3, to deflect carriers towards the collector junction, which reduces transit time effects. Transit time modulation may then be effected by applying signals to vary the magnetic field. A further alternative (Fig. 7, not shown) is described in which the collector electrode is a point contact on the P zone of a NP body, the emitter contact comprising the N-zone and the NP junction, and the two base electrodes being placed near to the NP junction. Oscillator, amplitude modulation and frequency modulation circuits using such devices are described. Specifications 694,021 and 706,858 are referred to.