Semi-conductor devices and methods for their manufacture

966,768. Semi-conductor devices. PHILIPS ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES Ltd. May 10, 1961 [May 13, 1960], No. 17029/61. Heading H1K. A semi-conductor device comprising a body of an N-type chalcogenide of a bivalent metal is provided with an ohmic contact through an electrode consisting of gold and/or silver activated with one or more of the elements In, Ga and A1. A photoelectric cell comprises a high - resistance N - type CdS body 5 provided with electrodes 6 of vacuumdeposited gold - indium alloy containing 9 atom % indium, bonded by silver paste layers 9 to holder 8. The electrodes may alternatively be inhomogeneous, consisting of indium adjacent body 5 and of gold on the side remote from the body, the indium layer being thin and merging into the gold. Such an electrode may be formed by vacuum deposition from a wire consisting of a gold core having electro-deposited thereon a thin indium layer. A plurality of devices may be made by forming electrodes on one face of a strip of CdS and cutting it into smaller units. Electrodes may also be formed by electrolytic deposition or cathode atomization.