Producing glass passivated gold diffused rectifier pellets

A method of manufacturing semiconductor rectifier pellets comprising the steps of:

• providing a semiconductor wafer defining first and second laterally extending major surfaces, said wafer being of a size sufficient to form a plurality of laterally spaced rectifier pellets;
• wherein the region immediately underlying said first surface is of N-type conductivity and said wafer has a P/N junction therein extending laterally through said pellets;
• forming an oxide layer on one of said major surfaces at an elevated oxide-forming temperature;
• forming a plurality of laterally spaced openings in said oxide layer with said openings being located respectively in the areas overlying the active device regions of said pellets;
• diffusing an auxiliary impurity into said device regions through said openings at an elevated diffusion temperature below said oxide-forming temperature, said auxiliary impurity being one which is selected to decrease carrier lifetime in said pellets;
• masking said openings;
• forming a second set of openings in said oxide layer, said second set of openings exposing the areas of said wafer between said pellets;
• etching grooves in said wafer through said second set of openings, said grooves intersecting said P/N junction and lying between said pellets;
• and
• providing a passivant material in said grooves covering the intersection of said junction with said grooves, said passivant material being provided at a temperature below said diffusion temperature.