Method for producing semiconductor bodies having a defined edge profile which has been obtained by etching and is covered with a glass

In a method for producing semiconductor bodies having a glass-covered defined edge profile, said semiconductor bodies being obtained by etching from a large-area semiconductor basic wafer having a sequence of layer-type zones of different conductivity type with at least one pn-junction and a surface oxide layer thereon, the steps comprising

• applying a etch-resistant protective coating onto said surface oxide layer,
• cutting groove-shaped recesses in said semiconductor wafer in a predetermined pattern which extend through said protective coating and said surface oxide layer to the surface of said semiconductor wafer for subdividing said wafer into said semiconductor bodies or smaller areal expanse,
• etching said semiconductor wafer through said recesses to produce each a deep portion therein which passes through at least one pn-junction of said wafer, the side faces of said deep portion being shaped to form a predetermined edge profile of adjacent semiconductor bodies,
• removing said surface oxide layer and etch-resistant coating from said wafer having deep portions, applying an insulating and stabilizing glass coating onto the side faces of said deep portions,
• cleaning the surface of said semiconductor wafer and applying a contact metal coating thereof,
• dividing said wafer into semiconductor bodies along the center planes of selected deep portions of said wafer, and
• covering the surface of said semiconductor bodies with an insulating lacquer at those portions which have been exposed by said dividing step.