Cold-walled vessel process for compounding, homogenizing and consolidating semiconductor compounds
AssigneeRedlen Technologies, Inc.
InventorsRobert Francis Redden, Weidong Huang, Troy Oran Hasanen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method is provided for compounding, homogenizing and consolidating compounds. In one embodiment, the charge components are mixed in a controlled addition process, then the newly-formed compound is heated to become totally molten, followed by a rapid quench at room temperature. In an alternate embodiment, the components are supplied with an excess of one component acting as a solvent, heated to dissolve additional components, and then the solvent is separated from the compound to produce homogeneous consolidated compounds. The methods herein are advantageously applied to provide an economical and fast process for producing CdTe, CdZnTe and ZnTe compounds.
Claims10
An apparatus for making a compound, comprising:
- a first means for holding a solute dissolved in a solvent in a first portion of the first means and for subsequently solidifying the solvent and solute to form the compound;
- a second means for flowing an inert gas through the first means such that resulting vapor pressure surges from an exothermic reaction of mixing the solvent and the solute is absorbed in the flowing inert gas;
- and
- a third means for maintaining the first portion of the first means at a temperature above which the solute is soluble in the solvent, while a second portion of the first means which is located adjacent to an inert gas inlet is maintained at a temperature at which a vapor pressure of the solute is 1 torr or less.
A method of making a compound, comprising:
- providing a solute mixed in a solvent in a first portion of a vessel;
- maintaining the first portion of the vessel at a temperature above which the solute is soluble in the solvent;
- flowing an inert gas through the vessel such that resulting vapor pressure surges from an exothermic reaction of mixing the solvent and the solute is absorbed in the flowing inert gas;
- maintaining a second portion of the vessel which is located adjacent to an inert gas inlet at a temperature at which a vapor pressure of the solute is 1 torr or less;
- and
- solidifying the solvent and solute to form the compound.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.