Semiconductor junction devices which include silicon wafers having bevelled edges

Claim 1

A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE OF THE KIND HAVING A SILICON WAFER WHICH INCORPORATES OF FIRST LAYER OF N-TYPE CONDUCTIVITY WHICH IS CONTIGUOUS WITH A SECOND LAYER OF P-TYPE CONDUCTIVITY THEREBY FORMING A P-N JUNCTION, SAID JUNCTION SUBSTANTIALLY COINCIDING WITH A CROSS-SECTION OF THE WAFER IN A PLANE PARALLEL TO THE MAIN FACES OF THE WAFER, IN WHICH THE NET SIGNIFICANT IMPURITY CONCENTRATION IN SAID N-TYPE LAYER IS LESS THAN IN SAID P-TYPE LAYER, AND THE LATERAL SURFACE OF THE WAFER HAVING A BEVEL COMPLETELY AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE WAFER AT LEAST IN THE REGION WHERE SAID P-N JUNCTION MEETS SAID SURFACE, SAID BEVEL DEFINING COMPLETELY AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE WAFER AN INCLUDED ANGLE OF LESS THAN 60* BETWEEN THE PLANE OF SAID P-N JUNCTION AND THE LATERAL SURFACE OF SAID N-TYPE LAYER CONTIGUOUS WITH SAID JUNCTION.