Abstract A semiconductive wafer is selectively protected and etched so that a grid of intersecting grooves is formed on one or both major surfaces. The grooves extend below junction depth. Oxide lip portions overhanging the grooves may be removed and the grooves may be treated to enhance wettability. A passivant is then selectively electrophoretically deposited into the grooves. Where glass is employed the passivant it is fired after deposition. The wafer may be subdivided into pellets before or after contacts are applied. A pliant supplemental passivant encapsulates the semiconductive pellet, and a casement is molded thereabout to complete the device. One semiconductive element that may be obtained by the passivation process is characterized by a passivant coating on a beveled periphery that progressively increases in thickness as it approaches a major surface intersecting the beveled periphery.
The combination comprising a semiconductive wafer including first and second opposed, substantially parallel major surfaces, first and second grids of intersecting grooves formed along said first and second major surfaces, respectively, each groove at its maximum depth defining a plane of cleavage and including sidewalls sloping outwardly from said plane of cleavage toward said major surface adjacent thereto, the grooves of said first and second grids being aligned to share common planes of cleavage, said grids defining within said wafer a plurality of semiconductive elements integrally joined along said planes of cleavage, a first junction located within each of said semiconductive elements intersecting said sloping sidewalls peripheral thereto of said first grid nearer said first major surface than said planes of cleavage, a second junction located within each of said semiconductive elements intersecting said sloping sidewalls peripheral thereto of said second grid nearer said second major surface than said planes of cleavage, and said first and second glass passivating layer lying within said first and second grids, respectively, and overlying said junctions at their intersections with said sloping sidewalls, said glass passivating layers being thinnest along said planes of cleavage and thickest along said major surfaces, said first glass passivating layer presenting a surface lying in the plane of said first major surface surrounding and adjacent to said semiconductive elements, and said second glass passivating layer presenting a surface lying in the plane of said major surface surrounding and adjacent to said semiconductive elements.