The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 23, 2010
Filed:
Sep. 16, 2005
Eric Robert, Liège, BE;
Tjakko Zijlema, Rotselaar, BE;
Eric Robert, Liège, BE;
Tjakko Zijlema, Rotselaar, BE;
Umicore, Brussels, BE;
Abstract
The invention relates to the manufacture of high purity germanium for the manufacture of e.g. infra red optics, radiation detectors and electronic devices. GeClis converted to Ge metal by contacting gaseous GeClwith a liquid metal M containing one of Zn, Na and Mg, thereby obtaining a Ge-bearing alloy and a metal M chloride, which is removed by evaporation or skimming. The Ge-bearing alloy is then purified at a temperature above the boiling point of metal M. This process does not require complicated technologies and preserves the high purity of the GeClin the final Ge metal, as the only reactant is metal M, which can be obtained in very high purity grades and continuously recycled.