Sex and relationships: writings from Achilles Heel

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 as the passivant it is fired after deposition. The wafer may be sub-divided 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 the thickness as it approaches a major surface intersecting the beveled periphery.