Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor indicating instrument or display device employing a silicon carbide crystal having a first ohmic contact with an n-type region and at least one second ohmic contact with a p-type region. Another region is disposed between the regions of opposite types of conductivity. The silicon carbide crystal also has an additional region with structure defects which are clusters with a concentration of 10.sup.19 cm.sup.-3 to 10.sup.22 cm.sup.-3, that region adjoining the second ohmic contact and having a thickness greater than that of the p-type region by at least 0.05 m.mu.. The method is characterized in that, in order to produce the additional region, the p-type region is bombarded with ions of an inert gas with an ion flow density of 3.1.multidot.10.sup.13 ion/cm.sup.2 .multidot.sec to 1.25.multidot.10.sup.14 ion/cm.sup.2 .multidot.sec, an ion energy of 10 to 400 keV and an irradiation dose of 1.2.multidot.10.sup.16 ion/cm.sup.2 to 6.2.multidot.10.sup.17 ion/cm.sup.2.