Abstract: A process and an apparatus for producing a polycrystalline semiconductor including charging a raw semiconductor material into a crucible, heating to melt the raw semiconductor material in the crucible by heating means, solidifying the melted material while depriving the bottom of the crucible of heat, and then cooling the crucible to cool the solidified semiconductor, in an atmosphere inert to the semiconductor throughout, characterized by alternately subjecting the semiconductor crystal to growth and annealing in the solidification step while periodically varying the amount of heat liberated from the raw semiconductor material.

Abstract: A method of growing a single crystal thin film characterized by heating a silicon single crystal substrate placed in a reactor vessel, then while the temperature of the silicon single crystal substrate is 850.degree. C. or below, introducing a mixed gas composed of hydrogen fluoride gas and hydrogen gas into the reactor vessel for removing a native oxide film on a main surface of the silicon single crystal substrate in an ambient of hydrogen gas; and thereafter, growing a single crystal thin film by a vapor phase epitaxy on said main surface free from the native oxide film at a temperature of 1,000.degree. C. or below. With this method, both evaporation of a dopant caused by outdiffusion and autodoping can be suppressed with a substantial reduction of the processing time.

Abstract: A crystal pulling apparatus is designed to generate a thermal gradient across the melt surface to prevent nucleation of stray crystals and production of floating debris to produce a high quality crystal, and has special provisions for observing the growth behavior and crystal dimension measurements. The apparatus includes a cylindrical chamber, a crucible disposed centrally within the chamber, a cylindrical heater surrounding the crucible, an insulation member disposed on the top section of the crucible, a first transparent plate and a second transparent plate for closing the center hole in the insulation member, a pull rod passing through the center hole of the transparent plates, a crystal illumination mechanism, a crystal size determination mechanism and an ambient atmosphere flowing mechanism.

Abstract: A crucible is mounted on a crucible support bolt (11, 34) in a vacuum chamber (33) resting on a base stand (32) and can be heated by the thermal radiation of a heating element. A drawing element (35) is provided above the melt, by means of which the crystal can be drawn up from the surface of the melt into a transfer lock chamber (36), which can be pivoted laterally with respect to the base stand (32). A separating device is provided between the crystal and the drawing element (35) to separate the crystal from the drawing element (35). The base stand (32) is formed by a platform (38) supported by four posts (37) three additional legs (39) of equal length extend upward from three of the four corners of the rectangular platform (38) holding the vacuum chamber (33), these (39) being held together at their top ends by a horizontal frame (40), which forms a right triangle.

Abstract: In a crystal holding apparatus, a stepped engagement portion of a single crystal formed below a seed crystal is held by holding portions of a pair of lifting jigs so as to be pulled up. A lock mechanism consisting of a hook lever and an engagement pin is provided in order to prevent the closed lifting jigs from opening. Further, a portion of each holding portion to be contacted with a crystal is provided with a swing claw which is swingable about a horizontal pin. Accordingly, it becomes possible to reliably hold the crystal, to prevent generation of a defect in the crystal structure, and to prevent a material melt from being contaminated.

Abstract: The invention is directed to preventing meltdown of conductive metal electrodes 5, 5 used to supply current to a heater 104 of a crucible 103. A single crystal pulling apparatus comprises: the heater 104 which encircles the crucible 103, and the pair of electrodes 5, 5, respectively threaded to a pair of graphite intermediate electrodes 6 of the heater 104, and a voltage source 9 for supplying power to the pair of electrodes 5, 5. A switch 11 switches the power on and off. A watthour meter 10a, continuously measures the current flowing through the heater 104. Investigation by the present inventors showed that in the case of a crack 8 in a lower portion of the intermediate electrode 6, minute fluctuations occurred in the measured value of the current, arising from an electric discharge phenomena in the crack 8 prior to meltdown of the electrodes 5, 5.

Abstract: A platen supports a wafer during the deposition of tungsten, metal nitrides, other metals, and silicides in a chemical vapor deposition reactor. A deposition control gas that includes a suitable inert gas such as argon or a mixture of inert and reactant gases such as argon and hydrogen is introduced through a restrictive opening into an ambient in the reactor. An exclusion guard aligned with the platen has an extension extending over a frontside peripheral region of the wafer. Deposition control gas is introduced under the exclusion guard extension and exits through a restrictive opening between the exclusion guard extension and a wafer frontside peripheral region. The restrictive opening provides a uniform pressure of deposition control gas at the edge and frontside of the wafer to prevent deposition on the wafer edge and backside.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a silicon single crystal grown by the Czochralski process. The apparatus includes a hollow growth chamber, a quartz crucible disposed within the growth chamber, and a pulling member for pulling a growing silicon single crystal upward from a silicon melt retained in the crucible. A crystal chamber above the growth chamber receives the crystal as it is pulled. A joining member joins the growth chamber and the crystal chamber. A first heating member defining a passageway through which the crystal is pulled, for preventing formation of oxygen precipitate nucleation centers in the crystal until the crystal has been pulled through the passageway, is disposed at least partially within the growth chamber. A second heating member defining a passageway through which the crystal is pulled, for controlling the formation of the oxygen precipitate nucleation centers in the crystal, is disposed within the crystal chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an effective method of annealing a semiconductor film by irradiation with a laser light. This method consists of irradiating an amorphous silicon film 102 formed on a glass substrate 110 with a linear laser light 100 which is relatively scanned in the direction of arrow 109. The area which will soon be or has just been irradiated with a laser light is heated by heaters 105 and 106. Irradiation in this way crystallizes the amorphous silicon film 102 without abrupt phase change which otherwise occurs due to laser light irradiation.

Abstract: A method for surface flattening a crystal substrate includes (a) processing a surface of a silicon single crystal substrate, the surface deviating by 0.1.degree. or less from the (001) plane, so as to form a processed zone thereon which is an obstacle to the movement of surface steps present on the surface of the silicon single crystal substrate and which is adjacent to a preselected region having a surface to be flattened when viewed on an atomic level; (b) holding the substrate processed in step (a) in a chamber having an adjustable degree of vacuum so that the substrate has a temperature which is controlled by direct-current passage and heating; and (c) heating the substrate to move the surface steps along the substrate from the preselected region and gather the surface steps in the processed zone, thereby forming a flat surface in the preselected region of the substrate when viewed on the atomic level.

Abstract: A method of growing a single crystal of semiconductor using a CZ growth technique, having a step (0<t<t1) wherein a single crystal of semiconductor is pulled while a source material is supplied continuously to maintain a constant amount of semiconductor melt, and a step (t2<t<t3) wherein the supply of source material is halted, and the single crystal of semiconductor is pulled using residual melt from the first step.

Abstract: Tin oxide whisker having a length of 0.1 to 100 .mu.m, a thickness of 0.005 to 5 .mu.m, and a ratio of the length to the thickness of at least 5, containing optionally a dopant such as antimony and bismuth, which contains no or few agglomerates and has excellent dispersibility in a matrix component.

Abstract: In a method for growing a III-V group compound semiconductor crystal, as a Si dopant, a compound including a Si atom bonded to an alkyl group and a hydrogen atom is used. Also, a compound including two Si atoms in one molecule thereof, at least one of said Si atoms being bonded to a hydrogen atom, and at least the other of said Si atoms being bonded to an alkyl group can be used. Further, a compound including two Si atoms in one molecule thereof, at least one of said Si atoms being bonded to a hydrogen atom, and at least the other of said Si atoms being bonded to a phenyl group or a compound including a Si atom bonded to an organic amino group can be used. Si can be doped evenly at a high concentration at a low temperature with a safe operation by the invention.

Abstract: A crystal pulling apparatus is disclosed in which a single crystal ingot is pulled from a melt of a crystalline material by using a cable. A crimp portion and a spherical portion supported by the crimp portion are provided in the vicinity of the tip of the cable. Two divided couplings are screwed into a chuck body of a seed chuck. The couplings have an accommodation space therein so as to accommodate the cable and the spherical portion, and conical hole sections serving as the shoulder portion of the accommodation space contact and hold the spherical portion. This structure allows the cable to rotate during crystal pulling operation and facilitates attachment of the seed chuck to the cable and removal of the seed chuck from the cable.

Abstract: A low-temperature phase oxide single crystal having a nominal composition of Ba(B.sub.1-x M.sub.x).sub.2 O.sub.4 is synthesized by partially substituting B of BaB.sub.2 O.sub.4 with one or more additive elements M and by growing the single crystal in a Ba(B.sub.1-x M.sub.x).sub.2 O.sub.4 composition compound (where M is one or more additive elements selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga and In, and 0.001<x<0.15).

Abstract: The invention relates to the growth of nickel manganese oxide monocrystals having a cubic spinel geometry. Methods of their growth and sensors constructed with same are also described.

Abstract: A flowable material, such as a supercooled melt or supersaturated solution, is dispensed onto a take-up member such as a belt or drum. Either prior to, or after being dispensed onto the take-up member, the material is exposed to ultrasound to promote the crystallization of solid substances in the material. All of the material or only a portion of the material can be exposed to ultrasound. If only a portion is exposed, it is later combined with the rest of the material prior to being dispensed onto the take-up member.

Abstract: A method is provided for industrially preparing a group II-VI or III-V compound single crystal from a polycrystalline group II-VI or III-V starting compound, such that the resultant single crystal has a small number of crystal defects by effectively preventing polycrystallization. The method includes steps of coating an inner surface of a crucible with a film consisting of powdered solids and a vitreous substance, placing the polycrystalline compound in the coated crucible, placing the crucible in a furnace, heating the crucible with furnace for melting the polycrystalline compound in the crucible, and cooling the crucible and the melted compound for growing a single-crystalline compound. Additionally, the surface of a seed crystal and a gap between the seed crystal and a wall of the crucible may also be coated with a film of powdered solids and a vitreous substance.

Abstract: In a Czochralski monocrystalline silicon growing apparatus for growing a silicon monocrystalline by pulling up a crystal seed by a wire in a growing furnace, a magnetic ring is mounted on the silicon monocrystal, and an electromagnet is fixed to the growing furnace for pulling up the magnetic ring.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for growing large diameter silicon crystals using the Czochralski (Cz) method, wherein the neck section of the crystal is significantly strengthened to eliminate the risk of breakage in the neck section, by providing a heat shield assembly which is located adjacent to the neck section and ascends in conjunction therewith to force the cooling gas directly onto the neck section of the silicon ingot.