Abstract: A method of performing 3D printing of a silicon component includes adding powdered silicon to a 3D printing tool. For each the powdered silicon, forming a layer of the powder bed to a pre-determined thickness, directing a high-powered beam in a pre-determined pattern into the powder-bed to melt the powdered silicon. After no further layers are needed, the silicon component is cooled at a pre-determined temperature ramp-down rate. In a fully dense printing method, buffer layers of silicon are initially printed on a steel substrate, and then layers of silicon for the actual component are printed on top of the buffer layers using a double printing method. In a fully dense and crack free printing method, one or more heaters and thermal insulation are used to minimize temperature gradient during Si printing, in-situ annealing, and cooling.

Abstract: A furnace for electromagnetic casting a tubular-shaped silicon ingot is provided. The furnace includes a mold, outer and inner induction coils and a support member. The mold includes an outer crucible and an inner crucible. The outer crucible is annular-shaped. The inner crucible is disposed in the outer crucible and spaced away from the outer crucible to provide a gap between the inner crucible and the outer crucible. The mold is configured to receive granular silicon in the gap. The outer induction coil disposed around the outer crucible. The inner induction coil disposed in the inner crucible. The outer induction coil and the inner induction coil are configured to heat and melt the granular silicon in the mold to form a tubular-shaped silicon ingot. The support member is configured to hold and move a seed relative to the mold during formation of the tubular-shaped silicon ingot on the seed.

Abstract: In a fully dense printing method, a plurality of buffer layers of silicon are initially printed on a steel substrate, and then layers of silicon for the actual component are printed on top of the buffer layers using a double printing method. In a fully dense and crack free printing method, one or more heaters and thermal insulation are used to minimize temperature gradient during Si printing, in-situ annealing, and cooling.

Abstract: A furnace for electromagnetic casting a tubular-shaped silicon ingot is provided. The furnace includes a mold, outer and inner induction coils and a support member. The mold includes an outer crucible and an inner crucible. The outer crucible is annular-shaped. The inner crucible is disposed in the outer crucible and spaced away from the outer crucible to provide a gap between the inner crucible and the outer crucible. The mold is configured to receive granular silicon in the gap. The outer induction coil disposed around the outer crucible. The inner induction coil disposed in the inner crucible. The outer induction coil and the inner induction coil are configured to heat and melt the granular silicon in the mold to form a tubular-shaped silicon ingot. The support member is configured to hold and move a seed relative to the mold during formation of the tubular-shaped silicon ingot on the seed.

Abstract: A furnace includes a pedestal, a crucible, first and second heaters, and a controller. The crucible is arranged on a pedestal that is movable downwardly and is rotatable. The first and second heaters are spaced vertically along an outer wall of the crucible and are arranged around the crucible to heat pieces of solid material deposited in the crucible. A third heater is arranged above the crucible if the crucible includes a solid cylindrical mold or in a hollow cylindrical space of the crucible if the crucible includes a hollow cylindrical mold. The controller is configured to control the first and second heaters to heat the pieces of the solid material to form a melted liquid. The controller is configured to control the rotational and downward movements of the pedestal relative to the first and second heaters during solidification of the melted liquid to form an ingot.

Abstract: A method for creating and using an assembly includes arranging a bonding material between a first component and a second component. The first component, the bonding material and the second component are heated to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined period to melt the bonding material and to create an assembly. The predetermined temperature is at or greater than a melting temperature of the bonding material and less than a melting temperature of the first component and the second component. The method includes using the assembly inside a batch furnace of a substrate processing system or a processing chamber of a substrate processing system. The first component and the second component are made from a material selected from a group consisting of silicon and silicon carbide. The bonding material is selected from a group consisting of aluminum, gold, germanium, indium or an alloy of silicon and aluminum, gold, germanium, or indium.

Abstract: The present invention provides a methods and system for producing semiconductor grade single crystals that are substantially free of undesirable agglomerated defects. A vacancy/interstial (V/I) boundary simulator analyzes various melt-solid interface shapes to predict a corresponding V/I transition curve for each of the various melt-solid interface shapes. A target melt-solid interface shape corresponding to a substantially flat V/I curve is identified for each of a plurality of axial positions along the length of the crystal. Target operating parameters to achieve each of the identified melt-solid interface shapes are stored in a melt-solid interfaced shape profile. A control system is responsive to the stored profile to generate one or more control signals to control one or more output devices such that the melt-solid interfaced shape substantially follows the target shapes as defined by the profile during crystal growth.