Apparatus Patents (Class 117/200)
  • Patent number: 8226768
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for evaporation comprising a vacuum chamber, a substrate stage defining a substrate plane and at least one effusion cell, the effusion cell comprising a crucible having a volume, wherein said effusion cell, crucible and substrate stage are arranged inside the vacuum chamber. The crucible comprises a first end, a second end, at least one side wall and an aperture. In a typical apparatus according to the invention the aperture is situated in the first wall or in a side wall closer to the first end than the second end, the second end arranged closer to the substrate plane than the first end. The invention also relates to a crucible for evaporation, having a volume, comprising a first end, a second end, at least one side wall and an aperture. The invention further relates to a method of growing a film on a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: DCA Instruments Oy
    Inventor: Jari Vanhatalo
  • Patent number: 8221550
    Abstract: A process for producing a single crystal of semiconductor material, in which fractions of a melt, are kept in liquid form by a pulling coil, solidify on a seed crystal to form the growing single crystal, and granules are melted in order to maintain the growth of the single crystal. The melting granules are passed to the melt after a delay. There is also an apparatus which Is suitable for carrying out the process and has a device which delays mixing of the molten granules and of the melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventor: Wilfried von Ammon
  • Patent number: 8216373
    Abstract: A temperature gradient is established in a crystallization crucible by means of a heat source and a cooling system. The cooling system comprises a heat exchanger and an adjustable additional heat source. The cooling system is preferably formed by an induction coil cooled by a coolant liquid circulating in the induction coil and by an electrically conductive induction susceptor positioned between the crucible and induction coil. The fabrication process comprises heating the crucible via the top and controlling heat extraction from the crucible downwards by means of the heat exchanger and by means of regulation of the adjustable additional heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignees: Apollon Solar, Cyberstar, EFD Induction SA
    Inventors: Roland Einhaus, Francois Claude Lissalde, Pascal Rivat
  • Patent number: 8216369
    Abstract: A physical vapor transport system includes a growth chamber charged with source material and a seed crystal in spaced relation, and at least one capsule having at least one capillary extending between an interior thereof and an exterior thereof, wherein the interior of the capsule is charged with a dopant. Each capsule is installed in the growth chamber. Through a growth reaction carried out in the growth chamber following installation of each capsule therein, a crystal is formed on the seed crystal using the source material, wherein the formed crystal is doped with the dopant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: II-VI Incorporated
    Inventors: Avinash K. Gupta, Edward Semenas, Ilya Zwieback, Donovan L. Barrett, Andrew E. Souzis
  • Patent number: 8216364
    Abstract: Direct resistive heating is used to grow nanotubes out of carbon and other materials. A growth-initiated array of nanotubes is provided using a CVD or ion implantation process. These processes use indirect heating to heat the catalysts to initiate growth. Once growth is initiated, an electrical source is connected between the substrate and a plate above the nanotubes to source electrical current through and resistively heat the nanotubes and their catalysts. A material source supplies the heated catalysts with carbon or another material to continue growth of the array of nanotubes. Once direct heating has commenced, the source of indirect heating can be removed or at least reduced. Because direct resistive heating is more efficient than indirect heating the total power consumption is reduced significantly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Delmar L. Barker, Mead M. Jordan, William R. Owens
  • Publication number: 20120167821
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible including: a taking-out process of taking out the vitreous silica crucible from the mold, a honing process of removing the unfused silica powder layer on the outer surface of the vitreous silica crucible, and further comprising, after the taking-out process and before the honing process, a marking process of marking an identifier comprised of one or more groove line on the outer surface of the vitreous silica crucible, wherein the groove line after the honing process has a depth of 0.2 to 0.5 mm, and a width of 0.8 mm or more at the opening of the groove line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki SUDO, Taira SATO, Shuichi IKEHATA, Manabu SHONAI, Takuji NISHI, Takaya SATOU, Shinsuke YAMAZAKI
  • Patent number: 8210906
    Abstract: A wafer slicing method includes winding a wire around rollers and pressing the wire against an ingot while supplying slurry to the rollers. A previously conducted experiment provides a supply temperature profile of the slurry during the slicing process and the relationship to the axial displacement of the rollers. This relationship is used to implement slurry delivery during the slicing process. The resultant wafers are bowed in a uniform direction. This slicing method provides excellent reproducibility in addition to producing wafers that are bowed in a uniform direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Oishi, Daisuke Nakamata
  • Publication number: 20120160158
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a crucible which has high viscosity at high temperature, can be used for a long time, and can be manufactured at low cost, and a method of manufacturing the crucible. The present invention provides a composite crucible including a vitreous silica crucible body having a sidewall portion and a bottom portion, and a reinforcement layer provided on an outer surface side of an upper end portion of the vitreous silica crucible body, wherein the reinforcement layer is made of mullite material whose main component is alumina and silica.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki SUDO, Ken KITAHARA, Takuma YOSHIOKA
  • Publication number: 20120152166
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a silicon carbide single crystal grows the silicon carbide single crystal on a seed crystal by supplying a material gas from below the seed crystal. The apparatus includes a heating container and a base located in the heating container. The seed crystal is mounded on the base. The apparatus further includes a first inlet for causing a purge gas to flow along an inner wall surface of the heating container, a purge gas source for supplying the purge gas to the first inlet, a second inlet for causing the purge gas to flow along an outer wall surface of the base, and a mechanism for supporting the base and for supplying the purge gas to the base from below the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuuichirou TOKUDA, Kazukuni Hara, Jun Kojima
  • Patent number: 8197595
    Abstract: A method for producing thin silicon rods using a floating zone crystallization process includes supplying high frequency (HF) current to a flat induction coil having a central opening, a plurality of draw openings and a plate with a slot as a current supply of the HF current so as to provide a circumfluent current to the central opening. An upper end of a raw silicon rod is heated by induction using the flat induction coil so as to form a melt pool. A thin silicon rod is drawn upwards through each of the plurality of draw openings in the flat induction coil from the melt pool without drawing a thin silicon rod through the central opening having the circumfluent current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: PV Silicon Forschungs und Produktions GmbH
    Inventors: Helge Riemann, Friedrich-Wilhelm Schulze, Joerg Fischer, Matthias Renner
  • Patent number: 8192544
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for manufacturing a polycrystalline silicon ingot for solar batteries having a door control device using a hinge. The apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, a crucible, a susceptor which surrounds the crucible, a heater which heats the crucible, and an insulation plate which is disposed below the susceptor and has an opening therein. The apparatus further includes a cooling plate which moves upwards through the opening of the insulation plate and comes into close contact with or approaches the lower end of the susceptor, a cooling plate moving unit which actuates the cooling plate, a temperature sensor which measures the temperature of the crucible, and a control unit which controls the temperature in the crucible and the cooling plate moving unit. Furthermore, a door is provided on the insulation plate to open or close the opening of the insulation plate. The hinge is provided between the door and the insulation plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology
    Inventors: Jong-Won Gil, Sang-Jin Moon, Won-Wook So
  • Patent number: 8187381
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a gas delivery assembly are provided herein. In some embodiments, the gas delivery assembly includes a gas inlet funnel having a first volume and one or more gas conduits; each gas conduit having an inlet and an outlet for facilitating the flow of a gas therethrough and into the first volume, wherein each gas conduit has a second volume less than the first volume, and wherein each gas conduit has a cross-section that increases from a first cross-section proximate the inlet to a second cross-section proximate the outlet, wherein the second cross-section is non-circular. In some embodiments, each conduit has a longitudinal axis that intersects a central axis of the gas inlet funnel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kedarnath Sangam, Anh N. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8187382
    Abstract: A polycrystalline silicon manufacturing apparatus is provided which supplies raw gas to the inside of a reaction furnace and supplies a current from an electrode to a silicon seed rod in a state where the vertically extending silicon seed rod is uprightly stood on each of the plural electrodes disposed in a bottom plate portion of the reaction furnace so as to heat the silicon seed rod and thus to deposit polycrystalline silicon on a surface of the silicon seed rod by means of the reaction of the raw gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihide Endoh, Masayuki Tebakari, Toshiyuki Ishii, Masaaki Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 8182607
    Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for assessing in-situ crystal formation in a test sample. Both optical imaging and X-ray diffraction techniques are utilized, with the results of these processes being combined in such a way as to produce an overall score relating to the aptness of crystalline material for harvesting and subsequent X-ray crystallography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Damian Kucharczyk, Richard Cooper, Paul William Loeffen
  • Patent number: 8172945
    Abstract: A high-purity vitreous silica crucible used for pulling a large-diameter single-crystal silicon ingot, includes a double layered structure constituted by an outer layer composed of high-purity amorphous vitreous silica with a bubble content of 1 to 10% and a purity of 99.99% or higher, and an inner layer composed of high-purity amorphous vitreous silica s with a bubble content of 0.6% or less and a purity of 99.99% or higher, wherein, at least for an inner surface of the vitreous silica crucible between ingot-pulling start line and ingot-pulling end line of a silicon melt surface, a longitudinal section of the inner surface is shaped into a waveform, and depth and width of the ring grooves constituting the multi ring-groove patterned face are set in the range of 0.5 to 2 mm and 10 to 100 mm, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Japan Super Quartz Corporation
    Inventor: Atushi Shimazu
  • Patent number: 8172942
    Abstract: The arc discharge apparatus comprises a plurality of carbon electrodes connected to respective phases of a power supply for heating a silica powder and causing it to fuse by generating arc discharge between the carbon electrodes. All of the carbon electrodes have a density in a range from 1.30 g/cm3 to 1.80 g/cm3, and variability in density among the carbon electrodes is 0.2 g/cm3 or less. The carbon particles that constitute the carbon electrodes preferably have a particle diameter of 0.3 mm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignees: Japan Super Quartz Corporation, Sumco Corporation
    Inventors: Masanori Fukui, Koichi Suzuki, Takeshi Fujita
  • Patent number: 8152920
    Abstract: A crucible and method for the crystallization of silicon utilize release coatings. The crucible is used in the handling of molten materials that are solidified in the crucible and then removed as ingots. The crucible does not require the preparation of a very thick coating at the end user facilities, is faster and cheaper to produce, presents an improved release effect and allows the production of silicon ingot without cracks. The crucible includes a base body, a substrate layer containing silicon nitride, an intermediate layer containing silica, and a surface layer containing silicon nitride, silicon dioxide and silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Vesuvius Crucible Company
    Inventor: Gilbert Rancoule
  • Patent number: 8123856
    Abstract: In the flux method, a source nitrogen gas is sufficiently heated before feeding to an Na—Ga mixture. The apparatus of the invention is provided for producing a group III nitride based compound semiconductor. The apparatus includes a reactor which maintains a group III metal and a metal differing from the group III metal in a molten state, a heating apparatus for heating the reactor, an outer vessel for accommodating the reactor and the heating apparatus, and a feed pipe for feeding a gas containing at least nitrogen from the outside of the outer vessel into the reactor. The feed pipe has a zone for being heated together with the reactor by means of the heating apparatus, wherein the zone is heated inside the outer vessel and outside the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignees: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd., NGK Insulators, Ltd., Osaka University
    Inventors: Shiro Yamazaki, Makoto Iwai, Takanao Shimodaira, Takatomo Sasaki, Yusuke Mori, Fumio Kawamura
  • Patent number: 8114215
    Abstract: The present invention reports a defect that has not been reported, and discloses a defect-controlled silicon ingot, a defect-controlled wafer, and a process and apparatus for manufacturing the same. The new defect is a crystal defect generated when a screw dislocation caused by a HMCZ (Horizontal Magnetic Czochralski) method applying a strong horizontal magnetic field develops into a jogged screw dislocation and propagates to form a cross slip during thermal process wherein a crystal is cooled. The present invention changes the shape and structure of an upper heat shield structure arranged between a heater and an ingot above a silicon melt, and controls initial conditions or operation conditions of a silicon single crystalline ingot growth process to reduce a screw dislocation caused by a strong horizontal magnetic field and prevent the screw dislocation from propagating into a cross slip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Siltron, Inc.
    Inventors: Do-Won Song, Young-Hun Kim, Eun-Sang Ji, Young-Kyu Choi, Hwa-Jin Jo
  • Patent number: 8114218
    Abstract: A single crystal pull apparatus has a multilayer crucible wherein the crucible has an outer crucible, an insertable layer intimately fitted thereon, and a wire frame positioned between the insertable layer and an inner crucible. The insertable layer, wire frame and inner crucible are preferably composed of platinum. Furthermore the insertable layers have thin walls and the frame has a small diameter such that they can be easily reshaped after any deformation occurring as a result of the single crystal growth process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Olexy V. Radkevich, Keith Ritter
  • Patent number: 8101021
    Abstract: A population of nanocrystals having a narrow and controllable size distribution and can be prepared by a segmented-flow method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Brian Yen, Axel Guenther, Klavs F. Jensen, Moungi G. Bawendi, Martin Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8101019
    Abstract: In the method of making a monocrystalline or polycrystalline semiconductor material semiconductor raw material is introduced into a melting crucible and directionally solidified using a vertical gradient freeze method. The molten material trickles downward, so that the raw material that has not yet melted gradually slumps in the melting crucible. The semiconductor raw material is replenished from above onto a zone of semiconductor raw material which has not yet melted or is not completely melted to at least partly compensate for shrinkage of the raw material and to raise the filling level. To reduce the melting time and influence the thermal conditions in the system as little as possible, the semiconductor raw material to be replenished is heated to a temperature below its melting temperature and introduced into the crucible in the heated state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Schott AG
    Inventors: Uwe Sahr, Matthias Mueller, Ingo Schwirtlich, Frank-Thomas Lentes, Frank Buellesfeld
  • Patent number: 8097082
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjust local plasma density during a plasma process. One embodiment provides an electrode assembly comprising a conductive faceplate having a nonplanar surface. The nonplanar surface is configured to face a substrate during processing and the conductive faceplate is disposed so that the nonplanar surface is opposing a substrate support having an electrode. The conductive faceplate and the substrate support form a plasma volume. The nonplanar surface is configured to adjust electric field between the conductive plate and the electrode by varying a distance between the conductive plate and the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jianhua Zhou, Deenesh Padhi, Karthik Janakiraman, Hang Yu, Siu F. Cheng, Yoganand Saripalli, Tersem Summan
  • Patent number: 8097081
    Abstract: A high pressure apparatus and related methods for processing supercritical fluids. In a specific embodiment, the present apparatus includes a capsule, a heater, at least one ceramic ring but can be multiple rings, optionally, with one or more scribe marks and/or cracks present. In a specific embodiment, the apparatus optionally has a metal sleeve containing each ceramic ring. The apparatus also has a high-strength enclosure, end flanges with associated insulation, and a power control system. IN a specific embodiment, the apparatus is capable of accessing pressures and temperatures of 0.2-2 GPa and 400-1200° C., respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Soraa, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark P. D'Evelyn
  • Patent number: 8075689
    Abstract: In an apparatus for the production of a silica crucible comprising a carbon mold suitable for producing the silica crucible by the rotating mold method, the carbon mold has a thermal conductivity of not more than 125 W/(m·K).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Japan Super Quartz Corporation
    Inventor: Masaru Sato
  • Patent number: 8062423
    Abstract: A crystal-growing furnace with a convectional cooling structure includes a furnace body, a heating room, and at least one heater. The heating room is accommodated in the furnace body, and includes an upper partition, a plurality of side partitions, and a lower partition. The upper partition is provided with an upper opening, and the lower partition with a central opening. Further, the heating room is provided with an upper door, a lower door, an upper driver, and a lower driver. When silicon slurry is to be cooled and solidified, cooling gaseous stream flows into a lower portion of the heating room through the central opening. Then the upper opening is opened by the upper door which is driven by the upper driver, so that heated gaseous stream is discharged from the upper opening and flows downward along furnace inside wall, and flows back to the heating room from the central opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Green Energy Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Shiow-Jeng Lew
  • Patent number: 8062422
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein are directed to an apparatus for generating a precursor for a semiconductor processing system. In one embodiment, an apparatus for generating a precursor gas during a vapor deposition process is described. The apparatus includes a canister containing an interior volume between a lid and a bottom, a gaseous inlet and a gaseous outlet disposed on the lid, a plurality of silos coupled to the bottom and extending from a lower region to an upper region of the interior volume, and a tantalum precursor having a chlorine concentration of about 5 ppm or less contained within the lower region of the canister.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ling Chen, Vincent W. Ku, Hua Chung, Christophe Marcadal, Seshadri Ganguli, Jenny Lin, Dien-Yeh Wu, Alan Ouye, Mei Chang
  • Publication number: 20110277682
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a system for heat treating a substrate which includes a first processing chamber having a first processing region coupled with a precursor source assembly configured to deliver a silicon containing gas to an upper surface of a substrate disposed within the first processing region in order to form an amorphous silicon film on the upper surface. The system further includes a substrate support having a heating element configured to heat the substrate to a temperature sufficient to crystallize the amorphous silicon film by solid phase crystallization and to create a temperature gradient in which a temperature at the lower surface of the substrate is greater than a temperature at the upper surface of the amorphous silicon film and the temperature gradient is within a range from about 2° C. to about 10° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Inventors: Virnedra V. RANA, Robert Z. Bachrach
  • Patent number: 8057598
    Abstract: Disclosed therein is an apparatus for producing a polycrystalline silicon ingot for a solar cell, which has uniform crystal grains formed by solidifying silicon melted in a crucible using a cooling plate. The polycrystalline silicon ingot producing apparatus includes: a crucible for melting silicon; conveying shafts for adjusting the height of the crucible; heaters for heating the crucible; and a cooling plate located below the crucible for cooling the crucible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Inventors: Young Sang Cho, Young Jo Kim
  • Patent number: 8057597
    Abstract: The present invention consists in obtaining, with the capsule described, a vertical gradient favorable for diamond growth that prevails over any radial gradient by means of heating discs placed at the ends of the heating area, which implies a considerable control over the growth conditions. More specifically, in regard to the rate of growth, it allows for a better control of the quality of large crystals. Another important novelty is to use a source of carbon with a special design formed by cylindrical and conical hollows (graphite, amorphous carbon, diamond or other) with a solvent metal with a number of gases that are introduced in the capsule. Also, a nitrogen scavenger is used to avoid the formation of nitrides, carbides and oxides that are harmful for the growth and that as a significant novelty is placed outside the reaction area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Instituto de Monocristales, S.L.
    Inventors: Ramon Martin Parrondo, Dmitri Bagriantsev
  • Patent number: 8034300
    Abstract: This apparatus for producing trichlorosilane includes: a vessel having a gas inlet that introduces a feed gas into the vessel and a gas outlet that discharges a reaction product gas to the outside; a plurality of silicon core rods provided inside the vessel; and a heating mechanism that heats the silicon core rods, wherein a feed gas containing silicon tetrachloride and hydrogen is reacted to produce a reaction product gas containing trichlorosilane and hydrogen chloride. The silicon core rods may be disposed so as to stand upright on the bottom of the vessel, and the heating mechanism may have electrode portions that hold the lower end portions of the silicon core rods on the bottom of the vessel and a power supply that applies an electric current to the silicon core rods through the electrode portions to heat the silicon core rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Ishii
  • Patent number: 8016944
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for producing nanoparticles, including single-crystal semiconductor nanoparticles, are provided. The methods include the step of generating a constricted radiofrequency plasma in the presence of a precursor gas containing precursor molecules to form nanoparticles. Single-crystal semiconductor nanoparticles, including photoluminescent silicon nanoparticles, having diameters of no more than 10 nm may be fabricated in accordance with the methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Uwe Kortshagen, Elijah J. Thimsen, Lorenzo Mangolini, Ameya Bapat, David Jurbergs
  • Patent number: 8012258
    Abstract: The liquid surface position of the melt in the crucible in the silicon single crystal growth process utilizing the Czochralski method is monitored using the melt surface position on the occasion of seeding as a reference position and an estimated melt surface position can be calculated according to every situation, so that the distance between the melt and the thermal shield or water-cooling structure can be controlled with high precision. When the estimated melt surface position passes a preset upper limit and approaches the thermal shield, an alarm goes off and, further, when the melt comes into contact with the thermal shield or approaches the water-cooling structure, an alarm goes off if desired and, at the same time, the crucible is forcedly stopped from moving, so that a serious accident such as steam-incurred explosion resulting from the melt coming into contact with the water-cooling structure can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Sumco Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hayakawa, Tokuji Maeda
  • Patent number: 7993454
    Abstract: A surface modified quartz glass crucible and a process for modifying the crucible includes a layer of a metal oxide on the whole or a part of the inside and/or outside of the crucible, and baking it. At least an inside surface of the crucible is coated with a said metal oxide of magnesium, calcium, strontium or barium. The coated layer of the crucible does not abrade easily and provides a high dislocation free ratio of silicon single crystals pulled by using the crucible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Japan Super Quartz Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Tsujimoto, Yoshiyuki Tsuji
  • Patent number: 7993455
    Abstract: A polycrystalline silicon production apparatus is provided whereby when deposited silicon is caused to drip down into an underlying collection part by heating the reaction tube inner surface at a temperature equal to or above the melting point of silicon, the silicon melt can be prevented from solidifying at a lower end portion of the reaction tube due to temperature lowering at the lower end portion. When a reaction tube is heated with a high frequency heating coil, the temperature lowering at a lower end portion of the reaction tube is prevented through temperature lowering prevention means which may be an infrared device capable of heating the outer periphery of the lower end portion by means of infrared rays, or which may be a lower end coil that is constituted by a coil near the lower end of the high frequency heating coil and has an increased heating intensity relative to an upper coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Tokuyama Corporation
    Inventors: Junichirou Nakashima, Hiroyuki Oda
  • Patent number: 7981212
    Abstract: A flash lamp annealing device comprises a heater plate, a loader, a lamp set and a control circuit. The heater plate heats a wafer to a predetermined temperature. The wafer is loaded on the loader disposed on the heater plate. The lamp set has one or a plurality of lamps to provide the wafer with a power. The control circuit is coupled to the lamp set to control the flash time of the lamp set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fu-Kang Tien, Jui-Pin Hung
  • Patent number: 7972439
    Abstract: In a method of growing single crystals from melt, the starting material is fused and a single crystal is pulled by crystallization of the melt on a seed crystal with controlled removal of the crystallization heat. Independent heating sources constituting thermal zones are used and constitute two equal-sized coaxial thermal zones which make up a united thermal area for the melt and the single crystal being grown and are separated by the melt starting material being carried out by heating the upper thermal zone with a heater 30-50% of power required for obtaining the melt, until in the upper thermal zone maximum temperature is reached The remaining power is supplied to the lower thermal zone to a lower heater with maintaining constant temperature of the upper thermal zone till complete melting of the charge. Single crystal enlargement and growing is conducted with controlled lowering of temperature in the upper thermal zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Inventor: Vladimir Iljich Amosov
  • Patent number: 7964158
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for growing a single crystal KPb2Cl5 material using a device including a plug including an axis. The plug includes a first portion defining a cylindrical hole about the axis. The plug includes a second portion defining a first conical hole about the axis. The first conical hole has a first angle. The plug includes a third portion defining a second conical hole about the axis. The second conical hole has a second angle opposite in sign relative to the first angle. The plug includes a fourth portion defining a third conical hole about the axis. The third conical hole has a third angle, the third angle having a same sign as the second angle and being greater than the second angle. The device further includes an ampoule including the plug fused therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Condon, Steven R. Bowman, Shawn P. O'Connor
  • Patent number: 7959732
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for growing a crystal from a melt of a growth material, wherein crystal growth occurs at a solid-liquid interface between the melt and the crystal, and a characteristic of the solid-liquid interface is determined by using a float atop the melt and a detector for detecting displacement of the float. The characteristic of the solid-liquid interface can be at least one of the following: position, velocity or acceleration of the solid-liquid interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Jan Jozef Buzniak, Valery Prunier
  • Publication number: 20110132256
    Abstract: The present invention consists in obtaining, with the capsule described, a vertical gradient favorable for diamond growth that prevails over any radial gradient by means of heating discs placed at the ends of the heating area, which implies a considerable control over the growth conditions. More specifically, in regard to the rate of growth, it allows for a better control of the quality of large crystals. Another important novelty is to use a source of carbon with a special design formed by cylindrical and conical hollows (graphite, amorphous carbon, diamond or other) with a solvent metal with a number of gases that are introduced in the capsule. Also, a nitrogen scavenger is used to avoid the formation of nitrides, carbides and oxides that are harmful for the growth and that as a significant novelty is placed outside the reaction area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2005
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: INSTITUTO DE MONOCRISTALES, S.L.
    Inventors: Ramon Martin Parrondo, Dmitri Bagriantsev
  • Patent number: 7955582
    Abstract: A method for producing crystallized silicon according to the EFG process by using a shaping part, between which part and a silicon melt, crystallized silicon grows in a growth zone. Inert gas and at least water vapor are fed into the silicon melt and/or growth zone, by means of which the oxygen content of the crystallized silicon is increased. From 50 to 250 ppm of vapor water is added to the inert gas, and the inert gas has an oxygen, CO and/or CO2 content of less than 20 ppm total.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Schott Solar GmbH
    Inventors: Albrecht Seidl, Ingo Schwirtlich
  • Patent number: 7942970
    Abstract: A composition including a polycrystalline metal nitride having a number of grains is provided. These grains have a columnar structure with one or more properties such as, an average grain size, a tilt angle, an impurity content, a porosity, a density, and an atomic fraction of the metal in the metal nitride. An apparatus for preparing a metal nitride is provided. The apparatus may include a housing having an interior surface that defines a chamber and an energy source to supply energy to the chamber. A first inlet may be provided to flow a nitrogen-containing gas into the chamber. Raw materials may be introduced into the chamber through a raw material inlet. A second inlet may be provided to flow in a halide-containing gas in the chamber. The apparatus may further include a controller, which communicates with the various components of the apparatus such as, sensors, valves, and energy source, and may optimize and control the reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Momentive Performance Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Dong-Sil Park, Mark Philip D'Evelyn, Myles Standish Peterson, II, John Thomas Leman, Joell Randolph Hibshman, II, Fred Sharifi
  • Patent number: 7927422
    Abstract: The use of microfluidic structures enables high throughput screening of protein crystallization. In one embodiment, an integrated combinatoric mixing chip allows for precise metering of reagents to rapidly create a large number of potential crystallization conditions, with possible crystal formations observed on chip. In an alternative embodiment, the microfluidic structures may be utilized to explore phase space conditions of a particular protein crystallizing agent combination, thereby identifying promising conditions and allowing for subsequent focused attempts to obtain crystal growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignees: National Institutes of Health (NIH), The United States of America as represented by the Dept. of Health and Human Services (DHHS), U.S. Government NIH Division of Extramural Inventions and Technology Resources (DEITR)
    Inventors: Carl L. Hansen, Morten Sommer, Stephen R. Quake
  • Patent number: 7922817
    Abstract: A feed assembly and method of use thereof of the present invention is used for the addition of a high pressure dopant such as arsenic into a silicon melt for CZ growth of semiconductor silicon crystals. The feed assembly includes a vessel-and-valve assembly for holding dopant, and a feed tube assembly, attached to the vessel-and-valve assembly for delivering dopant to a silicon melt. An actuator is connected to the feed tube assembly and a receiving tube for advancing and retracting the feed tube assembly to and from the surface of the silicon melt. A brake assembly is attached to the actuator and the receiving tube for restricting movement of the feed tube assembly and locking the feed tube assembly at a selected position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Massoud Javidi, Steve Garner
  • Patent number: 7922815
    Abstract: A system and method for growing diamond crystals from diamond crystal seeds by epitaxial deposition at low temperatures and atmospheric and comparatively low pressures. A solvent is circulated (by thermal convection and/or pumping), wherein carbon is added in a hot leg, transfers to a cold leg having, in some embodiments, a range of progressively lowered temperatures and concentrations of carbon via the circulating solvent, and deposits layer-by-layer on diamond seeds located at the progressively lower temperatures since as diamond deposits the carbon concentration lowers and the temperature is lowered to keep the solvent supersaturated. The solvent includes metal(s) or compound(s) that have low melting temperatures and transfer carbon at comparatively low temperatures. A controller receives parameter signals from a variety of sensors located in the system, processes these signals, and optimizes diamond deposition by outputting the necessary control signals to a plurality of control devices (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Inventor: Zalman M. Shapiro
  • Patent number: 7918937
    Abstract: A method of producing an epitaxial layer on a substrate of silicon carbide is provided. Utilizing the system, silicon carbide can be grown with a thickness uniformity that is better than 5% at a growth rate which is at least 100 ?m/hour. The method comprises providing a cavity with a source material and a substrate of monolithic silicon carbide, evacuating the cavity and raising the temperature to 1400° C. Then the temperature is increased at a rate of about 20° C./min until a predetermined growth temperature is reached. Thereafter, the temperature is kept such that a predetermined growth rate between 10 ?m/min and 300 ?m/min is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: EL-Seed Corp.
    Inventors: Mikael Syväjärvi, Rositsa Yakimova
  • Publication number: 20110073034
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for vapour phase crystal growth to produce multiple single crystals in one growth cycle comprising one central source chamber, a plurality of growth chambers, a plurality of passage means adapted for transport of vapour from the source chamber to the growth chambers, wherein the source chamber is thermally decoupled from the growth chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: DURHAM SCIENTIFIC CRYSTALS LIMITED
    Inventors: Arnab Basu, Max Robinson, Ben Cantwell, Andy Brinkman
  • Patent number: 7909931
    Abstract: The present invention provides a silica glass crucible for manufacturing a silicon single crystal, in which melt vibration can be controlled more certainly and a high yield of single crystal can be realized. A first substantially bubble-free layer 10a having a thickness of 100 ?m-450 ?m is formed on the inner periphery side of an initial melt line zone 10 which has a height of 10 mm-30 mm, of a transparent layer, a bubble-containing layer 10b having a thickness of 100 ?m or more and bubbles with an average diameter of 20 ?m-60 ?m is formed outside the above-mentioned first substantially bubble-free layer 10a, and a second substantially bubble-free layer 10c having a thickness of 300 ?m or more is formed on the inner periphery side in the whole region lower than the above-mentioned initial melt line zone 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Covalent Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Ryouhei Saito, Toshiyuki Kikuchi, Kiyoaki Misu, Kazuko Fukutani, Kazuyoshi Kato
  • Patent number: 7901508
    Abstract: An approach for the growth of high-quality epitaxial silicon carbide (SiC) films and boules, using the Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) technique is described here. The method comprises modifications in the design of the typical cold-wall CVD reactors, providing a better temperature uniformity in the reactor bulk and a low temperature gradient in the vicinity of the substrate, and an approach to increase the silicon carbide growth rate and to improve the quality of the growing layers, using halogenated carbon-containing precursors (carbon tetrachloride CCl4 or halogenated hydrocarbons, CHCl3, CH2Cl2, CH3Cl, etc.), or introducing other chlorine-containing species in the gas phase in the growth chamber. The etching effect, proper ranges, and high temperature growth are also examined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Widetronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuri Makarov, Michael Spencer
  • Patent number: 7879150
    Abstract: A silicon carbide manufacturing device includes a graphite crucible, in which a seed crystal is disposed, a gas-inducing pipe coupled with the graphite crucible, and an attachment prevention apparatus. The gas-inducing pipe has a column-shaped hollow part, through which a source gas flows into the graphite crucible. The attachment prevention apparatus includes a rod extending to a flow direction of the source gas, and a revolving and rotating element for revolving the rod along an inner wall of the gas-inducing pipe while rotating the rod on an axis of the rod in parallel to the flow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masao Nagakubo, Fusao Hirose, Yasuo Kitoh