Abstract: Semiconductor wafers of silicon are produced by pulling a single crystal from a melt contained in a crucible and slicing semiconductor wafers from the pulled single crystal, heat being delivered to a center of the growing single crystal at the boundary with the melt during the pulling of the single crystal, a CUSP magnetic field applied such that a neutral surface of the CUSP magnetic field intersects a pulling axis of the single crystal at a distance of at least 50 mm from a surface of the melt. An apparatus suitable therefore contains a CUSP field positioned such that a neutral field intersects the axis of the crystal in the crucible 50 mm or more from the melt surface.

Abstract: A fused glass crucible includes a collar of doped aluminum silica that defines uppermost and outermost surfaces of the crucible. The melt line that defines the surface of molten silicon in the crucible may be substantially at the lower end of the collar or slightly above it. Crystallization of the collar makes it hard and therefore supports the remaining uncrystallized portion of the crucible above the melt line. The melt line may also be below the lower end of the collar, especially if the melt is drawn down or poured early in the process. Because there is little or no overlap or because the overlap does not last long, the doped aluminum collar is not damaged by the heat of from the melt.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for growing silicon carbide crystals is provided. The apparatus includes a sublimation chamber with a plurality of spaced apart dividers that can direct the direction of silicon carbide crystal growth into passages between the dividers to form a plurality of silicon carbide crystal plates. The silicon carbide crystal plates can be used as seed crystals in subsequent sublimation steps in a manner that promotes the growth of silicon carbide crystals in different crystallographic directions to thereby terminate defect formation.

Abstract: An improved system based on the Czochralski process for continuous growth of a single crystal ingot comprises a low aspect ratio, large diameter, and substantially flat crucible, including an optional weir surrounding the crystal. The low aspect ratio crucible substantially eliminates convection currents and reduces oxygen content in a finished single crystal silicon ingot. A separate level controlled silicon pre-melting chamber provides a continuous source of molten silicon to the growth crucible advantageously eliminating the need for vertical travel and a crucible raising system during the crystal pulling process. A plurality of heaters beneath the crucible establish corresponding thermal zones across the melt. Thermal output of the heaters is individually controlled for providing an optimal thermal distribution across the melt and at the crystal/melt interface for improved crystal growth. Multiple crystal pulling chambers are provided for continuous processing and high throughput.

Abstract: This apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor single crystal includes: a crucible; a heater; a crucible driving unit; a chamber for housing the crucible and the heater; and a hydrogen mixed gas supplying device for supplying into the chamber a hydrogen mixed gas including an inert gas in admixture with a hydrogen-containing gas that contains hydrogen atoms, wherein the hydrogen mixed gas supplying device includes: a hydrogen-containing gas supply unit; an inert gas supply unit; a hydrogen-containing gas flow rate controller; an inert gas flow rate controller; and a gas mixing unit for uniformly mixing together the hydrogen-containing gas and the inert gas so as to form a hydrogen mixed gas.

Abstract: A graphite member utilized in a pulling device for pulling a silicon single crystal is provided. An edge part of the graphite member is rounded off which is exposed to a reactive gas. The graphite member may comprise: a plate part having a thickness of ‘t’ wherein a curvature radius of ‘r’ satisfies the formula: t/8?r?t/4.

Abstract: Means for supplying raw material in additional charging or recharging of solid granular raw material into molten material in the crucible, comprises a raw material supply tube to be filled with said material, a metallic support member which runs through the inside of the tube, connects with the bottom lid, and serves for descending the lid and for ascending the tube and the lid, and a configuration avoiding metallic contamination, whereby the lower-end aperture of the tube is opened for charging said material therein into the crucible in uniform circumferential distribution and in large quantity, thus achieving efficient supply operation to be widely applied for growing silicon single crystals.

Abstract: This apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor single crystal includes: a crucible; a heater; a crucible driving unit; a chamber for housing the crucible and the heater; and a hydrogen mixed gas supplying device for supplying into the chamber a hydrogen mixed gas including an inert gas in admixture with a hydrogen-containing gas that contains hydrogen atoms, wherein the hydrogen mixed gas supplying device includes: a hydrogen-containing gas supply unit; an inert gas supply unit; a hydrogen-containing gas flow rate controller; an inert gas flow rate controller; and a buffer tank for mixing together the hydrogen-containing gas and the inert gas so as to form a hydrogen mixed gas and for holding the hydrogen mixed gas.

Abstract: In a Czochralski (CZ) single crystal puller equipped with a cooler and a thermal insulation member, which are to be disposed in a CZ furnace, smooth recharge and additional charge of material are made possible. Further, elimination of dislocations from a silicon seed crystal by use of the Dash's neck method can be performed smoothly. To these ends, there is provided a CZ single crystal puller, wherein a cooler and a thermal insulation member are immediately moved upward away from a melt surface during recharge or additional charge of material or during elimination of dislocations from a silicon seed crystal by use of the Dash's neck method.

Abstract: An apparatus for holding a crucible or other item is provided. The apparatus includes a first support member having a straight portion with two ends. A second support member having a shaped portion is connected to one of the ends of the first support member, wherein the shape of the shaped portion accommodates the crucible or other item. A support material covers the second support member, wherein the support material increases the coefficient of friction between the crucible or other item and the second support member. A spring is coupled to the other end of the first support member, and a third support member is coupled to the spring and configured so as to apply a force to the crucible or other item when the crucible or other item is placed in the shaped portion of the second support member.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of manufacturing a silicon single crystal by Czochralski method without performing Dash Necking method, wherein a temperature variation at a surface of a silicon melt is kept at ±5° C. or less at least for a period from a point of bringing the tip end of a seed crystal into contact with the silicon melt to a point of shifting to pull the single crystal. Thereby, in a method of growing a silicon single crystal by Czochralski method without using Dash Necking method, a success ratio of growing a single crystal free from dislocation can be increased, at the same time a heavy silicon single crystal having a large diameter in which a diameter of a constant diameter portion is over 200 mm can be grown even in the case of growing a silicon single crystal having a crystal orientation of <110>.

Abstract: This invention provides a high purity silica crucible having low impurity concentration in its inner portion, and its production method. The crucible, in which at least each content of Na and Li being contained in the depth of 1 mm from the inside surface is less than 0.05 ppm, is given by a production method of a high purity silica glass crucible, wherein a purity of the melted silica powder layer is increased by applying a voltage between a mold and an arc electrode to move impurity metals being contained in the melted silica glass layer to the outside, when the silica crucible is produced by arc plasma heating a raw material powder of silica in an inside surface of a hollow rotary mold. The method comprises, keeping an arc electrode potential of within ±500 V during an arc melting, applying a voltage of from ?1000 V to ?20000 V to a mold being insulated to the ground, and applying a high voltage to the un-melted silica powder layer of the outside.

Abstract: A single crystal semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in which the concentration of oxygen in a single crystal semiconductor is controlled while pulling up a single crystal semiconductor such as single crystal silicon by the CZ method, a single crystal semiconductor manufacturing method, and a single crystal ingot manufactured by the method are disclosed. The natural convection (20) in the melt (5) in a quartz crucible (3) is controlled by regulating the temperatures at a plurality of parts of the melt (5). A single crystal semiconductor (6) can have a desired diameter by regulating the amount of heat produced by heating means (9a) on the upper side. Further the ratio between the amount of heat produced by the upper-side heating means (9a) and that by the lower-side heating means (9b) is adjusted to vary the process condition. In the adjustment, the amount of heat produced by the lower-side heating means (9b) is controlled to a relatively large proportion.

Abstract: A silica glass crucible is manufactured by introducing into a rotating crucible mold bulk silica grain to form a bulky wall including a bottom wall and a side wall. After heating the interior of the mold to begin to fuse the bulk silica grains, an inner silica grain, doped with aluminum, is introduced. The heat at least partially melts the inner silica grain, allowing it to fuse to the wall to form an inner layer. The crucible is cooled, the fused silica grains forming nuclei of crystalline silica within the inner layer.

Abstract: The process for growing single crystals, wherein crystal material is melted in a crucible and a crystal nucleus is immersed in the molten crystal material and slowly pulled out, wherein the crystal formed during the pulling is kept at a temperature close to melting temperature of the output material. The invention also includes a device for practicing the above process.

Abstract: In supplying crystalline materials in the Czochralski method, it is made use of an apparatus equipped with an inner vessel having an opening portion at the lower part or bottom thereof, which is to be charged with a granular solid material, an outer vessel containing the inner vessel therein with the function of sliding movement and thus closing the opening portion, and pull-up means for suspending the inner vessel and outer vessel in a manner causing them to ascend or descend, wherein the opening portion is opened through a sliding motion of the inner vessel or outer vessel for additional charging or recharging of the solid material into the molten material in the crucible, with the result that the molten material in the crucible can be prevented from splashing, the additional charging can be carried out in a static manner, the material cost becomes low and there is no risk of cracking due to rapid heating.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the quenching rate of a monocrystalline ingot pulled from a melt by adjusting one or more post growth processing parameter. A temperature model generates a temperature profile that represents the surface temperature along the length of the ingot at the instant it is pulled from the melt. A first temperature at a particular location along the length of the crystal is determined from the temperature profile. A temperature sensor senses a second temperature at the same particular location. A PLC calculates a quenching rate of the crystal as a function of the first temperature and the second temperature. The PLC generates an error between a target quenching rate and a calculated quenching rate, and one or more post growth process parameters are adjusted as function of the error signal to optimize the quenching rate.

Abstract: A fluid sealing system is provided for use in a crystal puller for growing a monocrystalline ingot. The crystal puller has a housing, a fluid flow path contained in the housing, and a fluid passage through a wall of the housing for passage of fluid. The fluid sealing system includes a fluid connector head adapted for connection to the fluid passage and to the fluid flow path to establish fluid communication between the fluid flow path and the outside of the housing. The head has a port adapted for fluid communication with the fluid passage through the wall of the housing. First and second seals around the port are adapted for sealing engagement with the head. A space is defined generally between the first and second seals, and a leak detector is arranged to monitor the space for detecting fluid leakage past at least one of the seals.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a quartz glass crucible for pulling up silicon single crystal and a method for producing the same, suitable for improving the productivity of the crucible and the quality of the silicon single crystal, which, by forming a crystalline layer on the inner surface of the quartz glass crucible during pulling up silicon single crystal, prevents degradation from occurring on the inner surface of the crucible and increases the ratio of single crystal while preventing the dislocation from forming on the single crystals.

Abstract: A process for producing silicon which is substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects in an ingot having a vacancy dominated region. An ingot is grown generally in accordance with the Czochralski method. While intrinsic point defects diffuse from or are annihilated within the ingot, at least a portion of the ingot is maintained above a temperature TA at which intrinsic point defects agglomerate. The achievement of defect free silicon is thus substantially decoupled from process parameters, such as pull rate, and system parameters, such as axial temperature gradient in the ingot.

Abstract: A evaluation process of a vibration level at the surface of silicon melt held in a silica glass crucible is provided by setting in the vacuum furnace, the test piece of the silica glass cut out from a silica glass crucible, melting a little amount of silicon put on said piece of the glass, and measuring a vibration cycle of the silicon melt. Moreover, a silica glass crucible not causing the vibration at the surface of the silicon melt held in the silica glass crucible is also provided, wherein the vibration cycle of a silica glass of a side wall of the crucible is controlled at more than ? seconds.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for growing a single crystal by the Czochralski method, wherein a single crystal is grown with forced cooling of neighborhood of a crystal growth interface by disposing a cooling cylinder formed of copper or a metal having a heat conductivity larger than that of copper at least in the vicinity of the crystal growth interface so as to surround the single crystal under pulling and circulating a cooling medium in the cooling cylinder. Thus, there are provided a method and apparatus for growing a single crystal, which can exert cooling effect on a growing single crystal to the maximum extent so as to realize higher crystal growth rate, even when a silicon single crystal having a diameter of 300 mm or more is grown.

Abstract: A raw material feeder apparatus for industrial crystal growth systems includes a hopper disposed within a vacuum chamber and adapted to hold a quantity of raw material therein. A slide is disposed adjacent to an opening of the hopper and configured to receive the raw material from the hopper thereon. The slide is selectively moved between an open feeding position and a closed non-feeding position. The slide and a door cooperatively close the opening of the hopper, or in their open state, control the flow of raw material from the hopper. A vibrator associated with the slide feeds the raw material from the slide into an outlet tube for conveyance of the raw material to the crystal growth system.

Abstract: There are provided a system for manufacturing a single-crystal ingot which is equipped with a cooler for cooling the single-crystal ingot being pulled and is capable of forming a tail without involvement of excessive heating of a crucible, as well as to a method for controlling the system. In a system for manufacturing a single-crystal ingot having a cooler for cooling a single-crystal ingot which is being pulled from molten raw material (called a single-crystal pulled ingot), when a tail of the single-crystal pulled ingot is formed, the cooler is moved away from the solid/melt interface between the single-crystal ingot and the molten raw material, to thereby reduce the power dissipated by the system. In the system, the cooler is moved upward after the end of a product area of the single-crystal ingot has been cooled until it passes through a grown-in defect temperature range.

Abstract: In a method for growing a single crystal by bringing a seed crystal (4) into contact with a melt (2) of raw materials melted under heating in a crucible (1) a blade member (5) or a baffle member in disposed in the raw material melt (2) in the crucible (1) and a single crystal is grown by pulling up it with rotating the crucible (1) to thereby grow various single crystals including CLBO from the highly viscous raw material melt (2) as high quality and high performance crystals.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for efficient utilization of charge replenishment rods in Czochralski silicon crystal growing processes.

Abstract: A fluid sealing system is provided for use in a crystal puller for growing a monocrystalline ingot. The crystal puller has a housing, a fluid flow path contained in the housing, and a fluid passage through a wall of the housing for passage of fluid. The fluid sealing system includes a fluid connector head adapted for connection to the fluid passage and to the fluid flow path to establish fluid communication between the fluid flow path and the outside of the housing. The head has a port adapted for fluid communication with the fluid passage through the wall of the housing. First and second seals around the port are adapted for sealing engagement with the head. A space is defined generally between the first and second seals, and a leak detector is arranged to monitor the space for detecting fluid leakage past at least one of the seals.

Abstract: In supplying crystalline materials in the Czochralski method, it is made use of an apparatus equipped with an inner vessel having an opening portion at the lower part or bottom thereof, which is to be charged with a granular solid material, an outer vessel containg the inner vessel therein with the function of sliding movement and thus closing the opening portion, and pull-up means for suspending the inner vessel and outer vessel in a manner causing them to ascend or descend, wherein the opening portion is opened through a sliding motion of the inner vessel or outer vessel for additional charging or recharging of the solid material into the molten material in the crucible, with the result that the molten material in the crucible can be prevented from splashing, the additional charging can be carried out in a static manner, the material cost becomes low and there is no risk of cracking due to rapid heating.

Abstract: A single crystal semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in which the concentration of oxygen in a single crystal semiconductor is controlled while pulling up a single crystal semiconductor such as single crystal silicon by the CZ method, a single crystal semiconductor manufacturing method, and a single crystal ingot manufactured by the method are disclosed. The natural convection (20) in the melt (5) in a quartz crucible (3) is controlled by regulating the temperatures at a plurality of parts of the melt (5). A single crystal semiconductor (6) can have a desired diameter by regulating the amount of heat produced by heating means (9a) on the upper side. Further the ratio between the amount of heat produced by the upper-side heating means (9a) and that by the lower-side heating means (9b) is adjusted to vary the process condition. In the adjustment, the amount of heat produced by the lower-side heating means (9b) is controlled to a relatively large proportion.

Abstract: The present invention teaches an apparatus for pulling a single crystal, whereby the radial temperature gradient of a seed crystal and/or a neck is reduced to a minimum so as to inhibit the occurrence of thermal stress and prevent induction of dislocations, resulting in an improvement in dislocation-free rate of single crystals to be pulled in cases where a single crystal is pulled with the seed crystal and/or the neck being heated using an auxiliary heating device, comprising a crucible charged with a melt, a heater located around the crucible and an auxiliary heating device including a heating section which can be located so as to surround a seed crystal in a position near above the melt and a transfer mechanism for withdrawing the heating section from a passing area of a single crystal, wherein a covering section to cover a clearance between the heating section and the seed crystal is extended from the heating section.

Abstract: In a single crystal pulling apparatus for providing a Czochralski crystal growth process, the improvement of a shallow melt crucible (20) to eliminate the necessity supplying a large quantity of feed stock materials that had to be preloaded in a deep crucible to grow a large ingot, comprising a gas tight container a crucible with a deepened periphery (25) to prevent snapping of a shallow melt and reduce turbulent melt convection; source supply means for adding source material to the semiconductor melt; a double barrier (23) to minimize heat transfer between the deepened periphery (25) and the shallow melt in the growth compartment; offset holes (24) in the double barrier (23) to increase melt travel length between the deepened periphery (25) and the shallow growth compartment; and the interface heater/heat sink (22) to control the interface shape and crystal growth rate.

Abstract: Provided are a quartz glass crucible for pulling up a silicon single crystal, with which not only a defectless silicon single crystal can be pulled but a single crystallization ratio can greatly be improved and a production method therefor. The quartz glass crucible comprises a crucible body constituted of a semi-transparent quartz glass layer and a transparent quartz glass layer formed on the inner wall surface of the crucible bass body and no expanded bubbles equal to ro more than 0.5 mm in diameter are present in a layer 1 mm in depth from an inner surface of the quartz glass crucible after the silicon single crystal is pulled up using the quartz glass crucible.

Abstract: An apparatus for growing a crystal, using the cooler 10 surrounding the single crystal 8 for high speed pulling. The cooler 10 is prepared using a copper-based metal and is water cooled. The supporting arm 12 that supports the cooler 10 is prepared using stainless steel or the like, which is higher in mechanical strength than copper-based metals and is inferior in thermal conductivity, and is detachably connected to the cooler 10. Excessive cooling of the supporting arm 12 and disposition due to precipitation of silicon oxide are prevented, leading to improvement in disposition free pulling rate without the prevention of speed-up. The cost of manufacture of the cooler 10 is saved. The support strength of the cooler is improved.

Abstract: A furnace for growing a high volume of crystals includes a plurality of individual growth stations and first and second heater matrixes. Each individual growth station has a crucible and an insulating container generally surrounding the crucible and thermally isolating the crucible from the other individual growth stations. The first and second heater matrices each include at least two legs electrically connected in parallel and each of the legs have at least two resistance heaters electrically connected in series. Each of the individual growth stations have at least one of the resistance heaters within the first heater matrix and at least one of the resistance heaters within the second heater matrix associated therewith. The resistance heaters of the first heater matrix are located above the crucibles and are preferably adapted to provide a homogeneous temperature across tops of the crucibles.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for supporting a crystal ingot while pulling a single crystal, in particular such a crystal composed of silicon, according to the Czochralski method. To this end, a crystal support is provided which engages with a specialized bead, which is formed on the neck of the single crystal ingot and which has the shape of a bicone, by means of bearings in a housing. A support of the crystal ingot is thus achieved which may be disengaged at any time, and which has no disruptive effects on crystal growth and which acts independently of the length of the grown crystal. The bearings are moved into the support position on the bicone by a central pulling element which can be independently displaced relative to a second pulling element.

Abstract: A method capable of securely pulling up a heavy single crystal is described.

Abstract: A single crystal pulling apparatus for a metal fluoride comprising a crucible provided in a chamber and filling a molten solution of a single crystal manufacturing material, a melting heater provided to surround the crucible, a vertically movable single crystal pulling bar including a seed crystal on a tip and coming in contact with the molten solution of the single crystal manufacturing material filled in the crucible, a heat insulating wall provided in the chamber to surround at least a peripheral side portion of a single crystal pulling region in an upper part of the crucible, a ceiling board for closing an opening portion of an upper end in an upper part of the heat insulating wall, and a single crystal pulling chamber surrounded by the heat insulating wall and the ceiling board, wherein the ceiling board is provided with at least an inserting hole for inserting the single crystal pulling bar, and a coefficient of thermal conductivity in a direction of a thickness of the ceiling board is 1000 to 50000 W/m

Abstract: In a high rate pulling with a cooler 10 surrounding a single crystal 8, steam explosion by leakage from the cooler 10 is prevented. Flow rates La, Lb of cooling water are measured by flowmeters 14a, 14b on a cooling water inflow side and cooling water outflow side of the cooler 10. When flow rate difference &Dgr;L (La−Lb) determined from the flow rates La, Lb exceeds 20 cc/minute, open/close valves 15a, 15b, 15c are operated to stop water supply to the cooler 10 and drain outward the cooing water in the cooler 10.

Abstract: In a Czochralski (CZ) single crystal puller equipped with a cooler and a thermal insulation member, which are to be disposed in a CZ furnace, smooth recharge and additional charge of material are made possible. Further, elimination of dislocations from a silicon seed crystal by use of the Dash's neck method can be performed smoothly. To these ends, there is provided a CZ single crystal puller, wherein a cooler and a thermal insulation member are immediately moved upward away from a melt surface during recharge or additional charge of material or during elimination of dislocations from a silicon seed crystal by use of the Dash's neck method.

Abstract: A method for doping a melt with a dopant has the melt being provided in a crucible. The dopant is introduced into a vessel and the vessel is immersed in the melt, the dopant being transferred into the melt through an opening which forms in the vessel. There is also an apparatus which comprises a vessel containing the dopant and a device which is connected to the vessel, for lowering the vessel into a melt and for lifting the vessel out of the melt, the vessel being provided with an opening which is blocked by a closure piece which is of the same type of material as the melt and melts when it is brought into contact with the melt.

Abstract: A crystal-pulling apparatus for pulling and growing a monocrystalline silicon ingot comprises a quartz crucible placed in a chamber and containing a silicon melt from which a monocrystalline silicon ingot will be pulled, a graphite crucible container to support the quartz crucible by surrounding the outer circumferential surface and external base surface of crucible, and a heater provided around the outer circumferential surface of the crucible container to heat the silicon melt. This apparatus further comprises a spacer having a top surface whose area is smaller than the base area of the quartz crucible and having a melting point higher than that of silicon, is inserted between the base of the quartz crucible and the base of the crucible container while the monocrystalline silicon ingot is pulled.

Abstract: To miniaturize a crystal holding apparatus which mechanically holds and pulls up a single crystal at a top thereof. To avoid harmful influence on crystal growing resulting from crystal holding. A plurality of pivot clamps 40, 40 are circumferentially mounted at regular intervals on a cylindrical frame 30 which lifts and lowers and rotates for pulling up the single crystal. A clamp operation mechanism 50 is incorporated in the frame 30, which is pushed by a seed chuck 2 lifting in the frame 30 to shift the pivot clamps 40, 40 from an open condition to a close condition. The clamp operation mechanism 50 shifts the pivot clamps 40, 40 from the open condition to close condition when a neck passes inside the pivot clamps 40, 40, and release the pivot clamps 40, 40 after the shift.

Abstract: An apparatus for growing a single crystal (20) comprising at least a main chamber (1) enclosing a crucible (5, 6) for accommodating a raw material melt (4) and a heater (7) for heating the raw material melt and a pulling chamber (2) continuously provided above the main chamber, into which a grown single crystal is pulled and stored, wherein the apparatus further comprises a cooling cylinder (11) that extends at least from a ceiling of the main chamber toward a raw material melt surface so as to surround a single crystal under pulling (3) and is forcibly cooled with a cooling medium, and an auxiliary cooling member (13) extending below the cooling cylinder and having a cylindrical shape or a shape tapered toward the downward direction. There is provided an apparatus for growing a single crystal that can exert cooling effect on a grown single crystal to the maximum extent so as to accelerate the crystal growth rate and safely produce a single crystal without leakage of cooling medium due to breakage etc.

Abstract: A polycrystalline silicon rod according to present invention has a structure for hanging of polycrystalline silicon rods to each other end-to-end, so that the efficiency of melting polycrystalline silicon can be increased considerably. A polycrystalline silicon rod obtained by entirely or partially removing a peripheral portion from the rod to leave a central portion, and processing the central portion, preferably, the peripheral portion is removed by grinding in an amount corresponding to 10 to 60% of the diameter of the rod, and then subjected to groove-forming processing. This makes annealing unnecessary.

Abstract: The present invention provides a catch pan for melt leakage provided under a crucible at a bottom portion of a chamber in a single crystal pulling apparatus based on the CZ method, wherein the catch pan for melt leakage comprises at least a bottom portion and a barrel portion, and the bottom portion and the barrel portion are connected by screw-fitting or by using a tap bolt. There is provided a catch pan for melt leakage provided in a single crystal pulling apparatus, which can, even if a melt flows out of the crucible by a certain possible cause in a CZ method single crystal pulling apparatus, prevent the melt flowed out from reaching lower mechanisms including metal parts, piping and so forth, and thereby prevent bad influences on operators and peripheral equipments.

Abstract: A heat shield assembly for use in a crystal puller has an outer reflector interposed between the ingot and the crucible as the ingot is pulled from the molten source material. A cooling shield is interposed between the ingot and the outer reflector whereby the cooling shield is exposed to heat radiated from the ingot for increasing the rate at which the ingot is cooled, thereby increasing the axial temperature gradient of the ingot. In a further embodiment, an inner shield panel is disposed generally intermediate the cooling shield and the ingot in radially spaced relationship with the cooling shield and is constructed of a material substantially transparent to radiant heat from the ingot.

Abstract: A melt level detector is provided for detecting the melt level of a CZ furnace by triangulation. The laser beam (2) from a laser source (1) is moved in radial directions of a crucible (14) in the CZ furnace to find a location where a photodetector system (5, 7) can receive the reflection (4) from the melt level (3), and the laser beam (2) is fixed at the location. Since the measurements thus take place within an extremely small angular range of the laser beam, the melt level (3) can be detected with little effect of noise on the melt level (3) while eliminating complexity of the device.

Abstract: A device for producing single-crystal ingot, provided with coolers (19) using a piping system through which cooling water failure caused by water leakage and at the same time to find out conditions for maximizing a production efficiency, the coolers (19) are disposed at portions of the inner sides of thermal shielding elements (18) and the lower ends (19a) of cooling pipes are so set as to be positioned up to 150 mm high from the surface (12a) of molten silicon liquid.

Abstract: A crystal puller for growing monocrystalline silicon ingots includes first and second electrical resistance heaters in the crystal puller in longitudinal, closely spaced relationship with each other to radiate heat toward the ingot as the ingot is pulled upward within the housing. An adapter mounting the heaters may also be provided for adapting existing crystal pullers to incorporate the heaters.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and a method for growing single crystals of materials such as silicon carbide through axial gradient transport. A source of the material (10) is placed at one end of a reaction chamber (2) opposite a seed crystal (13). Separate heating elements (16 and 60; 20 and 62) are positioned at opposite ends of the reaction chamber. The reaction chamber (2) is placed in a pressurized growth chamber (26). By appropriately controlling the pressure in the growth chamber (26) and the temperature of the heating elements (16, 20), including the temperature differential therebetween, a uniaxial temperature gradient is generated in the reaction chamber (2). In this manner, substantially planar isotherms are generated and a high quality crystal can be grown through a physical vapor transport process.