Including A Sectioned Crucible (e.g., Double Crucible, Baffle) Patents (Class 117/31)
  • Patent number: 10767255
    Abstract: A device for evaporating a metal melt, the device comprising a first crucible or crucible portion operative to receive the metal melt comprising at least one aperture, from which the evaporated metal may pass off, a second crucible or crucible portion operative to receive a susceptor material, comprising an electromagnetic radiation source, which is arranged such that it can heat susceptor material comprised in the second crucible or crucible portion through incident electromagnetic induction, wherein it does not or only negligibly heats the metal melt in the first crucible or crucible portion, wherein the first crucible or crucible portion and the second crucible or crucible portion are thermally coupled, such that the metal melt can attain a desired temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Freiberger Compound Materials GmbH
    Inventors: Gleb Lukin, Olf Pätzold, Michael Stelter
  • Patent number: 9863062
    Abstract: A system for growing an ingot from a melt includes a first crucible, a second crucible, and a weir. The first crucible has a first base and a first sidewall that form an outer cavity for containing the melt. The weir is located on top of the first base at a location inward from the first sidewall to inhibit movement of the melt from a location outward of the weir to a location inward of the weir. The second crucible is sized for placement within the outer cavity and has a second base and a second sidewall that form an inner cavity. Related methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Corner Star Limited
    Inventors: Tirumani N. Swaminathan, Salvador Zepeda, John David Hilker
  • Patent number: 9435053
    Abstract: Disclosed is an ingot manufacturing apparatus that includes: a chamber; a crucible which is disposed within the chamber and has a melting zone where silicon particles are melted; an inner wall which is disposed within the crucible and has a growth zone where an ingot grows from molten silicon introduced from the melting zone; a feeding part which supplies the silicon particles and sweeping gas to the inside of the chamber; and a suction part which surrounds the feeding part and discharges the sweeping gas supplied through the feeding part to the outside of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: TECHNOVALUE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun Goo Kwon, Yeo Kyun Yoon, Min Soo Son
  • Patent number: 8992682
    Abstract: A graphite crucible for silicon single crystal manufacturing by the Czochralski method, having a long life cycle, contains at least one gas venting hole provided in a corner portion of the crucible. Gas generated by reaction between the graphite crucible and a quartz crucible is released to the outside through the gas venting hole, and formation of SiC on the surface of the graphite crucible and deformation of the quartz crucible caused by the pressure of the generated gas are prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Hideo Kato, Hideaki Murakami, Mikio Suehiro
  • Patent number: 8961686
    Abstract: For manufacturing a monocrystal, a monocrystal pulling-up device controls pressure within a flow straightening cylinder to be from 33331 Pa to 79993 Pa and a flow velocity of inert gas in the cylinder to be from 0.06 m/sec to 0.31 m/sec (0.005 to 0.056 SL/min·cm2) during a post-addition-pre-growth period. By controlling the flow velocity of the inert gas to be in the above-described range during the post-addition-pre-growth period, the inert gas flows smoothly even when the pressure within the cylinder is relatively high. Evaporation of a volatile dopant because of a reverse flow of the inert gas can be restrained. The volatile dopant can be prevented from adhering to the flow straightening cylinder in an amorphous state, and the volatile dopant can be prevented from dropping into a melt or sticking on the melt while growing a crystal. Foulings can be easily removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Sumco Techxiv Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Kawazoe, Fukuo Ogawa, Yasuhito Narushima, Toshimichi Kubota
  • Publication number: 20140261154
    Abstract: A system for growing an ingot from a melt includes a first crucible, a second crucible, and a weir. The first crucible has a first base and a first sidewall that form an outer cavity for containing the melt. The weir is located on top of the first base at a location inward from the first sidewall to inhibit movement of the melt from a location outward of the weir to a location inward of the weir. The second crucible is sized for placement within the outer cavity and has a second base and a second sidewall that form an inner cavity. Related methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Tirumani N. Swaminathan, Salvador Zepeda, John David Hilker
  • Publication number: 20140261155
    Abstract: A system for growing a crystal ingot from a melt includes a first crucible, a second crucible, and a weir. The first crucible has a first base with a top surface and a first sidewall that form a first cavity. The second crucible is located within the first cavity of the first crucible, and has a second base and a second sidewall that form a second cavity. The second base has a bottom surface that is shaped to allow the second base to rest against the top surface of the first base. The second crucible includes a crucible passageway to allow movement of the melt therethrough. The weir is located inward from the second sidewall to inhibit movement of the melt from a location outward of the weir to a location inward of the weir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Steve L. Kimbel, Steve John Ferguson
  • Patent number: 8821636
    Abstract: The present invention is a single-crystal manufacturing apparatus based on the Czochralski method having a main chamber configured to accommodate hot zone components including a crucible, and a pull chamber configured to accommodate and take out a single crystal pulled from a raw material melt, the apparatus further comprising a multipurpose chamber interchangeable with the pull chamber, wherein a heating means for heating a raw material charged into the crucible and a cooling means for cooling the hot zone components after pulling the single crystal are placeable in the multipurpose chamber respectively. As a result, there is provided a single-crystal manufacturing apparatus that enables, in manufacture of a single crystal of a large diameter, e.g., approximately 200 mm or more, an operating rate of the single-crystal manufacturing apparatus and productivity of the single crystal to be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Abe, Kouzou Yokota, Kouji Mizuishi
  • Publication number: 20140174338
    Abstract: A method of bonding a first silica part to a second silica part includes coating contacting surfaces of the first and second silica parts with a solution having one of silica and silica precursors. The coated surfaces of the first silica part are placed adjacent to the coated surfaces of the second silica part to form an assembly, and the assembly is heated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Inventors: Richard J. Phillips, Shailendra B. Rathod
  • Publication number: 20140174337
    Abstract: A system for growing a crystal ingot includes a crucible and a weir. The crucible has a base and a sidewall for the containment of a silicon melt therein. The weir is located along the base of the crucible inward from the sidewall of the crucible. The weir has a body connected with at least a pair of legs disposed to inhibit movement of the silicon melt therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Inventor: Tirumani N. Swaminathan
  • Patent number: 8652257
    Abstract: A melting furnace, mounted adjacent a growth furnace, comprises a receiving container for melting therein raw material in a particle or powder form falling in it from a feeder. The receiving container accommodates a set of slope-wise plates providing a distributed sliding of partially melted raw material particles over the surface of these plates and their complete melting while moving downward; eventually the melted raw material flows into the crucible of the growth furnace through a conveying tube extending slantingly from the bottom of the receiving container to the crucible through coaxial openings in housings of both furnaces. The rate of feeding is given solely by the feeder, and at continuous feeding the raw material flows continuously by gravity from the feeder to the crucible of the growth furnace, first in a solid state (powder, granules, pellets, etc.) and then in a liquid state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Inventors: Lev George Eidelman, Vladimir Ilya Zheleznyak
  • Patent number: 8637761
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for fabricating a solar cell. The method includes: melting a metallurgical-grade (MG) Si feedstock, lowering a single-crystalline Si seed to touch the surface of the molten MG-Si, slowly pulling out a single-crystal Si ingot of the molten MG-Si, processing the Si ingot into single crystal Si wafers to form MG-Si substrates for subsequent epitaxial growth, leaching out residual metal impurities in the MG-Si substrate, epitaxially growing a layer of single-crystal Si thin film doped with boron on the MG-Si substrate, doping phosphor to the single-crystal Si thin film to form an emitter layer, depositing an anti-reflection layer on top of the single-crystal Si thin film, and forming the front and the back electrical contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Silevo, Inc.
    Inventors: Jianming Fu, Zheng Xu, Peijun Ding, Chentao Yu, Guanghua Song, Jianjun Liang
  • Patent number: 8628613
    Abstract: Silicon semiconductor wafers are produced by pulling a single crystal at a seed crystal from a melt heated in a crucible; supplying heat to the center of the crucible bottom with a heating power which, in the course of the growth of a cylindrical section of the single crystal, is increased at least once to not less than 2 kW and is then decreased again; and slicing semiconductor wafers from the pulled single crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Martin Weber, Werner Schachinger, Piotr Filar
  • Publication number: 20130233237
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for continuous CZ crystal growing wherein one or more crystal ingots are pulled into a growth chamber from a crystal/melt interface defined in a crucible containing molten crystalline material that is continuously replenished by crystalline feedstock. The method includes separating the molten crystalline material, controlling the flow of the molten crystalline material and defining an annular space with respect to sidewalls of a heat shield in the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: SOLAICX, INC.
    Inventors: David L. Bender, David E. A. Smith
  • Patent number: 8298333
    Abstract: A protective coating is prepared for, and applied to, crucibles used in the handling of molten materials that are solidified in the crucible and then removed as ingots. Crucibles containing this protective coating may be used for the solidification of silicon. The coating has a specified oxygen content and contains a mineral binder and silicon nitride or silicon oxynitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Vesuvius Crucible Company
    Inventor: Gilbert Rancoule
  • Patent number: 8268077
    Abstract: An upper heater for use in the production of a single crystal, the upper heater having electrodes to which a current is supplied and a heat generating section which generates heat by resistance heating are provided, the upper heater being used when a single crystal is produced by a Czochralski method, the upper heater being placed above a graphite heater which is placed so as to surround a crucible containing silicon melt, wherein the heat generating section is ring-shaped and is placed so as to surround the crucible, and has slits formed from the inside and the outside of the heat generating section in a horizontal direction. As a result, the upper heater controls a crystal defect of the single crystal efficiently and improves the oxygen concentration controllability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyotaka Takano
  • Patent number: 8262795
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing a crystalline ribbon continuously from a melt pool of liquid feed material, e.g. silicon. The silicon is melted and flowed into a growth tray to provide a melt pool of liquid silicon. Heat is passively extracted by allowing heat to flow from the melt pool up through a chimney. Heat is simultaneously applied to the growth tray to keep the silicon in its liquid phase while heat loss is occurring through the chimney. A template is placed in contact with the melt pool as heat is lost through the chimney so that the silicon starts to “freeze” (i.e. solidify) and adheres to the template. The template is then pulled from the melt pool thereby producing a continuous ribbon of crystalline silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: AMG Idealcast Solar Corporation
    Inventor: Roger F. Clark
  • Patent number: 8236104
    Abstract: A single-crystal manufacturing apparatus comprising at least: a main chamber configured to accommodate a crucible; a pulling chamber continuously provided above the main chamber, the pulling chamber into which a grown single crystal is pulled and accommodated; a gas inlet provided in the pulling chamber; a gas flow-guide cylinder downwardly extending from a ceiling of the main chamber; and a heat-insulating ring upwardly extending from a lower end portion of the gas flow-guide cylinder with a diameter of the heat-insulating ring increased so as to surround an outside of the gas flow-guide cylinder, wherein at least one window is provided in a region between 50 and 200 mm from a lower end of the gas flow-guide cylinder, and an opening area of the window accounts for 50% or more of a surface area of the region between 50 and 200 mm from the lower end of the gas flow-guide cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Soeta, Toshifumi Fujii
  • Patent number: 8124041
    Abstract: A process for producing silicon comprises the steps of a reduction step [1] of depositing silicon by reacting chlorosilanes and hydrogen in a reactor under heat and discharging an exhaust gas that contains hydrogen, oligomers of silanes, and a silicon powder; a carring step [2] of carrying the exhaust gas that has been exhausted in the step [1] while keeping a temperature of the exhaust gas at not less than 105° C.; a removal step [3] of supplying the exhaust gas that has been carried in the step [2] to a filter at a temperature of not less than 105° C. and discharging the exhaust gas from the filter at a temperature of not less than 105° C. to remove the silicon powder from the exhaust gas and give a mixed gas that contains the hydrogen and the oligomers of silanes; and a separation step [4] of cooling the mixed gas that has been obtained in the step [3] to separate the hydrogen as a gas phase from the mixed gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Tokuyama Corporation
    Inventors: Manabu Sakida, Satoru Wakamatsu
  • 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: 8016942
    Abstract: A metal fluoride single crystal pulling apparatus that upward pulling initiation through termination, in the state of shallow melt capable of highly effective inhibition of scatterer formation, can perform stable growth of single crystal and can suppress any mixing of air bubbles and occurrence of crystal break during crystal growth, etc; and a process for producing a metal fluoride single crystal therewith. As a crucible for accommodating a melt of raw metal fluoride, use is made of a double structured crucible composed of an outer crucible and an inner crucible. In the upward pulling of single crystal, the accommodation depth of inner crucible relative to the outer crucible is increased in accordance with any decrease of melt accommodated in the inner crucible according to the growth of single crystal, so that the melt accommodated in the outer crucible is fed into the inner crucible to thereby maintain the amount of melt accommodated in the inner crucible within a given range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Tokuyama Corporation
    Inventors: Teruhiko Nawata, Ken Yasumura, Hiroyuki Yanagi, Eiichi Nishijima
  • Patent number: 7862656
    Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for pulling a crystal seed from melt for growing a single crystal. The method includes the steps of providing a crucible and providing within the crucible an outer container, and providing coaxially within the outer container an inner container. A protruding portion of the inner container protrudes downward relative to the outer container for containing melt, the inner and outer containers defining an annular channel therebetween which has a bottom wall and contains introduced charge feed. The method further includes the steps of providing for allowing fluid communication between the annular channel and the inner container, delivering charge feed into the annular channel, and generating heat from within the annular channel for preventing the formation of a condensate of the charge feed within the annular channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Olexy V. Radkevich, Mehmed Becirovic, Keith Ritter
  • Patent number: 7815733
    Abstract: A method of growing hexagonal boron nitride single crystal is provided. Hexagonal boron nitride single crystal is grown in calcium nitride flux by heating, or heating and then slowly cooling, boron nitride and a calcium series material in an atmosphere containing nitrogen. Bulk hexagonal boron nitride single crystal can thereby successfully be grown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignees: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Iwai, Katsuhiro Imai, Takatomo Sasaki, Fumio Kawamura, Minoru Kawahara, Hiroaki Isobe
  • Patent number: 7704318
    Abstract: When growing a silicon single crystal free of grown-in defects based on the CZ method, the crystal is pulled out at a critical pulling rate at which a ring-shaped OSF occurrence region vanishes in a center portion of the crystal by using a hot zone structure in which a temperature gradient Gc in a center portion of the crystal is equal to or greater than a temperature gradient Ge in a peripheral portion of the crystal, while supplying an inert gas including hydrogen to an interior of a pulling furnace. The critical pulling rate at which the ring-shaped OSF occurrence region vanishes in the center portion of the crystal is increased, and single crystals free of grown-in defects in which dislocation clusters and COPs can be grown by pulling at a pulling rate higher than that of the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Sumco Corporation
    Inventors: Masataka Hourai, Wataru Sugimura, Toshiaki Ono, Tadami Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7625446
    Abstract: A capsule for containing at least one reactant and a supercritical fluid in a substantially air-free environment under high pressure, high temperature processing conditions. The capsule includes a closed end, at least one wall adjoining the closed end and extending from the closed end; and a sealed end adjoining the at least one wall opposite the closed end. The at least one wall, closed end, and sealed end define a chamber therein for containing the reactant and a solvent that becomes a supercritical fluid at high temperatures and high pressures. The capsule is formed from a deformable material and is fluid impermeable and chemically inert with respect to the reactant and the supercritical fluid under processing conditions, which are generally above 5 kbar and 550° C. and, preferably, at pressures between 5 kbar and 80 kbar and temperatures between 550 ° C. and about 1500° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Momentive Performance Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Philip D'Evelyn, Kristi Jean Narang, Robert Arthur Giddings, Steven Alfred Tysoe, John William Lucek, Suresh Shankarappa Vagarali, Robert Vincent Leonelli, Jr., Joel Rice Dysart
  • Patent number: 7399360
    Abstract: Provided are a crucible which prevents polycrystal formation to easily allow growth of optical part material single crystals, and a single crystal growth method employing the crucible. The crucible has a smooth surface of about Rmax 3.2s as the surface roughness of the wall surface 1H, concave curved plane 1J, cone surface 1F and convex curved plane 1L of the starting material carrying section 1D and the wall surface 1K of the seed carrying section 1E, which constitute the inner surface of the crucible of a crucible body 1A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi Chemical Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Sumiya, Nachimuthu Senguttuvan, Hiroyuki Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 7291222
    Abstract: The invention is directed to apparatus and methods for measuring and for reducing dust in granular polysilicon. In one aspect, a system includes a process vessel having a vacuum port for pulling dust from the polysilicon. Another system of the invention includes a baffle tube for receiving a polysilicon flow. A measuring system includes a manifold and filter for separating and measuring the dust from a flow of polysilicon. The invention is also directed to methods of using the systems, to methods of manufacturing and packaging granular polysilicon, and to a supply of granular polysilicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Holder, Hariprasad Sreedharamurthy, John D. Hilker
  • Patent number: 7125450
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for preparing single crystal silicon, in ingot or wafer form, wherein crucible rotation is utilized to control the average axial temperature gradient in the crystal, G0, as a function of radius (i.e., G0(r)), particularly at or near the central axis. Additionally, crucible rotation modulation is utilized to obtain an axially uniform oxygen content therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Zheng Lu, Steven L. Kimbel, Ying Tao
  • Patent number: 6843849
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Japan Science and Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Takatomo Sasaki, Yusuke Mori, Masashi Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 6596076
    Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus and method that appear to alter the effects of gravity by generating a magnetic field that causes an upward/downward magnetic force to act on a substance in a container. This offsets or adds to the downward force of gravity, to simulate a low-gravitational or excess-gravitational environment inside the substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignees: Director-General of Agency of Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventor: Nobuko Wakayama
  • Patent number: 6261364
    Abstract: A system for growing high-quality, low-carbon-concentration single crystals which have an excellent gas-flow guiding function near the melt, containing 1) an inverted conical, flow-guide cover placed above and coaxially with a double-walled crucible, with its lower end located immediately above the surface of the melt and in the space between the outer surface of the single crystal to be grown and the inner surface of the sidewall of the inner crucible; 2) a short passage comprising a hole passing through the sidewall of the inner crucible at a position higher than the level of the melt; and 3) a flow guide cylinder placed above and coaxially with the double-walled crucible, with its lower end located immediately above the surface of the melt and in the space between the outer surface of the sidewall of the inner crucible and the inner surface of the sidewall of the outer crucible, all arranged in a furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, Mitsubishi Materials Silicon Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Arai, Keisei Abe, Norihisa Machida
  • Patent number: 6080238
    Abstract: After whole raw material filled in a crucible is melted by plural heaters provided around the crucible, outputs of the heaters are lowered so that molten liquid is maintained at a predetermined temperature. A seed crystal is brought into contact with a surface of the molten liquid, and while a height of the surface of the molten liquid is being maintained in a heating region of a topmost heater, a pulling shaft is pulled up at a predetermined speed so that a single crystal is grown in a lower position of the seed crystal. At this time, in order that the pulled single crystal has required oxygen concentration during the pulling of the single crystal, a ratio of the output of the topmost heater to the outputs of all the heaters is set to a value calculated by R.sub.PW .gtoreq.0.88R.sub.T (R.sub.PW : output ratio of the topmost heater) based on the ratio R.sub.T of the height of the topmost heater to the height of the crucible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Sumitomo Sitix Corporation
    Inventor: Makoto Ito
  • Patent number: 5951758
    Abstract: According to the present invention, in the growth of an oxide single crystal or a compound semiconductor single crystal such as GaAs single crystal by the CZ method or LEC method, the tendency of concave solid-liquid interface shape at the periphery of the growing crystal can be suppressed to prevent polycrystallization without localized heating of the solid-liquid interface, while controlling the diameter of the growing crystal even when using a crucible with a larger diameter, thus improving the yield of crystal on a commercial scale. In the invention, the end of a cylindrical body having an inner diameter of larger than the predetermined diameter of straight part of the growing crystal is immersed in the raw material melt or liquid encapsulant and the crystal is pulled while preventing the shape of the solid-liquid interface from becoming concave by controlling the rotation rate of at least one of a crucible holding the raw material melt, the growing crystal and cylindrical body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsushi Hashio, Shin-ichi Sawada, Masami Tatsumi
  • Patent number: 5917103
    Abstract: Quartz powder is fed into a rotating mold to form a crucible-like quartz powder layer body with the help of centrifugal force in the mold. The layer is melted by heating through the inner surface with an arc discharge to manufacture an outer crucible member. A hollow cylindrical inner crucible member having a beveled lower edge is welded to the outer crucible member while a temperature of the inner surface portion of the outer crucible member remains at 1400.degree. C. or higher by a remaining heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignees: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH, Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Watanabe, Tatsuhiro Sato, Hiroshi Matsui
  • Patent number: 5913975
    Abstract: A quartz crucible for use in the preparation of silicon crystals substantially free from crystal void defects and a process for its preparation are disclosed. The crucible is prepared by introducing quartz powder into a rotating mould in an atmosphere containing less than about 0.5% insoluble gases such as argon. The quartz powder accumulates along the inner surface of the mould, and is subsequently heated to fuse the quartz powder to produce the crucible. The gases contained in the bubbles in the resulting crucible are comprised of less than about 0.5% insoluble gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: John Davis Holder
  • Patent number: 5911823
    Abstract: A method for pulling a <110> single-crystal silicon aims at preventing the crystal from being cut in diameter-reducing and suppress the increase in cost due to the cut prevention to the minimum. In the step for forming a diameter-reduced portion performed prior to the step for growing a <110> single-crystal silicon by the Czochralski method, a magnetic field having a strength of 500 gauss or more is applied and while suppressing a melt surface vibration and temperature variation, the crystal diameter is reduced to 2.00 mm or smaller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Komatsu Electronics Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Sonoda, Toshio Mimura
  • Patent number: 5891245
    Abstract: A single crystal pulling method employing; a gas tight container, a double crucible for storing a semiconductor melt inside the gas tight container comprising an inter-connected outer crucible and inner crucible, and a source material supply tube suspended from an upper portion of the gas tight container and positioned so that a granulated or powdered source material can be added from a lower end opening thereof to the semiconductor melt inside the outer crucible, with the source material being injected into the source material supply tube together with an inert gas flowing towards the enclosed container, characterized in that said source material is injected under conditions where the flow rate N (1/min.multidot.cm.sup.2) of the inert gas is within the range 0.0048P+0.0264<N<0.07P, where P (Torr) is the internal pressure inside said gas tight container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Materials Sillcon Corporation, Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Atami, Hiroaki Taguchi, Hisashi Furuya, Michio Kida
  • Patent number: 5879449
    Abstract: Homogeneous crystals are grown from a multicomponent melt double crucible assembly with an injector which affords improved flow of melt from the outer to the inner crucible. Guide rods are provided external to the outer crucible and locate the inner crucible with reduced probability of sticking. Means are also provided for withdrawing the inner crucible after crystal growth is complete as is a method of removing trapped gas from the apparatus prior to crystal growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventor: John Alfred Beswick
  • Patent number: 5858085
    Abstract: A system for growing high-quality, low-carbon-concentration single crystals which have an excellent gas-flow guiding function near the melt, containing 1) an inverted conical, flow-guide cover placed above and coaxially with a double-walled crucible, with its lower end located immediately above the surface of the melt and in the space between the outer surface of the single crystal to be grown and the inner surface of the sidewall of the inner crucible; 2) a short passage comprising a hole passing through the sidewall of the inner crucible at a position higher than the level of the melt; and 3) a flow guide cylinder placed above and coaxially with the double-walled crucible, with its lower end located immediately above the surface of the melt and in the space between the outer surface of the sidewall of the inner crucible and the inner surface of the sidewall of the outer crucible, all arranged in a furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, Mitsubishi Materials Silicon Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Arai, Keisei Abe, Norihisa Machida
  • Patent number: 5840115
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Zag Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Taguchi, Takashi Atami, Hisashi Furuya, Michio Kida
  • Patent number: 5824152
    Abstract: In the manufacture of a single crystal using a semiconductor single-crystal pulling apparatus equipped with a radiation screen, the time of passage of the single crystal through the high-temperature region of 1050.degree. C. and above is made to be long and the time of passage of the single crystal through the temperature region of about 900.degree. C.-500.degree. C. is made to be short. The semiconductor single-crystal pulling apparatus is so constructed that a radiation screen comprises an upper screen of 3-layer construction consisting of a heat-insulating member made of graphite or ceramics fiber clad with outer members made of graphite and a lower screen 3 of single-layer construction made of graphite, quartz or fine ceramics. Radiant heat from the molten liquid heats the lower part of single crystal as it passes through lower screen, thereby prolonging its period of passage through the high-temperature region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Komatsu Electronic Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimichi Kubota, Toshiro Kotooka, Toshiaki Saishoji, Tetsuhiro Iida
  • Patent number: 5820649
    Abstract: A liquid material such as molten silicon is stored in a crucible. A liquid material, which is identical to and held in the same conditions as the liquid material in the crucible, is continuously supplied from an auxiliary crucible to the crucible to keep constant the surface level of the liquid material in the crucible. The liquid material is continuously pulled up from the crucible at a predetermined speed while the liquid material is being solidified into a solid material such as a ribbon-like thin web of single-crystal silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Naoaki Ogure, Kazuyoshi Terashima
  • Patent number: 5720809
    Abstract: A double-wall crucible is disclosed which is constructed by coaxially disposing a cylindrical partition wall in an outer crucible for holding a molten mass of silicon as a raw material and operated by heating the outer crucible and meanwhile supplying the raw material silicon to the gap between the outer crucible and the cylindrical partition wall and introducing the consequently produced molten mass of silicon to the interior of the cylindrical partition wall through a passage below the level of the molten mass of silicon interconnecting the outer crucible and the inner side of the cylindrical partition wall and meanwhile pulling a single crystal bar from the molten mass of silicon in the cylindrical partition wall. In this double-wall crucible, at least the cylindrical partition wall is formed of quartz glass having a hydroxyl group (OH group) content of not more than 30 ppm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiichi Iino, Kiyotaka Takano, Izumi Fusegawa, Hirotoshi Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 5683505
    Abstract: A process for producing single crystals with little OSF generation and excellent dielectric strength of gate oxide films by adjusting the temperature gradient of the silicon single crystal in the direction of pulling. The process is carried out with an apparatus including a crucible which contains the melt of the single crystal material, a heating element which heats the melt, a pulling shaft to grow the single crystal, a protective gas inlet pipe, and a chamber which contains all above mentioned components. In addition, the apparatus is provided with a circular cylinder or a conical shaped heat resistant and heat insulating component below the protective gas inlet pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1997
    Assignee: Sumitomo Sitix Corporation
    Inventors: Kaoru Kuramochi, Setsuo Okamoto
  • Patent number: 5553566
    Abstract: A method for fabricating semiconductor substrates with resistivity below 0.02 ohm-cm is provided. This low resistivity is achieved by doping a silicon melt with a phosphorus concentrations above 1.times.10.sup.18. The silicon melt is also doped with a germanium concentration that is 1.5 to 2.5 times that of the phosphorus concentration and a stress and dislocation free crystalline boule is grown. Phosphorus in high concentrations will induce stress in the crystal lattice due to the difference in the atomic radius of silicon atoms versus phosphorus atoms. Germanium compensates for the atomic radius mismatch and also retards the diffusion of the phosphorus as the diffusion coefficient remains relatively constant with a doping of 1.times.10.sup.18 to 1.times.10.sup.21 atoms per cm.sup.3. This will retard phosphorus from diffusing into an overlying epitaxial layer and retard other layers formed on the substrate from being auto-doped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola Inc.
    Inventors: Hering-Der Chiou, Geoffrey J. Crabtree
  • Patent number: 5515810
    Abstract: To manufacture a low-carbon concentration GaAs wafer required for devices such as hall sensors, FETs, HEMTs etc. at a high production yield without deteriorating the semi-insulation characteristics thereof, a method of manufacturing a semi-insulation GaAs monocrystal by controlling carbon concentration during crystal growth by a simple method is disclosed. The method of manufacturing a semi-insulation GaAs monocrystal in accordance with liquid encapsulated Czochralski method, comprises the steps of: preparing a crucible (5) formed with a crucible body (6) and a small chamber (8) communicating with a lower part of the crucible body and a carbon heater (4) processed to reduce surface blow holes thereof; putting a melted GaAs liquid and a sealing compound B.sub.2 O.sub.3 in the crucible housed in an airtight vessel in such a way that the sealing compound B.sub.2 O.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Youji Yamashita
  • Patent number: 5474022
    Abstract: There is provided a double crucible for growing a silicon single crystal in which the partition wall 17 in the shape of ring is concentric with the main crucible 6 in the shape of bottomed cylinder and the lower end of the partition wall 17 is fixed on the inner bottom of the main crucible, and thus the outer crucible 18 and the inner crucible 19 are formed inside the main crucible. The partition wall 17 is uniform in thickness and has introducing holes 20 in its lower part which link the outer crucible with the inner crucible. The partition wall is made so that the inner diameter of its lower part may be smaller than the inner diameter of its upper part. Supposing that A is the diameter of the partition wall at a level of molten silicon, h is a depth from the surface of the molten silicon to the introducing holes, V(out) is an amount of molten silicon stored in the outer crucible, and V(in) is an amount of molten stored in the inner crucible, the relation of D/A=1.5 to 3, 2h/A>1, and V(out)/V(in)=0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, Mitsubishi Materials Silicon Corporation
    Inventors: Keisei Abe, Hisashi Furuya, Norihisa Machida, Yoshiaki Arai
  • Patent number: 5471943
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for growing a crysrtal by the Czochralski method, in which a melt is disposed in a crucible, partitioned into an outer annular portion and an inner cylindrical portion by an annular separation element which is open at its bottom, the open bottom being spaced from the bottom of the crucible. The separation element is rotated on its vertical axis and a crystal is pulled from the melt in the inner cylindrical portion by raising a crystal holder, which is also rotated, in the vertical direction. The melt required for growing the crystal flows from the outer annular portion to the inner cylindrical portion over the entire cross-section of the inner cylindrical portion at the bottom of the annular separation element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Inventor: Hans L. Scheel
  • Patent number: 5441014
    Abstract: An apparatus for pulling up a single crystal according to Czochralski method is provided with a cylindrical first screen and a second screen. The first screen is arranged in the periphery of the zone of pulling up the single crystal, said screen being constituted by a heat absorbing body at the side facing a quartz crucible and by a heat insulator at the other side and being provided with respective outward and inward annular rims at the upper and lower ends thereof, the corner of said screen facing the crucible being formed in a curved or polygonal structure, and said annular rim at the lower end being positioned in the vicinity of filling the melt in the crucible. The second screen forming a parabolic shape in the section opening at its center while enclosing the crystal pulling-up zone and being provided at its upper end with an outward annular rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Assignee: Komatsu Electronic Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junsuke Tomioka, Kazunori Nagai, Akihiro Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: RE35242
    Abstract: A method for growing silicon single crystal uses as materials, silicon granules prepared by the silane process and having a residual hydrogen concentration of 7.5 wtppm or less, silicon granules prepared by the trichlorosilane process and having a residual chlorine concentration of 15 wtppm or less. In the case where such silicon granules are used, a bursting phenomenon does not occur when the silicon granules are melted. As a result, there is no scattered matter due to the bursting phenomenon, whereby the growth condition of the single crystal is not disturbed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: Sumitomo Sitix Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Kajimoto, Daizou Horie, Shin-ichi Sakurada