Using A Magnetic Field Patents (Class 117/32)
  • Patent number: 11214891
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for growing a single crystal ingot capable of uniformly controlling an oxygen concentration in a longitudinal direction and a radial direction of a single crystal ingot by uniformly maintaining a convection pattern on a silicon melt interface, and a method for growing the same. In an apparatus for growing a single crystal ingot and a method for growing the same according to the present invention, a horizontal magnet is positioned to be movable up and down by a magnet moving unit around a crucible, so that a maximum gauss position (MGP) is positioned to be higher than the silicon melt interface and simultaneously, a rate of increase in the MGP is controlled to 3.5 mm/hr to 6.5 mm/hr, and thus it possible to secure simplicity and symmetry of convection on the silicon melt interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: SK SILTRON CO., LTD
    Inventors: Do-Won Song, Hong-Woo Lee, Sang-Hee Kim, Ho-Jun Lee, Jung-Ryul Kim
  • Patent number: 10953571
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for creating cast metal objects in space and other environments. Molds are created using additive manufacturing and are injected with a castable metal having a melting point lower than a mold melting point. In some aspects, the additive manufacturing device and the metal casting unit are contained in the same unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: MADE IN SPACE, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Snyder, Matthew Napoli, Jason Dunn, Aaron Kemmer
  • Patent number: 10627456
    Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetic field shielding apparatus including an energy transmitter configured to generate a magnetic field, an energy receiver configured to receive the magnetic field generated by the energy transmitter, and a magnetic shield configured to shield a leaked magnetic field that is not received by the energy receiver, the magnetic shield including at least one closed region through which the leaked magnetic field passes, and at least one open region including a protrusion through which the leaked magnetic field moves to an inside of the magnetic field shielding apparatus after absorbed into the closed region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Byung Chan Kim, Sang-Won Kim, Seong-Min Kim, Jung Ick Moon, Sang Bong Jeon, In Kui Cho, Hyung Do Choi
  • Patent number: 9777397
    Abstract: Systems and methods for continuous sapphire growth are disclosed. One embodiment may take the form of a method including feeding a base material into a crucible located within a growth chamber, heating the crucible to melt the base material and initiating crystalline growth in the melted base material to create a crystal structure. Additionally, the method includes pulling the crystal structure away from crucible and feeding the crystal structure out of the growth chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Dale N. Memering, Scott A. Myers
  • Patent number: 9260796
    Abstract: A method for measuring a distance between a lower end surface of a heat insulating member and a surface of a raw material melt with a reference reflector provided at a lower end of the heat insulating member which is located above the surface of the raw material melt when a silicon single crystal is pulled up by a Czochralski method while a magnetic field is applied to the raw material melt in a crucible is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryoji Hoshi, Masahiko Urano, Susumu Sonokawa
  • Publication number: 20150147258
    Abstract: The single crystal silicon ingot and wafer of one embodiment has a transition region formed therein which predominantly has crystal defects of 10 nm to 30 nm in size from among crystal defects included in at least one region of a vacancy predominant non-defective region and an interstitial predominant non-defective region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Young Ho Hong, Jung Ha Hwang, Il Seon Cha
  • Patent number: 9029243
    Abstract: A method for producing a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes providing a wafer including a main surface and a silicon layer arranged at the main surface and having a nitrogen concentration of at least about 3*1014 cm?3, and partially out-diffusing nitrogen to reduce the nitrogen concentration at least close to the main surface. Further, a semiconductor device is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Hans-Joachim Schulze, Peter Irsigler
  • Patent number: 8888911
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technique which enables production of single crystal silicon having relatively low resistivity by preventing cell growth during crystal growth from occurring, especially in a case where a relatively large amount of dopant is added to a molten silicon raw material. Specifically, the present invention provides a method of producing single crystal silicon by the Czochralski process, comprising producing single crystal silicon having relatively low resistivity by controlling a height of a solid-liquid interface when the single crystal silicon is pulled up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sumco Techxiv Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Uto, Tuneaki Tomonaga, Toshimichi Kubota, Fukuo Ogawa, Yasuhito Narushima
  • Publication number: 20140326173
    Abstract: Single crystal silicon ingots are grown by the multi-pulling method in a single crucible with minimization of dislocations by incorporating barium as a quartz crystallization inhibitor in amounts proportional to the diameter of the Czochralski crucible in which the crystal is grown. In at least one of the crystal pulling steps, a magnetic field is applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventors: Hideo Kato, Shinichi Kyufu, Masamichi Ohkubo
  • Patent number: 8784559
    Abstract: A Czochralski (“CZ”) single-crystal growth process system continuously grows crystal boules in a chamber furnace during a single thermal cycle. Finished boules are transferred from the furnace chamber, without need to cool the furnace, to an adjoining cooling chamber for controlled cooling. Controlled cooling is preferably accomplished by transporting boules along a path having an incrementally decreasing temperature. In order to maximize crystal boule yield in a single furnace thermal cycle, the crucible assembly may be recharged with crystal growth aggregate and/or slag may be discharged during the crystal boule growth process without opening the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: James L. Corbeil, Troy Marlar, Piotr Szupryczynski
  • Publication number: 20140174339
    Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a silicon single crystal, the method includes: a raw material melting step of melting polycrystalline silicon accommodated in a crucible to obtain a silicon melt; and bringing a seed crystal into contact with the silicon melt and pulling up the seed crystal to grow the silicon single crystal, wherein, after the raw material melting step and before the pulling step, there are performed: a cristobalitizing step of leaving the silicon melt at a predetermined number of rotations of the crucible with a predetermined gas flow rate and a predetermined furnace pressure to generate cristobalite while applying a magnetic field; and a dissolving step of partially dissolving the cristobalite by carrying out any one of an increase in number of rotations of the crucible, an increase in gas flow rate, and a reduction in furnace pressure beyond counterpart figures in the cristobalitizing step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Kimura, Kiyotaka Takano, Junya Tokue
  • Patent number: 8679251
    Abstract: Silicon single crystals are grown from the melt by providing the melt in a crucible; imposing a horizontal magnetic field on the melt; directing a gas between the single crystal and a heat shield to a melt free surface, and controlling the gas to flow over a region of the melt free surface extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the magnetic induction. A suitable apparatus has a crucible for holding the melt; a heat shield surrounding the silicon single crystal having a lower end which is connected to a bottom cover facing a melt free surface and a non-axisymmetric shape with respect to a crucible axis, such that gas which is directed between the crystal and the heat shield to the melt free surface is forced to flow over a region of the melt which extends substantially perpendicular to the magnetic induction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventor: Piotr Filar
  • Patent number: 8641820
    Abstract: An implementation of a Czochralski-type crystal growth has been shown and embodied. More particularly, a furnace with suitable insulation and flow arrangement is shown to improve the cost-efficiency of production of crystals. That is achieved by the shown new hot-zone structure, gas flows and the growth process which can decrease the power consumption, increase the lifetime of hot-zone parts and improve the productivity, e.g., by giving means for opening the hot-zone and easily adapting the hot-zone to a new crystal diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Okmetic Oyj
    Inventors: Olli Anttila, Ari Saarnikko, Jari Paloheimo
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8551247
    Abstract: Controlling crystal growth in a crystal growing system is described. The crystal growing system includes a heated crucible including a semiconductor melt from which a monocrystalline ingot is grown according to a Czochralski and the ingot is grown on a seed crystal pulled from the melt. The method includes applying a cusped magnetic field to the melt by supplying an upper coil with a first direct current (IUDC) and supplying a lower coil with a second direct current (ILDC). The method also includes supplying the upper coil with a first alternating current (IUAC) and supplying the lower coil with a second alternating current (ILAC) to generate a time-varying magnetic field, wherein the time-varying magnetic field generates a pumping force in the semiconductor melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hariprasad Sreedharamurthy, Milind Kulkarni, Harold W. Korb
  • Patent number: 8475590
    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: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: AMG Idealcast Solar Corporation
    Inventor: Roger F. Clark
  • Patent number: 8460462
    Abstract: Silicon single crystals are grown from the melt by providing the melt in a crucible; imposing a horizontal magnetic field on the melt; directing a gas between the single crystal and a heat shield to a melt free surface, and controlling the gas to flow over a region of the melt free surface extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the magnetic induction. A suitable apparatus has a crucible for holding the melt; a heat shield surrounding the silicon single crystal having a lower end which is connected to a bottom cover facing a melt free surface and a non-axisymmetric shape with respect to a crucible axis, such that gas which is directed between the crystal and the heat shield to the melt free surface is forced to flow over a region of the melt which extends substantially perpendicular to the magnetic induction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventor: Piotr Filar
  • Patent number: 8414701
    Abstract: In this method for manufacturing a silicon single crystal, when growing the silicon single crystal, in order to control the V/G value with high accuracy so as to yield a desired defect-free region, it is important to conduct the pulling at a constant pulling rate. In the method for pulling a silicon single crystal in the present invention, in order to control the V/G value with high accuracy, the distance ?t between the melt surface of the silicon melt and the heat shielding member that is disposed so as to oppose to and to partially cover this melt surface is continuously measured while pulling (growing) the silicon single crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sumco Corporation
    Inventor: Keiichi Takanashi
  • Patent number: 8361223
    Abstract: Provided is a method for reliably and easily measuring a liquid level by selecting an optimal reflection method from among a plurality of reflection methods, depending on growing conditions of a pulled single crystal. The method comprises: setting a plurality of measuring methods having different ways of determining the liquid level; creating, in advance, information that associates with a gap between the outer peripheral face of the single crystal and a predetermined position located between a heat shield and the outer peripheral face of the single crystal; determining the gap in accordance with manufacturing conditions; selecting a measuring method associated to the determined gap, on the basis of the information; and measuring the liquid level of a melt surface in use of the selected measuring method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Sumco Techxiv Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Hayashida, Ayumi Kihara, Takuaki Takami
  • Patent number: 8349075
    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: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Siltron Inc.
    Inventors: Do-Won Song, Young-Hun Kim, Eun-Sang Ji, Young-Kyu Choi, Hwa-Jin Jo
  • Patent number: 8308864
    Abstract: The present invention is a single-crystal manufacturing method based on the Czochralski method, comprising at least the steps of: producing a melt by heating and melting a crystalline raw material in a crucible with a heater; maturing the melt by keeping the melt at a high temperature; growing a single crystal after dipping a seed crystal into the matured melt, wherein the heater and the crucible are relatively moved up and down in the step of maturing. As a result, there is provided a single-crystal manufacturing method that enables the generation of dislocation to be effectively suppressed and a high quality single crystal to be manufactured at good yield, particularly in case of pulling the single crystal having a large diameter, in manufacture of the single crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Iida, Kazuo Matsuzawa
  • 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: 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: 8216372
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and method for growing a high quality Si single crystal ingot and a Si single crystal ingot and wafer produced thereby. The growth apparatus controls the oxygen concentration of the Si single crystal ingot to various values thereby producing the Si single crystal ingot with high productivity and extremely controlled growth defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Siltron Inc.
    Inventor: Hyon-Jong Cho
  • Patent number: 8216362
    Abstract: Processes for preparing a single crystal silicon ingot are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the processes involve controlling (1) a growth velocity, v, of the ingot as well as (2) an average axial temperature gradient, G, a corrected average axial temperature gradient, Gcorrected, or an effective average axial temperature gradient, Geffective, during the growth of at least a segment of the constant diameter portion of the ingot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Milind S. Kulkarni
  • Patent number: 8187383
    Abstract: In order to provide a semiconductor single crystal manufacturing device and a manufacturing method using a CZ method wherein the resistivity and oxygen concentration of a silicon single crystal can be controlled and wherein a single crystal yield can be improved, in the present invention, there is provided a wall 10 which defines a chamber inner wall 1c of a chamber 1, a crucible 2 and a heater 3. The wall 10 is formed by three members, namely, a single crystal side flow-straightening member 11, a melt surface side flow-straightening member 12 and a heater side flow-straightening member 13, which are connected to form a purge gas directing path 100. When the semiconductor single crystal is pulled, a flow speed of a purge gas that passes through the vicinity of the surface of the melt in a quartz crucible 3 is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Sumco Techxiv Corporation
    Inventors: Toshimichi Kubota, Eiichi Kawasaki, Tsuneaki Tomonaga, Shinichi Kawazoe
  • Patent number: 8172943
    Abstract: Single crystalline ingots can be stably pulled free from dislocation and with a good crystal shape by actuating a crystal driving unit so as to immerse a seed crystal in a silicon melt, and controlling the crystal driving unit and a crucible driving unit under predetermined conditions so as to pull the seed crystal. During pulling, a horizontal magnetic field positioning device applies a magnetic field in the horizontal direction to the inside of the silicon melt, fixing the magnetic field axis at a constant position from the liquid surface of the melt. Positional adjustment of the vertical position of the horizontal magnetic field is performed in advance by a magnetic field position adjusting device, and the magnetic field axis of the applied field is fixed at a constant distance lower than the liquid surface of the melt by more than 50 mm and at the same level or higher than a depth L from the melt surface at the point of tail-in.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventor: Masamichi Ohkubo
  • Patent number: 8147611
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a single crystal based on a Czochralski method of applying a horizontal magnetic field, wherein the single crystal is pulled in such a manner that a radial magnetic field intensity gradient ?Br/?Rc in a direction connecting central points of magnetic field generation coils exceeds 5.5 (Gauss/mm) and becomes 10 (Gauss/mm) or below where an origin O is a central part of the single crystal on a solid-liquid interface, ?Br (Gauss) is a variation in a magnetic field intensity from the origin O to a crucible inner wall on a surface of a melt, and ?Rc (mm) is a radial distance from the origin O to the crucible inner wall on the surface of the melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Sakurada, Izumi Fusegawa
  • Patent number: 8114216
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor single crystal growth method, which uses a Czochralski process for growing a semiconductor single crystal through a solid-liquid interface by dipping a seed into a semiconductor melt received in a quartz crucible and pulling up the seed while rotating the quartz crucible and applying a strong horizontal magnetic field, wherein the seed is pulled up while the quartz crucible is rotated with a rate between 0.6 rpm and 1.5 rpm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Siltron, Inc.
    Inventors: Hyon-Jong Cho, Seung-Ho Shin, Ji-Hun Moon, Hong-Woo Lee, Young-Ho Hong
  • 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: 8105436
    Abstract: A single crystal silicon wafer for use in the production of insulated gate bipolar transistors is made of single crystal silicon grown by the Czochralski method and has a gate oxide with a film thickness of from 50 to 150 nm. The wafer has an interstitial oxygen concentration of at most 7.0×1017 atoms/cm3, a resistivity variation within the plane of the wafer of at most 5% and, letting tox (cm) be the gate oxide film thickness and S (cm2) be the electrode surface area when determining the TZDB pass ratio, a density d (cm?3) of crystal originated particles (COP) having a size at least twice the gate oxide film thickness which satisfies the formula d??ln(0.9)/(S·tox/2). The wafers have an increased production yield and a small resistivity variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Sumco Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeru Umeno
  • Patent number: 7799130
    Abstract: A silicon single crystal ingot growing apparatus for growing a silicon single crystal ingot based on a Czochralski method The silicon single crystal ingot growing apparatus includes a chamber; a crucible provided in the chamber, and for containing a silicon melt; a heater provided at the outside of the crucible and for heating the silicon melt; a pulling unit for ascending a silicon single crystal grown from the silicon melt; and a plurality of magnetic members provided at the outside of the chamber and for asymmetrically applying a magnetic field to the silicon melt Such a structure can uniformly controls an oxygen concentration at a rear portion of a silicon single crystal ingot using asymmetric upper/lower magnetic fields without replacing a hot zone In addition, such a structure can controls a flower phenomenon generated on the growth of the single crystal by the asymmetric magnetic fields without a loss such as the additional hot zone (H/Z) replacement, P/S down, and SR variance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Siltron, Inc.
    Inventors: Young Ho Hong, Man Seok Kwak, Ill-Soo Choi, Hyon-Jong Cho, Hong Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 7780783
    Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for producing a single crystal, and a method for producing a silicon single crystal using the same. An apparatus for producing a single crystal includes a heating device which heats polycrystalline silicon raw material held in a crucible to form silicon melt, and a pulling up device which grows a silicon single crystal while pulling it up from the silicon melt accompanied with rotation. By providing the apparatus with a magnetic field generation unit which applies to the silicon melt a cusp magnetic field a shape of neutral plane of which is symmetric around the rotation axis of the silicon single crystal and is curved in the upward direction, various conditions for producing a silicon single crystal having a defect free region is relaxed, and a silicon single crystal having a defect free region is produced at high efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Sumco Corporation
    Inventors: Norihito Fukatsu, Kazuyuki Egashira, Senrin Fu
  • Patent number: 7771530
    Abstract: A process for producing a silicon single crystal is by pulling the single crystal from a silicon melt which is contained in a crucible with a diameter of at least 450 mm, above which a heat shield is arranged. The single crystal being pulled has a diameter of at least 200 mm. The silicon melt is exposed to the influence of a traveling magnetic field which exerts a substantially vertically oriented force on the melt in the region of the crucible wall. There is also an apparatus which is suitable for carrying out the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Janis Virbulis, Wilfried Von Ammon, Erich Tomzig, Yuri Gelfgat, Lenoid Gorbunov
  • Publication number: 20100126410
    Abstract: A quartz crucible retaining silicon melt is rotated at a prescribed rotating speed, and a silicon single crystal bar pulled from the quartz crucible is rotated at a prescribed rotating speed. A first coil and a second coil having the rotating center of the crucible at the center are arranged in a vertical direction at a prescribed interval, and currents of the same direction are permitted to flow in the first and the second coils to generate a magnetic field. The first coil is arranged outside a chamber, and the second coil is arranged inside the chamber. An intermediate position of the prescribed interval between the first and the second coils is controlled to be at a surface of the silicon melt or below so that a distance between the intermediate position and the surface of the silicon melt is 0 mm or more but not more than 10,000 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Senlin Fu, Naoki Ono
  • Publication number: 20100126409
    Abstract: This invention provides a process for producing a single crystal by a Chokralsky method in which a horizontal magnetic field is applied, characterized in that a single crystal is pulled up so that the radial magnetic field strength gradient ?Br/?Rc in such a direction that centers of magnetic field generation coils (25) are connected, is more than 5.5 (gauss/mm) and not more than 10 (gauss/mm) wherein ?Br represents the amount of a variation in magnetic field strength from an original point (O) as the center part on a solid-liquid interface of a single crystal (12) to the inner wall (A) of a crucible on the surface of a melt, gauss; and ?Rc represents a radial distance from the original point (O) to the inner wall (A) of the crucible on the surface of the melt, mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Sakurada, Izumi Fusegawa
  • Publication number: 20100101485
    Abstract: In appropriate setting of magnetic field applied to a molten silicon 12 stored in a cylindrical quartz crucible 11, the maximum value B0 of magnetic flux density on a vertical symmetric axis 17 as a cylindrical axis of the quartz crucible 11 in horizontal magnetic field generated by a pair of exciting coils 13 and 14 calls B0. On circle at which horizontally symmetric plane 18 traversing and perpendicular to a vertically symmetric axis 17 becoming magnetic flux B0 crosses an inner diameter of the quartz crucible 11, the minimum value of magnetic flux density calls Bmin, and the maximum value of magnetic flux density calls Bmax. Those magnetic flux densities B0, Bmin and Bmax are adjusted to be given ranges, and upward flow and temperature of a molten silicon 12 at the lower part of a solid-liquid interface 15a are appropriately controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: Covalent Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Senlin Fu, Toshio Hisaichi
  • Publication number: 20090320743
    Abstract: A system for growing silicon crystals that facilitates controlling a shape of a melt-solid interface is described. The crystal growing system includes a heated crucible including a semiconductor melt from which a monocrystalline ingot is grown according to a Czochralski process. The ingot is grown on a seed crystal pulled from the melt. The method includes applying an unbalanced cusped magnetic field to the melt, and rotating the ingot and the crucible in the same direction while the ingot is being pulled from the melt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hariprasad Sreedharamurthy, Milind S. Kulkarni, Richard G. Schrenker, Joseph C. Holzer, Harold W. Korb
  • Patent number: 7628854
    Abstract: A process for producing a silicon single crystal includes the steps of bringing a seed crystal into contact with a silicon melt, gradually pulling the seed crystal from the melt so as to form a neck having a tapered portion and a constant diameter portion, then pulling a silicon single crystal. The atmosphere used during neck formation is a hydrogen-containing atmosphere prepared by adding a hydrogen-containing substance to an inert gas. The hydrogen-containing substance has a hydrogen gas equivalent concentration in the hydrogen-containing atmosphere of 3 to 20%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sumco Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Ono, Wataru Sugimura, Takayuki Kubo, Akira Higuchi, Ken Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20090293801
    Abstract: A method of growing a single crystal, wherein the yield in terms of specific resistance is improved by improving an effective segregation coefficient without affecting other characteristics, is provided: wherein a seed crystal provided to the lower end of a wire cable is immersed in melt in a crucible, a single crystal ingot is grown on the lower end portion of the seed crystal being elevated by pulling up the wire cable while rotating the same, and a horizontal magnetic field intensity to be applied to the silicon melt is changed in accordance with crystal positions along the growing axis direction of the single crystal ingot, so that an effective segregation coefficient of a dopant along the growing axis direction in the single crystal ingot becomes small.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shunji KURAGAKI
  • Patent number: 7611580
    Abstract: System for controlling crystal growth in a Czochralski crystal growing apparatus. A magnetic field is applied within the crystal growing apparatus and varied to control a shape of the melt-solid interface where the ingot is being pulled from the melt. The shape of the melt-solid interface is formed to a desired shape in response to the varied magnetic field as a function of a length of the ingot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Zheng Lu
  • Patent number: 7608145
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of fabrication of high quality silicon single crystal at high growth rate. The method grows silicon single crystal from silicon melt by Czochralski method, wherein the silicon single crystal is grown according to conditions that the silicon melt has an axial temperature gradient determined according to an equation, {(?Tmax??Tmin)/?Tmin}×100?10, wherein ?Tmax is a maximum axial temperature gradient of the silicon melt and ?Tmin is a minimum axial temperature gradient of the silicon melt, when the axial temperature gradient is measured along an axis parallel to a radial direction of the silicon single crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Siltron Inc.
    Inventor: Hyon-Jong Cho
  • Publication number: 20090249996
    Abstract: Until pulling a silicon single crystal is started after silicon raw materials filled in a quartz crucible are melted, the quartz crucible containing silicon melt is rotated while a rotating direction thereof is periodically alternated. Then, the silicon single crystal is pulled up by the CZ method. This pulling method can reduce micro defects, which are caused by bubbles formed in an inner surface of the quartz crucible, and dislocation in the single crystal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Inventor: Hideki Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20090183670
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a high-quality semiconductor single crystal ingot and a method using the same. The apparatus of the present invention includes a quartz crucible, a heater installed around a side wall of the quartz crucible, a single crystal pulling means for pulling a single crystal from the semiconductor melt received in the quartz crucible, and a magnetic field applying means for forming a Maximum Gauss Plane (MGP) at a location of ML-1000 mm to ML-350 mm based on a Melt Level (ML) of the melt surface, and applying a strong magnetic field of 3000 to 5500 Gauss to an intersection between the MGP and the side wall of the quartz crucible and a weak magnetic field of 1500 to 3000 Gauss below a solid-liquid interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2009
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: SILTRON INC.
    Inventors: Hyon-Jong Cho, Young-Ho Hong, Hong-Woo Lee, Jong-Min Kang, Dae-Yeon Kim
  • Patent number: 7559988
    Abstract: The invention relates to a technique for producing a high quality Si single crystal ingot with a high productivity by the Czochralski method. The technique of the invention can control the magnetic field strength of an oxygen dissolution region different from that of a solid-liquid interface region in order to control the oxygen concentration at a desired value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Siltron Inc.
    Inventor: Hyon-Jong Cho
  • Publication number: 20090169460
    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: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: SILTRON INC.
    Inventors: Do-Won Song, Young-Hun Kim, Eun-Sang Ji, Young-Kyu Choi, Hwa-Jin Jo
  • Patent number: 7544248
    Abstract: In a process for manufacturing a LT substrate from a LT crystal, after growing the crystal, a LT substrate in ingot form is imbedded in carbon power, or is place in a carbon vessel, and heat treated is conducted at a maintained temperature of between 650° C. and 1650° C. for at least 4 hours, whereby in a lithium tantalate (LT) substrate, sparks are prevented from being generated by the charge up of an electric charge on the substrate surface, and thereby destruction of a comb pattern formed on the substrate surface and breaks or the like in the LT substrate are prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomio Kajigaya, Takashi Kakuta
  • Patent number: 7544246
    Abstract: In a process for manufacturing a LT substrate from a LT crystal, after growing the crystal, a LT substrate in ingot form is imbedded in carbon power, or is place in a carbon vessel, and heat treated is conducted at a maintained temperature of between 650° C. and 1650° C. for at least 4 hours, whereby in a lithium tantalate (LT) substrate, sparks are prevented from being generated by the charge up of an electric charge on the substrate surface, and thereby destruction of a comb pattern formed on the substrate surface and breaks or the like in the LT substrate are prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomio Kajigaya, Takashi Kakuta
  • Patent number: 7544247
    Abstract: In a process for manufacturing a LT substrate from a LT crystal, after growing the crystal, a LT substrate in ingot form is imbedded in carbon power, or is place in a carbon vessel, and heat treated is conducted at a maintained temperature of between 650° C. and 1650° C. for at least 4 hours, whereby in a lithium tantalate (LT) substrate, sparks are prevented from being generated by the charge up of an electric charge on the substrate surface, and thereby destruction of a comb pattern formed on the substrate surface and breaks or the like in the LT substrate are prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomio Kajigaya, Takashi Kakuta
  • Publication number: 20090114147
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor single crystal growth method, which uses a Czochralski process for growing a semiconductor single crystal through a solid-liquid interface by dipping a seed into a semiconductor melt received in a quartz crucible and pulling up the seed while rotating the quartz crucible and applying a strong horizontal magnetic field, wherein the seed is pulled up while the quartz crucible is rotated with a rate between 0.6 rpm and 1.5 rpm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: SILTRON INC.
    Inventors: Hyon-Jong Cho, Seung-Ho Shin, Ji-Hun Moon, Hong-Woo Lee, Young-Ho Hong