Abstract: The present invention provides control of single crystal growth after the recovery from power failure when controlling crystal growth in an automatic mode. A source voltage is supplied to a controller 70 through a no-break power supply 62. At the time of recovery from power failure, the controller continues the automatic operation mode with the same control output as that stored when power failure is detected (84, 85) if the power failure time t is t .ltoreq.t.sub.1 (for example, 1 second), switches the control mode to the manual control mode with the same control output as that stored when the power failure is detected (86, 87) if t.sub.1 <t.ltoreq.t.sub.2 (for example, 5 seconds), stops the crystal growth operation and switches the control mode to the manual control mode (88, 89) if t.sub.2 <t.ltoreq.t.sub.3 (for example, 600 seconds), and separates the grown crystal from a melt 22 by upwardly moving the crystal and upwardly moves a crucible 16 (90) if t>t.sub.3.

Abstract: Used in a Si crystal pulling apparatus using the Czochralski method, to lower the concentration of oxygen in the Si single crystal without increasing the production cost and to make the concentration substantially even all over the Si single crystal. The crystal 36 is produced by disposing a straightening tube 40 concentrically with and above a quartz crucible 22, letting inert gas flow down through the tube, dipping a seed crystal in Si molten liquid 28 in the quartz crucible and then pulling the seed crystal up. The concentration of oxygen in the Si single crystal is adjusted by controlling the distance H between the surface of the Si molten liquid and the bottom end of the straightening tube in accordance with the pull-up length Y or the pull-up time from a certain growth point of the crystal.

Abstract: A device for measuring the diameter of the growing portions of the single crystals grown by the Czochralski technique is provided. This device is capable of measuring the crystal diameter with a high degree of accuracy over a wide range from the small-diameter portion thereof to the large diameter portion. A one-dimensional camera 28 and a two-dimensional camera 48 are fixed to a shoulder chamber 34 in such a manner that the optical axes thereof are parallel to each other. An optical path switch-over device, consisting of a cylinder 56, a movable plane mirror 52 mounted on a cylinder rod, and a fixed plane mirror 54, is provided. When the diameter of a neck portion of the single crystal 20 having a diameter of 10 mm or less is measured, the light reflected by the plane mirrors 52 and 54 is made incident on the two-dimensional camera 48, and the diameter of a bright ring 27 is measured on the basis of the image obtained by the two-dimensional camera.

Abstract: A heat-treating method for an indium-doped dislocation-free gallium arsenide monocrystal having a low carbon concentration and grown in the Liquid Encapsulated Czochralski method, comprising a two-step heat treatment:(i) heating the monocrystal at a temperature between 1050.degree. C. and 1200.degree. C. for a predetermined time length, and cooling the monocrystal quickly; and(ii) heating the monocrystal at a temperature between 750.degree. C. and 950.degree. C. for a predetermined time length, and cooling the monocrystal quickly.

Abstract: A conical portion growth control method and an apparatus used in the method grow a conical portion 32B of a single crystal rod 32 by pulling the crystal rod from a melt 16 heated by a heater 14 in the Czochralski method, and aim to enhance reproducibility of the shape of the conical portion 32B and shorten the conical portion 32B. The control method has the steps of presetting a target value pattern 66 of the temperature of a concave portion 46 formed on a heat-insulating material 18 and a target value pattern 64 of the diameter change rate of a growing portion of the crystal rod, measuring the diameter of the crystal growing portion, calculating the change rate of the diameter, measuring the temperature of the concave portion, correcting the target temperature based on a difference between the calculated value and the target value of the diameter change rate, and controlling the amount of electricity supplied to the heater so that the measured temperature becomes equal to the corrected target temperature.

Abstract: A heat-treating method for an indium-doped dislocation-free gallium arsenide monocrystal having a low carbon concentration and grown in the Liquid Encapsulated Czochralski method, comprising a two-step heat treatment:(i) heating the monocrystal at a temperature between 1050.degree. C. and 1200.degree. C. for a predetermined time length, and cooling the monocrystal quickly; and(ii) heating the monocrystal at a temperature between 750.degree. C. and 950.degree. C. for a predetermined time length, and cooling the monocrystal quickly.

Abstract: A jig is provided for accurately and easily positioning a single crystal ingot with respect to the clamp rotary shafts of a device for grinding the peripheral surface of the ingot. The jig includes male positioning fixtures 10L and 10R and female positioning fixtures 32L and 32R. In the male positioning fixtures, negative-pressure suction cups 105 made of an elastic or viscoelastic material and blocks 101 at the backs of the cups are integrally formed with each other. In the female positioning fixtures, holes 325 are formed at the ends of the clamp rotary shafts 30L and 30R of the grinding device. The male positioning fixtures are accommodated in the holes, and the blocks are fitted into the holes so as to be concentric with the clamp rotary shafts.

Abstract: A monocrystal ingot conveying/surface grinding apparatus has a plurality of surface grinding devices 221A to 225A disposed serially, a rail 16A disposed adjacent to the ceiling along the devices, a conveying/attitude-adjusting device 20A guided by the rail 16A and having an X-Y-.theta.-.phi. stage 24 and conveyers 14 and 23 disposed below an end portion of the rail 16A and arranged to convey monocrystal ingots 10 before they are ground. The attitude of the monocrystal ingot 10 is adjusted so as to make the grinding rotation center of the monocrystal ingot 10 coincide with the center of each of clamp rotational shafts 70A and 70B of each of the surface grinding devices 221A to 225A. Furthermore, the surfaces of the monocrystal ingots 10 are ground to form cylindrical shapes by the surface grinding devices 221A to 225A, the monocrystal ingots 10 being conveyed by the conveying/attitude-adjusting device 20A and the conveyers 14 and 23.

Abstract: A method for automatically controlling growing a single crystal neck portion by the CZ method, comprising the steps of pulling up a seed crystal (30) at 2 mm/min. for five minutes so as to grow a single crystal 32; next measuring a diameter of the lower end of the crystal; modifying an electric power for heating a melt based on the difference between the measured diameter and a reference value; waiting for five minutes; keeping the electric power constant for 10 minutes with controlling the pulling up speed so as to approach the diameter of the crystal to the reference value and with measuring the pulling up speed repeatedly; and next modifying the power based on the difference between the mean speed and a reference value. The last two steps are repeated alternatively.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device 32 for taking out a grown monocrystal rod 22 from monocrystal pulling up devices 10 to 14 and conveying them to a predetermined position. An object is to simplify the overall structure, which includes a plurality of monocrystal pulling up devices 10 to 14, and reducing the overall cost. A rail 31 is disposed along the monocrystal pulling up devices 10 to 14 and travelling portions 33 and 34 travel along the rail 31. The upper end portion of an upper cylinder 36 is fixed to the travelling portions 33 and 34, the upper portion of an elevational shaft 37 is inserted into the upper cylinder 36, the lower portion of the elevational shaft 37 is inserted into a lower cylinder 39 and a plate 44 is able to approach and move away from the lower cylinder 39. A plate 45 is able to rotate around a shaft 46 with respect to the position of the plate 44. Futhermore, the plate 45 has a receiving finger 53A and a holding finger 54A.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for measuring oscillation of a melt surface in growing a single crystal by Czochralski process, particularly in growing and pulling a crystal neck portion having a small diameter of 2 to 5 mm. The image of a region where the single crystal is being grown by the Czochralski process is taken by a camera 38 and the outside diameter D.sub.o of a bright ring image 70 of a brightness not lower than a predetermined reference value E is detected in accordance with video signals produced by the camera (Steps 80-83). The amount of oscillation of the outside diameter D.sub.o is measured as the amount S.sub.v of oscillation of the melt surface near the region where the single crystal is grown. The reference value E is determined by multiplying the maximum value of the video signals in one field with a predetermined constant K. The constant K is a value which, when the velocity of pulling of the single crystal is fixed to zero, substantially maximizes the amount of S.sub.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method of and a device for crystal diameter measurement in an apparatus for automatically controlling single crystal growth by the CZ technique. In the diameter measurement method, a growing region of a single crystal 32 is photographed by a camera 38, and an outer diamter Do of a luminous ring image 70 having a luminance above a reference value E is detected from a video signal supplied from the camera 38, the diameter Do thus detected being used for crystal diameter control.

Abstract: Used in an apparatus for pulling a Si single crystal 36 up from Si molten liquid 35 by using the Czochralski method. In order to produce a Si single crystal having a desired quality, the diameter of the Si single crystal is controlled by controlling the pull-up speed of the Si single crystal, the sum of a reference temperature set value T.sub.B (X), which is a function of a pull-up distance X of the Si single crystal from a certain growth point, and a value proportional to a diameter deviation .DELTA.D is regarded as a reference temperature, and electric power supplied to a heater (24) for heating the Si molten liquid is controlled so that the temperature of the vicinity of the heater is equal to the reference temperature.

Abstract: A single crystal pulling apparatus having a wire which is used to pull a crystal is provided with a novel wire vibration prevention mechanism. The wire vibration prevention mechanism includes wire restriction devices which restrict the movement of the wire to movement in the vertical direction. The wire restriction devices may be mechanically driven in the horizontal direction in order to center the pulled crystal. The wire restriction devices are driven by pneumatic air cylinders. Use of the wire vibration prevention mechanism avoids the formation of deformed growth of the pulled crystal and thus reduces the occurrence of dislocations in the pulled crystal.

Abstract: A device for measuring offset of the axis of a single crystal lifting wire with respect to the axis of rotation of a crucible rotary shaft in a single crystal production apparatus based upon Czochralski method. The apparatus comprises a base plate (16, 16A, 16B) mounted on a table (12) fixed to the upper end of the crucible rotary shaft (10), a weight suspended from the wire (34) and having a stylus projected downward from the lower end thereof or capable of downwardly emitting a laser beam (36C), a device mounted on the base plate and capable of optically detecting the position of said stylus or said laser beam, and a device for displaying the detected position.

Abstract: A recharging device suitable for use in a Czochralski-type monocrystal ingot pulling apparatus, includes a shaft (3) which is suspended from a pulling element (1), a ring slider (8) capable of sliding along the shaft, a stopper (20) for stopping the downward movement of the ring slider, a pair of hooks (9, 11, 13) pivotably connected to the shaft below the ring slider and capable of assuming hooking and unhooking positions, and a pair of rods (16) each having one end connected to the hooks such that when the ring slider slides upward relative to the shaft the pair of the rods cause the hooks to assume their unhooking position, and when the ring slider slides downward relative to the shaft the rods cause the hooks to assume their hooking position.

Abstract: An apparatus for smoothing the surface of a monocrystal ingot comprising a center axis finding device, an external cylindrical grinding unit, an ingot setting unit, and an automatic diameter control unit which controls the grinding amount of the external cylindrical grinding unit responsive to the result of the measurement of the local diameter of the monocrystal ingot.

Abstract: A notch-cut semiconductor wafer whose notch has its both corners entirely chamfered, and an apparatus and method for chamfering the notch as such, which employs a positioning device for positioning the wafer such that the notch of the wafer points in a predetermined direction; a conveyor device for conveying the wafer to a chamfering position; a holding device for holding the wafer to bring the wafer to arbitrary places; an abrasive wheel having an edge which is shaped like the notch; a driving device for driving the abrasive wheel; and a mechanism for controlling moving at least one of the two items consisting of the abrasive wheel and the semiconductor wafer, to arbitrary places.

Abstract: A device used in a single-crystal production apparatus based on Czochralski method and designed for measuring the offset of the wire for lifting the growing crystal. In order to enable an easy and appropriate mounting and adjustment of the crystal lifting wire, while preventing abnormal oscillation of the axis of rotation of the growing crystal, the device has a block which fits in the upper end opening of a chamber. The block has a central through-hole which the wire penetrates. Light sources and photo-detectors are arranged to oppose each other across the through-hole. Slits are arranged between the wire and the photo-detectors. The device measures the offset from the outputs of the photo-detectors, and an alarm activates when the measured wire offset has exceeded an upper limit. In another form, the assembly including the block, light sources, photo-detectors and the slits is substituted by linear image sensor cameras.

Abstract: An external cylindrical grinding unit which comprises a supporting system for supporting a cylindrical body to be ground, a measurement system for measuring the cylindrical body, an arithmetic system for calculating an optimal center axis of the cylindrical body based on the measurement thereof, an alignment system for aligning the optimal center axis of the cylindrical body with the rotation axis about which the cylindrical body is rotated for grinding, and a driving system for driving movable elements of the unit.