Abstract: A production method of a zinc oxide single crystal, comprising depositing a crystal of zinc oxide on a seed crystal from a mixed melt of zinc oxide and a solvent capable of melting zinc oxide and having a higher average density than zinc oxide in the melt. Preferably, a zinc oxide single crystal is continuously pulled while supplying the same amount of a zinc oxide raw material as that of the pulled zinc oxide. A single crystal excellent in the crystal quality and long in the pulling direction can be continuously produced.

Abstract: A velocity of Ar gas flow passing through between a lower end of a cylindrical body and a thermal shielding body is influenced by arrangement of a pulling path of single crystal silicon, a cylindrical body, and a thermal shielding body. Accordingly, the velocity of the Ar gas flow passing through between a lower end of the cylindrical body and the thermal shielding body is controlled by adjusting a relative position of the pulling path of the single crystal silicon, the cylindrical body, and the thermal shielding body. As described above, dust falling off to silicon melt can be reduced, thereby preventing deterioration in quality of the single crystal silicon.

Abstract: Bulk mono-crystalline gallium-containing nitride, grown on the seed at least in the direction essentially perpendicular to the direction of the seed growth, essentially without propagation of crystalline defects as present in the seed, having the dislocation density not exceeding 104/cm2 and considerably lower compared to the dislocation density of the seed, and having a large curvature radius of the crystalline lattice, preferably longer than 15 m, more preferably longer than 30 m, and most preferably of about 70 m, considerably longer than the curvature radius of the crystalline lattice of the seed.

Abstract: A method of forming a layer of amorphous silicon oxide positioned between a layer of rare earth oxide and a silicon substrate. The method includes providing a crystalline silicon substrate and depositing a layer of rare earth metal on the silicon substrate in an oxygen deficient ambient at a temperature above approximately 500° C. The rare earth metal forms a layer of rare earth silicide on the substrate. A first layer of rare earth oxide is deposited on the layer of rare earth silicide with a structure and lattice constant substantially similar to the substrate. The structure is annealed in an oxygen ambience to transform the layer of rare earth silicide to a layer of amorphous silicon and an intermediate layer of rare earth oxide between the substrate and the first layer of rare earth oxide.

Abstract: A method capable of stably manufacturing a SiC single crystal in the form of a thin film or a bulk crystal having a low carrier density of at most 5×1017/cm3 and preferably less than 1×1017/cm3 and which is suitable for use in various devices by liquid phase growth using a SiC solution in which the solvent is a melt of a Si alloy employs a Si alloy having a composition which is expressed by SixCryTiz wherein x, y, and z (each in atomic percent) satisfy 0.50<x<0.68, 0.08<y<0.35, and 0.08<z<0.35, or ??(1) 0.40<x?0.50, 0.15<y<0.40, and 0.15<z<0.35.??(2) x, y, and z preferably satisfy 0.53<x<0.65, 0.1<y<0.3, and 0.1<z<0.3.

Abstract: A control system and method for controlling temperatures while performing a MBE deposition process, wherein the control system comprises a MBE growth structure; a heater adapted to provide heat for the MBE deposition process on the MBE growth structure; and a control computer adapted to receive a plurality of dynamic feedback control signals derived from the MBE growth structure; switch among a plurality of control modes corresponding with the plurality of dynamic feedback control signals; and send an output power signal to the heater to control the heating for the MBE deposition process based on a combination of the plurality of control modes. In one embodiment, the plurality of dynamic feedback control signals comprises thermocouple signals and pyrometer signals.

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

Abstract: There is provided a method of vacuum evaporation comprising causing evaporated material (5) from vacuum evaporation source (20) furnished with container (1) with its one side open accommodating organic material (2) to form a film on opposed substrate (7), wherein the vacuum evaporation source has heating element (3) not fixed to the container, and being in contact with the surface of organic material held in the container, and wherein the organic material is evaporated by heating of the heating element only, the evaporated material released through at least one hole (6) or at least one slit made in the heating element.

Abstract: Reducing the microvoid (MV) density in AlN ameliorates numerous problems related to cracking during crystal growth, etch pit generation during the polishing, reduction of the optical transparency in an AlN wafer, and, possibly, growth pit formation during epitaxial growth of AlN and/or AlGaN. This facilitates practical crystal production strategies and the formation of large, bulk AlN crystals with low defect densities—e.g., a dislocation density below 104 cm?2 and an inclusion density below 104 cm?3 and/or a MV density below 104 cm?3.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a freestanding gallium nitride (GaN) substrate includes: preparing a GaN substrate within a reactor; supplying HCl and NH3 gases into the reactor to treat the surface of the GaN substrate and forming a porous GaN layer; forming a GaN crystal growth layer on the porous GaN layer; and cooling the GaN substrate on which the GaN crystal growth layer has been formed and separating the GaN crystal growth layer from the substrate. According to the fabrication method, the entire process including forming a porous GaN layer and a thick GaN layer is performed in-situ within a single reactor. The method is significantly simplified compared to a conventional fabrication method. The fabrication method enables the entire process to be performed in one chamber while allowing GaN surface treatment and growth to be performed using HVPE process gases, thus resulting in a significant reduction in manufacturing costs.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a group III nitride crystal on a seed crystal in a holding vessel holding therein a melt containing a group III metal, an alkali metal and nitrogen. The manufacturing method comprises the steps of causing the seed crystal to make a contact with the melt, setting an environment of the seed crystal to a first state offset from a crystal growth condition while in a state in which said seed crystal is in contact with the melt, increasing a nitrogen concentration in the melt, and setting the environment of the seed crystal to a second state suitable for crystal growth when the nitrogen concentration of the melt has reached a concentration suitable for growing the seed crystal.

Abstract: A single-crystal manufacturing apparatus comprises a chamber, a crucible in the chamber, a heater arranged around the crucible, a lifting mechanism for lifting a seed crystal, and a guide passage for the seed crystal and a grown single crystal. In the single-crystal manufacturing apparatus, a material polycrystal contained the crucible is melted by a heater, and the seed crystal is made to contact the molten polycrystal and is lifted. The single-crystal manufacturing apparatus comprises a cylindrical quartz tube having a curved bottom portion, and a dome-shaped quartz plate. The curved bottom portion faces the crucible from the upper portion of the chamber through the guide passage. The quartz plate is arranged to enclose the quartz tube. The quartz tube has a reflecting structure for reflecting a heat ray from at least its bottom portion whereas the quartz plate has a reflecting structure for reflecting the heat ray to the crucible.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method for large-scale manufacturing of gallium nitride is provided. The apparatus comprises a large diameter autoclave and a raw material basket. Methods include metered addition of dopants in the raw material and control of the atmosphere during crystal growth. The apparatus and methods are scalable up to very large volumes and are cost effective.

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

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An enclosure that maintains the environment of one or more optical crystals and allows efficient frequency conversion for light at wavelengths at or below 400 nm with minimal stress being placed on the crystals in the presence of varying temperatures. Efficient conversion may include multiple crystals of the same or different materials. Multiple frequency conversion steps may also be employed within a single enclosure. Materials that have been processed specifically to provide increased lifetimes, stability, and damage thresholds over designs previously available are employed. The enclosure allows pre-exposure processing of the crystal(s) such as baking at high temperatures and allowing real time measurement of crystal properties.

Abstract: A quartz glass crucible which has a non-transparent outer layer formed through melting a natural silica powder and a transparent layer formed in the inside of the outer layer, wherein the transparent layer comprises a natural quartz layer having a thickness of 0.4 to 5.0 mm transparent layer comprising a synthetic quarts glass is formed thereon in the inside of the crucible in the range of 0.15 to 0.55 L relative to L, which is the distance from the center of the bottom of the inner surface of the quartz glass crucible to the upper end thereof along the inner surface thereof. The quartz glass crucible can be suitably used for suppressing the occurrence of vibration and reducing the generation of roughened face in the surface of a crucible, and thus for pulling up a silicon single crystal with enhanced stability.

Abstract: A thin-film single crystal growing method includes preparing a substrate, irradiating an excitation beam on a metallic target made of a pure metal or an alloy in a predetermined atmosphere, and combining chemical species including any of atoms, molecules, and ions released from the metallic target by irradiation of the excitation beam with atoms contained in the predetermined atmosphere to form a thin film on the substrate.

Abstract: A crucible holding member includes a mesh body having an axis direction. The mesh body includes a hollow, an opening, and a plurality of strands. The hollow is provided inside the opening. The opening faces toward one end of the axis direction. The plurality of strands include a plurality of carbon fibers and are woven diagonally with respect to the axis direction to provide the hollow and the opening. The plurality of strands are folded inwardly or outwardly at an edge of the opening, thereby providing a two-layered portion along the edge of the opening. A matrix is filled between the plurality of carbon fibers of the mesh body.

Abstract: A method for purifying silicon bearing materials for photovoltaic applications includes providing metallurgical silicon into a crucible apparatus. The metallurgical silicon is subjected to at least a thermal process to cause the metallurgical silicon to change in state from a first state to a second state, the second stage being a molten state not exceeding 1500 Degrees Celsius. At least a first portion of impurities is caused to be removed from the metallurgical silicon in the molten state. The molten metallurgical silicon is cooled from a lower region to an upper region to cause the lower region to solidify while a second portion of impurities segregate and accumulate in a liquid state region. The liquid state region is solidified to form a resulting silicon structure having a purified region and an impurity region. The purified region is characterized by a purity of greater than 99.9999%.