Abstract: A method of growing a doped monocrystalline ingot using a crystal growing system is provided. The crystal growing system includes a growth chamber, a dopant feeding device, and a feed tube. The method includes preparing a melt of semiconductor or solar-grade material in a crucible disposed within the growth chamber, introducing a solid dopant into the feed tube with the dopant feeding device, melting the solid dopant within the feed tube to a form a liquid dopant, introducing the liquid dopant into the melt below a surface of the melt, and growing a monocrystalline ingot from the melt by contacting the melt with a seed crystal and pulling the seed crystal away from the melt.

Abstract: Methods for preparing an ingot in an ingot puller apparatus are disclosed. Thermal simulations are performed with the length of the ingot puller apparatus side heater being varied in the thermal simulations. A side heater is selected based on the thermal simulations. An ingot puller apparatus having the selected side heater length is provided. A seed crystal is lowered into a melt within a crucible of the ingot puller apparatus and an ingot is withdrawn from the melt.

Abstract: Crystal pulling systems having a fluid-cooled exhaust tube are disclosed. The fluid-cooled exhaust tube extends through the reactor housing and into the reaction chamber. In some embodiments, the exhaust tube extends through the bottom of the crystal puller housing and through a bottom heat shield within the ingot puller housing.

Abstract: A method of growing a doped monocrystalline ingot using a crystal growing system is provided. The crystal growing system includes a growth chamber, a dopant feeding device, and a feed tube. The method includes preparing a melt of semiconductor or solar-grade material in a crucible disposed within the growth chamber, introducing a solid dopant into the feed tube with the dopant feeding device, melting the solid dopant within the feed tube to a form a liquid dopant, introducing the liquid dopant into the melt below a surface of the melt, and growing a monocrystalline ingot from the melt by contacting the melt with a seed crystal and pulling the seed crystal away from the melt.

Abstract: A method of growing a doped monocrystalline ingot using a crystal growing system is provided. The crystal growing system includes a growth chamber, a dopant feeding device, and a feed tube. The method includes preparing a melt of semiconductor or solar-grade material in a crucible disposed within the growth chamber, introducing a solid dopant into the feed tube with the dopant feeding device, melting the solid dopant within the feed tube to a form a liquid dopant, introducing the liquid dopant into the melt below a surface of the melt, and growing a monocrystalline ingot from the melt by contacting the melt with a seed crystal and pulling the seed crystal away from the melt.

Abstract: A method of growing a doped monocrystalline ingot using a crystal growing system is provided. The crystal growing system includes a growth chamber, a dopant feeding device, and a feed tube. The method includes preparing a melt of semiconductor or solar-grade material in a crucible disposed within the growth chamber, introducing a solid dopant into the feed tube with the dopant feeding device, melting the solid dopant within the feed tube to a form a liquid dopant, introducing the liquid dopant into the melt below a surface of the melt, and growing a monocrystalline ingot from the melt by contacting the melt with a seed crystal and pulling the seed crystal away from the melt.

Abstract: A crystal pulling system for growing a monocrystalline ingot from a melt of semiconductor or solar-grade material includes a housing defining a growth chamber, a crucible disposed within the growth chamber containing the melt of semiconductor or solar-grade material, a vacuum pump for drawing exhaust gases out of the growth chamber, and a fluid-cooled exhaust tube connected between the growth chamber and the vacuum pump.

Abstract: A method of growing a doped monocrystalline ingot using a crystal growing system is provided. The crystal growing system includes a growth chamber, a dopant feeding device, and a feed tube. The method includes preparing a melt of semiconductor or solar-grade material in a crucible disposed within the growth chamber, introducing a solid dopant into the feed tube with the dopant feeding device, melting the solid dopant within the feed tube to a form a liquid dopant, introducing the liquid dopant into the melt below a surface of the melt, and growing a monocrystalline ingot from the melt by contacting the melt with a seed crystal and pulling the seed crystal away from the melt.

Abstract: A method of growing a doped monocrystalline ingot using a crystal growing system is provided. The crystal growing system includes a growth chamber, a dopant feeding device, and a feed tube. The method includes preparing a melt of semiconductor or solar-grade material in a crucible disposed within the growth chamber, introducing a solid dopant into the feed tube with the dopant feeding device, melting the solid dopant within the feed tube to a form a liquid dopant, introducing the liquid dopant into the melt below a surface of the melt, and growing a monocrystalline ingot from the melt by contacting the melt with a seed crystal and pulling the seed crystal away from the melt.

Abstract: A dopant feeding device for releasing dopant into a feeder system during doping of a crystal growing system includes a dopant container for holding the dopant, a lower valve, and an upper valve. The dopant container includes a wall defining a lower opening for releasing the dopant therethrough. The lower valve is positioned adjacent to the lower opening and is movable between a closed position that is in contact with the wall to prevent passage of dopant through the lower opening and an open position that is spaced from the lower opening to allow passage of dopant therethrough. The upper valve is positioned above and connected to the lower valve. The upper valve is disposed within the dopant container and is movable between a first position that is spaced from the dopant container and a second position that is in contact with the dopant container.

Abstract: A method of growing a doped monocrystalline ingot using a crystal growing system is provided. The crystal growing system includes a growth chamber, a dopant feeding device, and a feed tube. The method includes preparing a melt of semiconductor or solar-grade material in a crucible disposed within the growth chamber, introducing a solid dopant into the feed tube with the dopant feeding device, melting the solid dopant within the feed tube to a form a liquid dopant, introducing the liquid dopant into the melt below a surface of the melt, and growing a monocrystalline ingot from the melt by contacting the melt with a seed crystal and pulling the seed crystal away from the melt.

Abstract: A crystal pulling system for growing a monocrystalline ingot from a melt of semiconductor or solar-grade material includes a housing defining a growth chamber, a crucible disposed within the growth chamber containing the melt of semiconductor or solar-grade material, a vacuum pump for drawing exhaust gases out of the growth chamber, and a fluid-cooled exhaust tube connected between the growth chamber and the vacuum pump.

Abstract: A dopant feeding device for releasing dopant into a feeder system during doping of a crystal growing system includes a dopant container for holding the dopant, a lower valve, and an upper valve. The dopant container includes a wall defining a lower opening for releasing the dopant therethrough. The lower valve is positioned adjacent to the lower opening and is movable between a closed position that is in contact with the wall to prevent passage of dopant through the lower opening and an open position that is spaced from the lower opening to allow passage of dopant therethrough. The upper valve is positioned above and connected to the lower valve. The upper valve is disposed within the dopant container and is movable between a first position that is spaced from the dopant container and a second position that is in contact with the dopant container.

Abstract: A heat shield assembly is used in a Czochralski crystal puller for selectively shielding a monocrystalline ingot of semiconductor material to control the type and number density of agglomerated defects in the crystal structure of the ingot. The heat shield assembly has an upper heat shield connected to a lower heat shield. The upper and lower heat shields are connected to each other and slidingly connected to an intermediate heat shield. The lower heat shield is able to telescope up into the intermediate heat shield to minimize the profile of the heat shield assembly located within a crystal growth chamber of the crystal puller. However when needed to control formation of the monocrystalline ingot, the lower heat shield may be extended from the intermediate heat shield and project downwardly into the crystal puller crucible in close proximity to an upper surface of molten semiconductor source material in the crucible. A method employing the heat shield assembly is also disclosed.