Abstract: In order to improve a process for growing crystals from a molten zone which is heated and to which a source material is supplied which is melted and deposited in crystalline form on a substrate from the molten zone, such that dimensions of the substrate along an interface between the substrate and the molten zone are dependent to a lesser extent on dimensions of the source material supplied to the molten zone, it is suggested that the molten zone be mechanically stabilized by a wall member which forms a boundary of the molten zone and is essentially immovable relative to the molten zone, a base member which forms a lower boundary of the molten zone and is movable relative to the wall member and a meniscus arranged between the base member and the wall member.

Abstract: For milling root butts on round timber, a trunk is clamped at a predetermined location and non-rotatable, a milling shaft with a milling tool is brought into abutment against the trunk, the milling tool mills in the trunk butt in the abutment region to a predetermined radial depth, then by a rotary device it is moved around the trunk and mills the root butt over the entire trunk periphery with controlling of the respective radial depth of the milling shaft by a sensor arranged to sense the outer surface of the trunk.