Abstract: An intelligent switching system for switching internal cooling and external cooling and a method are provided. The system includes a vision system, a cooling system and a control system. The vision system monitors a real-time milling state of a cutter, collects a real-time milling depth image that the cutter mills a workpiece, and transmits the collected real-time milling depth image to the control system. The control system includes a lubrication mode control center, and a motor control center. The lubrication mode control center receives the real-time image transmitted by the image collection control center; analyzes and processes the real-time image to obtain real-time milling depth data of the cutter. The motor control center receives a signal sent by the lubrication mode control center; analyzes and processes the signal, and transmits a control instruction to the cooling system. The cooling system executes a switching command issued by the control system.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an internal cooling/external cooling-switching milling minimum-quantity-lubrication intelligent nozzle system and method, relating to the field of milling lubrication. The system includes: a vision system, configured to acquire a real-time milling depth of a workpiece and send the real-time milling depth to a lubrication manner controller for processing; a lubrication system, including an internal cooling system and an external cooling system connected together to a cutting fluid supply source through a reversing device; and the lubrication manner controller, configured to communicate with the vision system and the lubrication system respectively, and control the reversing device to act according to a set milling depth threshold and data acquired by the vision system, so as to adjust and switch to the internal cooling system or the external cooling system to work.

Abstract: A method of producing a monocrystalline silicon uses a monocrystal pull-up apparatus including a crucible, a crucible driver, a pull-up portion, a heat shield having a circular hollow cylindrical lower end portion, and a chamber. The heat shield satisfies a formula (1) below in growing the monocrystalline silicon, R?1.27×C??(1) where C represents a radius (mm) of a straight body of the monocrystalline silicon, and R represents an inner radius (mm) at the lower end portion of the heat shield.

Abstract: A method of production of a SiC single crystal uses the solution method to prevent the formation of defects due to seed touch, i.e., causing a seed crystal to touch the melt, and thereby cause growth of a SiC single crystal reduced in defect density. According to the method, a SiC seed crystal touches a melt containing Si in a graphite crucible to thereby cause growth of the SiC single crystal on the SiC seed crystal. The method includes making the SiC seed crystal touch the melt, and then making the melt rise in temperature once to a temperature higher than the temperature at the time of touch and also higher than the temperature for causing growth.

Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a vessel configured to contain a secondary magnetic induction field therein for melting materials, and methods of use thereof. The vessel can be used in an injection molding apparatus having an induction coil positioned along a horizontal axis and adjacent to the vessel. The vessel can have a tubular body configured to substantially surround and receive a plunger tip. At least one longitudinal slot extends through the thickness of the body to allow and/or direct eddy currents into the vessel during application of an RF induction field from the coil. The body also includes temperature regulating lines configured to flow a liquid within. The temperature regulating lines can be provided to run longitudinally within the wall(s) of the body between its inner bore and outer surface(s). A flange may be provided at one end of the body to secure the body within an injection molding apparatus.

Abstract: When pulling and growing a single crystal from a raw material melt by the Czochralski method, a boundary between the single crystal and the raw material melt is imaged by an optical sensor, and also the weight of the single crystal is measured by a weight sensor, a diameter value of the single crystal is calculated on the basis of first measured values of the diameter of the single crystal derived from image data captured by the optical sensor and second measured values of the diameter of the single crystal derived from weight data captured by the weight sensor, and a pulling rate of the single crystal and the temperature of the raw material melt are adjusted on the basis of the calculated diameter value to thereby control the diameter of the single crystal, and thus it is possible to accurately measure the diameter of a growing single crystal.

Abstract: This invention relates to a system and a method for liquid silicon containment, such as during the casting of high purity silicon used in solar cells or solar modules. The containment apparatus includes a shielding ember adapted to prevent breaching molten silicon from contacting structural elements or cooling elements of a casting device, and a volume adapted to hold a quantity of breaching molten silicon with the volume formed by a bottom and one or more sides.

Abstract: A static fluid and a second fluid are placed into contact along a microfluidic free interface and allowed to mix by diffusion without convective flow across the interface. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the fluids are static and initially positioned on either side of a closed valve structure in a microfluidic channel having a width that is tightly constrained in at least one dimension. The valve is then opened, and no-slip layers at the sides of the microfluidic channel suppress convective mixing between the two fluids along the resulting interface. Applications for microfluidic free interfaces in accordance with embodiments of the present invention include, but are not limited to, protein crystallization studies, protein solubility studies, determination of properties of fluidics systems, and a variety of biological assays such as diffusive immunoassays, substrate turnover assays, and competitive binding assays.

Abstract: This invention relates to a system and a method for liquid silicon containment, such as during the casting of high purity silicon used in solar cells or solar modules. The containment apparatus includes a shielding member adapted to prevent breaching molten silicon from contacting structural elements or cooling elements of a casting device, and a volume adapted to hold a quantity of breaching molten silicon with the volume formed by a bottom and one or more sides.

Abstract: A substrate processing system includes an optical measurement assembly coupled to an exterior of a processing chamber that has a portion that is transparent. The processing chamber includes a reference object and a pedestal for supporting a work piece. The optical measurement assembly measures a lateral location, a height and a tilt of the pedestal by transmitting light into the processing chamber through the transparent portion of the processing chamber and detecting a reflected light from both the reference object and the portion of the pedestal after the reflected light leaves the chamber through the transparent portion of the processing chamber. A method of adjusting a pedestal includes analyzing the reflected light and leveling the pedestal, translating the pedestal, calibrating the pedestal height to a preheat ring level, and checking the level and location of the pedestal in response to the analyzed reflected light.

Abstract: A phase modulation element according to the present invention has a first area having a first phase value based on a phase modulation unit having a predetermined size and a second area having a second phase value based on the phase modulation unit having the predetermined size, and each phase distribution is defined by a change in area shares of the first area and the second area depending on each position.

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.

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.

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: There is provided a method and apparatus for assessing in-situ crystal formation in a test sample. Both optical imaging and X-ray diffraction techniques are utilized, with the results of these processes being combined in such a way as to produce an overall score relating to the aptness of crystalline material for harvesting and subsequent X-ray crystallography.

Abstract: The liquid surface position of the melt in the crucible in the silicon single crystal growth process utilizing the Czochralski method is monitored using the melt surface position on the occasion of seeding as a reference position and an estimated melt surface position can be calculated according to every situation, so that the distance between the melt and the thermal shield or water-cooling structure can be controlled with high precision. When the estimated melt surface position passes a preset upper limit and approaches the thermal shield, an alarm goes off and, further, when the melt comes into contact with the thermal shield or approaches the water-cooling structure, an alarm goes off if desired and, at the same time, the crucible is forcedly stopped from moving, so that a serious accident such as steam-incurred explosion resulting from the melt coming into contact with the water-cooling structure can be prevented.

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.

Abstract: A method comprising the steps of continuously changing the concentrations in solution of a biomacromolecule to be crystallized and a precipitant, thereby constructing a crystal phase diagram containing a solubility curve, searching for optimum conditions of crystallization on the basis of the constructed crystal phase diagram, and performing efficient growth of the crystal of the biomacromolecule. Also disclosed is an apparatus for implementing the method.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for growing and observing the growth of epitaxial layers on a wafer. The apparatus includes: epitaxial growth apparatus; a source of light mounted to illuminate an entire surface of the wafer in the apparatus during growth of the epitaxial layer on the entire surface of the wafer; and apparatus for observing scattering of the light from the entire surface of the wafer during growth of the epitaxial layer on the entire surface of the wafer. The method includes growing the epitaxial layer on a surface of the wafer and observing scattering of the light from the entire surface of the wafer during growth of the epitaxial layer on the entire surface of the wafer. The growing process is varied in accordance with the observation. With an epitaxial layer of gallium nitride (GaN) the entire surface of the wafer is observed for balls of gallium.

Abstract: The invention is to provide a transfer/inspection apparatus capable of inspecting any defect even during transferring and to provide a transfer/inspection apparatus capable of inspecting any defect in a non-contact state during transferring, even if the an object to be transferred is a transparent material. The transfer/inspection apparatus includes a transfer apparatus 2, and a defect inspector 3. The transfer apparatus 2 transfers a thin member 5 in a non-contacted state under control of voltage to be applied to an electrode face, and the defect inspector inspects any defect of the thin member during transferring the thin member. The transfer apparatus 2 is preferably provided with a light beam-transmitting portion (omitted portion 15) at a part of the electrode face for allowing the light beam therethrough.

Abstract: A method of forming a polycrystalline silicon layer includes: disposing a mask over the amorphous silicon layer, the mask having a plurality of transmissive regions, the plurality of transmissive regions being disposed in a stairstep arrangement spaced apart from each other in a first direction and a second direction substantially perpendicular from the first direction, each transmissive region having a central portion and first and second side portions that are adjacent to opposite ends of the central portion along the first direction, and wherein each of the portions has a length along the first direction and a width along the second direction, and wherein the width of first and second portions decreases away from the central portion along the first direction; irradiating a laser beam onto the amorphous silicon layer a first time through the mask to form a plurality of first irradiated regions corresponding to the plurality of transmissive regions, each first irradiated region having a central portion, and

Abstract: A phase modulation element according to the present invention has a first area having a first phase value based on a phase modulation unit having a predetermined size and a second area having a second phase value based on the phase modulation unit having the predetermined size, and each phase distribution is defined by a change in area shares of the first area and the second area depending on each position.

Abstract: A process for producing a single-crystal silicon wafer, comprises the following steps: producing a layer on the front surface of the silicon wafer by epitaxial deposition or production of a layer whose electrical resistance differs from the electrical resistance of the remainder of the silicon wafer on the front surface of the silicon wafer, or production of an external getter layer on the back surface of the silicon wafer, and heat treating the silicon wafer at a temperature which is selected to be such that an inequality (1) [ Oi ] < [ Oi ] eq ? ( T ) ? exp ? 2 ? ? SiO ? ? 2 ? ? rkT is satisfied, where [Oi] is an oxygen concentration in the silicon wafer, [Oi]eq(T) is a limit solubility of oxygen in silicon at a temperature T, ?SiO2 is the surface energy of silicon dioxide, ? is a volume of a precipitated oxygen atom, r is a mean COP and k the Boltzmann constant, with the silicon wafer, during the heat treatment, at least part of the time being exposed to an oxygen-con

Abstract: A group-III nitride crystal growth method comprises the steps of: a) preparing a mixed molten liquid of an alkaline material and a substance at least containing a group-III metal; b) causing growth of a group-III nitride crystal from the mixed molten liquid prepared in the step a) and a substance at least containing nitrogen; and c) creating a state in which nitrogen can be introduced into the molten liquid prepared by the step a).

Abstract: A plume (109) is generated by irradiating a side face of a graphite rod (101) with a laser beam (103) to vaporize carbon. The vaporized carbon is introduced to a carbon nanohorn recovery chamber (119) through a recovery pipe (155), and the vaporized carbon is recovered as a carbon nanohorn assembly (117). A cooling tank (150) including liquid nitrogen (151) is arranged in the recovery pipe (155). While the cooling tank (150) controls the plume (109) at a low temperature, the cooling tank (150) cools the carbon vapor when the carbon vapor passes through the recovery pipe (155). The cooled carbon vapor is recovered as the carbon nanohorn assembly (117) which is controlled in the desired shape and dimensions.

Abstract: A first optical modulation element irradiates a non-single-crystal substance with a light beam which is to have a first light intensity distribution on the non-single crystal substance by modulating an intensity of an incident first light beam, thereby melting the substance. A second optical modulation element irradiates the substance with a light beam which is to have a second light intensity distribution on the substance by modulating an intensity of an incident second light beam, thereby melting the substance. An illumination system causes the light beam having the second light intensity distribution to enter the molten part of the substance in a period that the substance is partially molten by irradiation of the light beam having the first light intensity distribution.

Abstract: The invention provides a crystallizing method and an apparatus for producing a biopolymer capable of simplifying operations for taking out a produced crystal and mounting the crystal onto a crystal structure analyzer, thereby improving efficiency in the operations as well as reducing a labor burden. A crystallizing apparatus for producing a biopolymer crystal from a solution containing a biopolymer includes a crystal-growing chip 10 made of a material allowing electromagnetic waves to permeate through the chip, and in which a circular frame 16 is formed to retain a droplet 20 of a solution containing a biopolymer and a biopolymer crystal 28 produced in the droplet.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for growing and observing the growth of epitaxial layers on a wafer. The apparatus includes: epitaxial growth apparatus; a source of light mounted to illuminate an entire surface of the wafer in the apparatus during growth of the epitaxial layer on the entire surface of the wafer; and apparatus for observing scattering of the light from the entire surface of the wafer during growth of the epitaxial layer on the entire surface of the wafer. The method includes growing the epitaxial layer on a surface of the wafer and observing scattering of the light from the entire surface of the wafer during growth of the epitaxial layer on the entire surface of the wafer. The growing process is varied in accordance with the observation. With an epitaxial layer of gallium nitride (GaN) the entire surface of the wafer is observed for balls of gallium.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a pulling-down apparatus that can breed a crystal having good characteristics of scintillation. The apparatus retains in a container that can control an atmosphere a melting pot having a narrow hole at the bottom side thereof, an induction heating device, and a seed-holding device that holds a seed and is pulled down so that a crystal formed successively to the seed is pulled down. Concurrently, imaging devices are arranged that can pick up images of a solid-liquid interface between the crystal and a melt material, from different directions, and the seed-holding device can be travel along directions perpendicular to respective image pickup directions in a horizontal plane.

Abstract: A vapor-phase growth apparatus including a reaction furnace, a wafer container disposed in said furnace, a gas supply member, and a heating member, wherein the apparatus is designed to form a grown film on a front surface of the wafer by supplying a source gas in a high temperature state while the heating member heats the wafer in the reaction furnace through the wafer container. The wafer container includes a heat flow control section having a space for disposing a wafer; and a heat flow transmitting section joined to the heat flow control section. The contact heat resistance Rg between the heat flow control section and the heat flow transmitting section is not less than 1.0×10?6 m2K/W to not more than 5.0×10?3 m2K/W. The heat flow control section is made of a material having a coefficient of thermal conductivity 5 to 20 times that of the wafer.

Abstract: The present invention includes a microplate for performing crystallography studies. In particular, the microplate has a frame that includes a plurality of wells formed therein. Each well includes a first well and a second well. The first well includes a relatively large reservoir capable of receiving a reagent solution. The second well includes a relatively small reservoir having a substantially concaved form capable of receiving a protein solution and a reagent solution. The second well is suspended above the first well such that space on the plate is conserved and to enable protein crystal growth utilizing a hanging drop vapor diffusion crystallization process.

Abstract: A crystallization apparatus includes an optical illumination system to illuminate a phase shift mask and which irradiates an amorphous semiconductor film with a light beam having an inverse peak type light intensity distribution including a minimum light intensity in a point corresponding to a phase shift portion of the phase shift mask to produce a crystallized semiconductor film. A wavefront dividing element is disposed on a light path between the optical illumination system and the phase shift mask. The wavefront dividing element wavefront-divides the light beam supplied from the optical illumination system into a plurality of light beams, and condenses the wavefront-divided light beams in the corresponding phase shift portion or in the vicinity of the portion.

Abstract: A crystallization apparatus includes an illumination optical system to illuminate a phase shift mask and which irradiates an amorphous semiconductor film with a light beam having an intensity distribution of an inverse peak type having a smallest light intensity in a point corresponding to a phase shift portion of the phase shift mask to generate a crystallized semiconductor film. A convergence/divergence element is disposed on a light path between the illumination optical system and phase shift mask. The convergence/divergence element converts the light beam supplied from the illumination optical system into a light beam having an upward concave intensity distribution in which the light intensity is lowest in the phase shift portion and in which the light intensity increases as distant from the phase shift portion to irradiate the phase shift mask.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that allow the high-throughput preparation, processing, and study of arrays of samples, each of which comprises at least one compound. Particular embodiments of the invention allow a large number of experiments to be performed in parallel on samples that comprised of one or more compounds on the milligram or microgram quantities of compounds. Other embodiments of the invention encompass methods and devices for the rapid screening of the results of such experiments, as well as methods and devices for rapidly determining whether or not similarities exist among groups of samples in an array. Particular embodiments of the invention encompass methods and devices for the high-throughput preparation of different forms of compounds (e.g., different crystalline forms), for the discovery of new forms of old compounds, and for the discovery of new methods of producing such forms.

Abstract: A device and process for the determination of the diameters of a crystal that is pulled from a liquified material. In this connection several video cameras are provided, each of which reproduces its own section along the vertical axis of the crystal or in a direction vertical to it. The image angles of the camera are laid out in such a way that the object to be reproduced completely fills the entire picture plane—at least in one direction. For objects with a small diameter; e.g., the crystal neck, a camera with a small image angle is used, while for objects with a large diameter; e.g., the crystal body, a camera with a large image angle is used.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling the thickness of a pair of dendrites in a dendritic silicon web growth process to improve dendritic silicon web production. An image of each dendrite in a web emerging from a silicon melt in a furnace is produced by a pair of cameras focused on the dendrite pair. The dendrite images are digitized, the average thickness of the dendrites is calculated, and compared to set point parameters. The average difference between the dendrite thicknesses and the set point parameters is used to control the overall furnace temperature, while the differences between the thickness of each pair are used to control the lateral temperature distribution in the furnace in order to maintain the dendrite thickness within predetermined limits.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for concentrating impurity contained in a semiconductor crystal sample 11 by irradiating repeatedly a specified position of the semiconductor crystal sample 11 with a laser beam having a specified intensity by means of a laser oscillator 13. Then the invention provides a method for analyzing impurity contained in the impurity concentrated area of the semiconductor crystal sample 11 in high sensitivity by means of a specified physical analyzing means. According to demand, a method of the invention concentrates impurity by means of a laser beam after forming an insulating film such as an oxide film and the like transparent to the laser beam on the surface of the semiconductor crystal sample. At the same time, the invention provides a concentrator and an analyzer to be used for these concentrating method and analyzing method.

Abstract: A temperature controlled source cell for use in the practice of thin film depositions by molecular beam epitaxy is described which includes an optical sensor for monitoring source temperature, the sensor including a light pipe having one end near the source and the other end coupled to a fiber optic probe which carries light from the light pipe to a remote optical detector.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) and method are provided for directly viewing, through a viewport assembly (26), the process for forming a layer of mercury cadmium telluride of a predetermined composition on a surface of a wafer (not shown). According to the invention, a molten melt (20) comprising mercury, cadmium and tellurium is provided in a vertically oriented crystal growth chamber (14), which, in turn, is housed in a reactor tube (12). A wafer (not shown) is contacted with the crystal growth melt while cooling the melt below its liquidus temperature at a predetermined rate sufficient to cause a crystal growth layer of mercury cadmium telluride to form on the wafer (not shown). Viewports (26, 48) located approximately radially adjacent to the melt (22) provide direct see through capability to visually monitor the crystal growth process.

Abstract: A material processing apparatus includes a plurality of syringes provided detachable on a base member and containing fluids that are used for processing a material; A processing chamber is provided detachable on the base member for causing the material processing: An actuation mechanism actuates the plurality of syringes to supply the fluids in the syringes to the processing chamber; An interconnection fixture connects the plurality of syringes to the processing chamber for transporting the fluids in the plurality of syringes to the processing chamber. The plurality of syringes are provided detachable with respect to the interconnection fixture, and the processing chamber is provided detachable with respect to the interconnection fixture.