Abstract: Provided are a crucible which prevents polycrystal formation to easily allow growth of optical part material single crystals, and a single crystal growth method employing the crucible. The crucible has a smooth surface of about Rmax 3.2 s as the surface roughness of the wall surface 1H, concave curved plane 1J, cone surface 1F and convex curved plane 1L of the starting material carrying section 1D and the wall surface 1K of the seed carrying section 1E, which constitute the inner surface of the crucible of a crucible body 1A.

Abstract: A method for forming a poly-silicon film, using sequential lateral solidification (SLS) by laser irradiation through an optical device to pattern the laser beam and provide a periodic energy profile on the edges of transparent regions so as to widen the poly-silicon grains and achieve grain size uniformity. The optical device comprises a plurality of first transparent regions with a length of L, wherein at least one side of the edge of each of the first transparent regions has a first periodic shape.

Abstract: A crystal manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a group III nitride crystal includes a crucible that holds a mixed molten liquid including an alkali metal and a group III metal; a reaction vessel accommodating the crucible in the reaction vessel; a heating device that heats the crucible with the reaction vessel; a holding vessel having a lid that is capable of opening and closing, accommodating the reaction vessel and the heating device in the holding vessel; a sealed vessel accommodating the holding vessel in the sealed vessel, having an operating device that enables opening the lid of the holding vessel for supplying source materials into the crucible and taking out a manufactured GaN crystal under a sealed condition, and closing the lid of the holding vessel that is sealed in the sealed vessel, the sealed vessel including an inert gas atmosphere or a nitrogen atmosphere; and a gas supplying device for supplying a nitrogen gas to the mixed molten liquid through each of the vessels.

Abstract: A crystal forming apparatus and method for using the apparatus, the method including depositing a precipitant solution in a site, incubating the site, during which time volatile vapor evaporates from the precipitant solution and accumulates in the site, and pumping the accumulated volatile vapor away from the site. An exemplary apparatus includes a sealed site except for a vent on the sealed site. In one embodiment, the vent is a passive vent that inhibits vapor diffusion out of the site. In another embodiment, the vent is an active vent that opens in response to a pressure differential. The present invention accelerates and controls the crystal growth process by pumping volatile vapor away from the sealed site.

Abstract: A physical vapor transport system includes a growth chamber charged with source material and a seed crystal in spaced relation, and at least one capsule having at least one capillary extending between an interior thereof and an exterior thereof, wherein the interior of the capsule is charged with a dopant. Each capsule is installed in the growth chamber. Through a growth reaction carried out in the growth chamber following installation of each capsule therein, a crystal is formed on the seed crystal using the source material, wherein the formed crystal is doped with the dopant.

Abstract: A method for growing a crystal of an Al-containing III-V group compound semiconductor by the conventional HVPE method, characterized in that it comprises a step of reacting Al with hydrogen halide at a temperature of 700° C. or lower to form a halide of Al. The method has allowed the suppression of the formation of aluminum chloride (AlCl) or aluminum bromide (AlBr) reacting violently with quartz, which is the material of a reaction vessel for the growth, resulting in the achievement of the vapor phase growth of an Al-containing III-V group compound semiconductor at a rate of 100 microns/hr or more, which has lead to the mass-production of a substrate and a semiconductor element having satisfactory resistance to adverse environment.

Abstract: A SiC single crystal is produced by the solution growth method in which a seed crystal attached to a seed shaft is immersed in a solution of SiC dissolved in a melt of Si or a Si alloy and a SiC single crystal is allowed to grow on the seed crystal by gradually cooling the solution or by providing a temperature gradient therein. To this method, accelerated rotation of a crucible is applied by repeatedly accelerating to a prescribed rotational speed and holding at that speed and decelerating to a lower rotational speed or a 0 rotational speed. The rotational direction of the crucible may be reversed each acceleration. The seed shaft may also be rotated synchronously with the rotation of the crucible in the same or opposite rotational as the crucible. A large, good quality single crystal having no inclusions are produced with a high crystal growth rate.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for manufacturing a polycrystalline silicon ingot for solar batteries having a door control device using a hinge. The apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, a crucible, a susceptor which surrounds the crucible, a heater which heats the crucible, and an insulation plate which is disposed below the susceptor and has an opening therein. The apparatus further includes a cooling plate which moves upwards through the opening of the insulation plate and comes into close contact with or approaches the lower end of the susceptor, a cooling plate moving unit which actuates the cooling plate, a temperature sensor which measures the temperature of the crucible, and a control unit which controls the temperature in the crucible and the cooling plate moving unit. Furthermore, a door is provided on the insulation plate to open or close the opening of the insulation plate. The hinge is provided between the door and the insulation plate.

Abstract: A post-growth optical afterheater system includes an appropriate choice of optical heat source for the single crystal material to be heated, a power adjustment module for controlling the optical power heating the crystal, and suitable focusing optics to focus the heating beam onto the crystal. The heat source may be a laser of appropriate wavelength or an incoherent source of sufficient power. In one embodiment, the power adjustment module is an optical attenuator, either of crossed-polarizer design or of intersecting wire grids. The focusing optics may be refractive, reflective, or catadioptric, depending on factors such as diameter, cost target, and space available in the crystal growth apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for pulling a crystal seed from melt for growing a single crystal. The method includes the steps of providing a crucible and providing within the crucible an outer container, and providing coaxially within the outer container an inner container. A protruding portion of the inner container protrudes downward relative to the outer container for containing melt, the inner and outer containers defining an annular channel therebetween which has a bottom wall and contains introduced charge feed. The method further includes the steps of providing for allowing fluid communication between the annular channel and the inner container, delivering charge feed into the annular channel, and generating heat from within the annular channel for preventing the formation of a condensate of the charge feed within the annular channel.

Abstract: An apparatus for fabricating a GaN single crystal and a fabrication method for producing GaN single crystal ingot are provided. The apparatus includes: a reactor including a ceiling, a floor and a wall with a predetermined height encompassing an internal space between the ceiling and the floor, wherein the ceiling is opposite to the floor; a quartz vessel on the floor containing Ga metal; a mount installed on the ceiling on which a GaN substrate is mounted, the GaN substrate being opposite to the quartz vessel; a first gas supplying unit supplying the quartz vessel with hydrogen chloride (HCl) gas; a second gas supplying unit supplying the internal space of the reactor with ammonia (NH3) gas; and a heating unit installed in conjunction with the wall of the reactor for heating the internal space, wherein the lower portion of the internal space is heated to a higher temperature than the upper portion.

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: Apparatus and method for forming a polycrystalline silicon thin film by converting an amorphous silicon thin film into the polycrystalline silicon thin film using a metal are provided. The method includes: a metal nucleus adsorbing step of introducing a vapor phase metal compound into a process space where the glass substrate having the amorphous silicon formed thereon is disposed, to adsorb a metal nucleus contained in the metal compound into the amorphous silicon layer; a metal nucleus distribution region-forming step of forming a community region including a plurality of silicon particles every metal nucleus in a plane boundary region occupied by the metal compound by a self-limited mechanism due to the adsorption of the metal nucleus; and an excess gas removing step of purging and removing an excess gas which is not adsorbed in the metal nucleus distribution region-forming step.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing surface stabilized nanometer-sized particles, the method including the steps of forming the aerosol by mixing reactants, a surface-stabilizing surfactant, and a liquid to form a mixture, forming a mist of droplets of the mixture, heating the droplets to cause a reaction between species of the mixture and collecting the nanometer-sized products. The method for producing various size, shape and size distribution of nanoparticles by changing the ratio of the reagents and the ligands in the mixture of precursors.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a compound single crystal that can improve a growth rate and grow a large single crystal with high crystal uniformity in a short time, and a production apparatus used for the method. The compound single crystal is grown while stirring a material solution to create a flow from a gas-liquid interface in contact with a source gas toward the inside of the material solution. With this stirring, the source gas can be dissolved easily in the material solution, and supersaturation can be achieved in a short time, thus improving the growth rate of the compound single crystal. Moreover, the flow formed by the stirring goes from the gas-liquid interface where a source gas concentration is high to the inside of the material solution where the source gas concentration is low, so that dissolution of the source gas becomes uniform.

Abstract: A method is provided that comprises generating a screen storage plate that contains screen solutions at a screen generation station; employing a transport mechanism to transport the screen storage plate from the screen generation station to a screen storage station; storing the screen storage plate in the screen storage station among a plurality of screen storage plates; having the screen storage station retrieve screen storage plate from among the plurality of screen storage plates stored within the screen storage station; and having a crystallization trial generation station generate crystallization trials in a crystallization plate incorporating the screen in the retrieved screen storage plate; wherein the method is performed in a single automated system.

Abstract: A crystallization system is provided comprising: a screen replicator configured to transfer screen solutions from wells of a screen storage plate into well regions of multiple crystallization plates; a trial generation station configured to generate crystallization trials in the trial zones of a crystallization plate; a transport mechanism configured to transport crystallization plates from the screen replicator to the trial generation station; and a controller having logic for causing the screen replicator to transfer the screen solutions from the screen storage plate to multiple crystallization plates, logic for causing the transport mechanism to transport the crystallization plates from the screen replicator to the trial generation station and logic for causing the trial generation station to generate crystallization trials in the crystallization plates.

Abstract: A silicon production reactor including a reaction vessel and heating element, the reaction vessel has a vertically extending wall and a space surrounded by the wall, the heating element being capable of heating at least a part, including lower end portion, of the wall's surface facing the space to a temperature of not lower than the melting point of silicon, the silicon production reactor being adapted to flow raw gas for silicon deposition from an upper part of the space of the reaction vessel toward a lower part thereof, characterized in that the space of the reaction vessel is of slit form in cross-sectional view. This silicon production reactor is capable of attaining improvement with respect to problems encountered at apparatus scale-up, such as decrease of reactivity of raw gas and generation of by-products, thereby accomplishing a striking enhancement of production efficiency.

Abstract: A seed crystal holder for growing single crystals, such as for use in scintillation detectors for nuclear medicine. The holder includes a cooling shaft, a fastener attached to the cooling shaft, and a gasket for separating the cooling shaft from the seed crystal. The gasket is made of a heat-transferable material such as steel wool or metallic foil to conduct heat from the seed crystal to the cooling shaft, while also providing a cushioning effect to cushion the seed crystal against potentially damaging motion forces.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a single crystal includes the steps of: flowing a raw material gas toward a seed crystal in a reactive chamber so that the single crystal grows from the seed crystal; controlling the raw material gas by a gas flow control member having a cylindrical shape; passing the raw material gas through a clearance between the seed crystal and an inner wall of the gas flow control member; and flowing a part of the raw material gas to bypass the seed crystal. The method provides the single crystal having good quality.

Abstract: Semiconductor wafers of silicon are produced by pulling a single crystal from a melt contained in a crucible and slicing semiconductor wafers from the pulled single crystal, heat being delivered to a center of the growing single crystal at the boundary with the melt during the pulling of the single crystal, a CUSP magnetic field applied such that a neutral surface of the CUSP magnetic field intersects a pulling axis of the single crystal at a distance of at least 50 mm from a surface of the melt. An apparatus suitable therefore contains a CUSP field positioned such that a neutral field intersects the axis of the crystal in the crucible 50 mm or more from the melt surface.

Abstract: A method and a device to grow from the vapor phase, a single crystal of either SiC, a group III-nitride, or alloys thereof, at a growth rate and for a period of time sufficient to produce a crystal of preferably several centimeters length. The diameter of the growing crystal may be controlled. To prevent the formation of undesirable polycrystalline deposits on surfaces in the downstream vicinity of the single crystal growth area, the local supersaturation of at least one component of the material grown is lowered by introducing a separate gas flow comprising at least one halogen element or a combination of said halogen and hydrogen species.

Abstract: A method of producing a high quality bulk single crystal of silicon carbide in a seeded growth system is disclosed. The method includes positioning the seed crystal in a crucible while exerting minimal torsional forces on the seed crystal to thereby prevent torsional forces from warping or bowing the seed crystal in a manner that that would otherwise encourage sublimation from the rear of the seed crystal or undesired thermal differences across the seed crystal.

Abstract: To reduce the heat input to the bottom of the crucible and to control heat extraction independently of heat input, a shield can be raised between a heating element and a crucible at a controlled speed as the crystal grows. Other steps could include moving the crucible, but this process can avoid having to move the crucible. A temperature gradient is produced by shielding only a portion of the heating element; for example, the bottom portion of a cylindrical element can be shielded to cause heat transfer to be less in the bottom of the crucible than at the top, thereby causing a stabilizing temperature gradient in the crucible.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus for forming a semiconductor film having an excellent crystallinity from a non-single crystal semiconducting layer formed on a base layer made of an insulating material. The apparatus includes a light source, a homogenizer for homogenizing an intensity distribution of the emitted light, an amplitude-modulation means for performing the amplitude-modulation such that the amplitude of the light, of which the intensity distribution is homogenized, is increased in the direction of the relative motion of the light to the base layer, an optional light projection optical system for projecting the amplitude-modulated light onto the surface of the non-single crystal semiconductor such that a predetermined irradiation energy can be obtained, a phase shifter for providing a low temperature point in the surface irradiated by the light, and a substrate stage to move the light relative to the substrate thereby enabling scanning in the X and Y axis.

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: A unibody, multi-piece crucible for use in for use in elemental purification, compounding, and growth of semi-conductor crystals, e.g., in the process of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) for melting silicon and the like at high temperature. The crucible has an outer coating layer that fixedly joins the multi pieces making up the crucible. The invention also provides a method for making a unibody containing structure comprising pyrolytic boron nitride having a negative draft, which method obviates the need of complicated overhang structure of graphite mandrels or the removal of the graphite mandrels by burning at high temperatures.

Abstract: Disclosed therein is an apparatus for producing a polycrystalline silicon ingot for a solar cell, which has uniform crystal grains formed by solidifying silicon melted in a crucible using a cooling plate. The polycrystalline silicon ingot producing apparatus includes: a crucible for melting silicon; conveying shafts for adjusting the height of the crucible; heaters for heating the crucible; and a cooling plate located below the crucible for cooling the crucible.

Abstract: A seed crystal fixing apparatus for fixing the seed crystal on the seed crystal setting part of a reaction vessel with interposition of the adhesive, has a chamber configured to place the seed crystal setting part and form a hermetic atmosphere within the chamber; and a pressure part placed within the chamber for uniformly applying a pressure on the entire surface of the seed crystal.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing calcium fluoride single crystal includes the step of cooling the calcium fluoride single crystal so that maximum shear stress inside the calcium fluoride single crystal caused by thermal stress is approximately equal to or smaller than critical resolved shear stress (?c) in a <1 1 0> direction of on a {0 0 1} plane of the calcium fluoride single crystal.

Abstract: A laser annealing apparatus for crystallizing a semiconductor film with a linearly radiating laser beam including a laser oscillator and laser optical systems for forming a laser beam radiated from the laser oscillator linearly, for application to a semiconductor film. Each linearly radiating laser beam from each laser optical system radiated onto the semiconductor film is arrayed almost linearly in a length direction, with an interval on the semiconductor film.

Abstract: A method of heating an optical member includes providing the optical member, directing heat from a heat source toward the optical member, and distributing the heat about the optical member through a high-thermal-conductivity apparatus disposed between the heat source and the optical member such that a surface of the apparatus defining a volume for receiving the optical member will have a substantially uniform temperature.

Abstract: A system for heating optical members includes a thermally-conductive inner housing defining an interior volume for receiving an optical member to be heated, a thermally-insulative outer housing at least partially containing the thermally-conductive inner housing, and a heating structure disposed outside the inner housing and configured to provide heat through the thermally-conductive inner housing and into the interior volume defined by the inner housing.

Abstract: A production apparatus for producing a crystal includes a crucible divided into a plurality of stages, each stage containing a crystal precursor material, and a heater arranged to heat the crucible. The crucible has formed therein a degassing hole in a side wall portion thereof for discharging an impurity gas produced when refining the crystal precursor material by adding a scavenger thereto, and a lower portion of a first stage of the plurality of stages is positioned to cover an upper edge of a wall portion of a second stage of the plurality of stages. The overall height of the plurality of stages is 10 mm to 50 mm, the degassing hole has a diameter of 1 mm to 5 mm, and a fluoride crystal is formed from the crystal precursor material.

Abstract: Foamed polycrystalline silicon having bubbles therein and an apparent density of 2.20 g/cm3 or less. This silicon generates an extremely small amount of fine grains by crushing and can be easily crushed. There is also provided a method of producing foamed polycrystalline silicon. There is further provided a polycrystalline silicon production apparatus in which the deposition and melting of silicon are carried out on the inner surface of a cylindrical vessel, a chlorosilane feed pipe is inserted into the cylindrical vessel to a silicon molten liquid, and seal gas is supplied into a space between the cylindrical vessel and the chlorosilane feed pipe.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multilayer structured quartz glass crucible, for pulling up silicon single crystal, whose structure has at least three layers comprising: a translucent outer layer made of naturally occurring quartz glass and having a large number of pores, a translucent intermediate layer, made of synthetic quartz glass and having a large number of pores, and a transparent inner layer substantially free from pores and made of a synthetic quartz glass. Thermal convection within the silicon melt is suppressed by use of the quartz glass crucible, thereby preventing oscillation on the surface of the silicon melt. A method for producing the quartz glas crucible is also disclosed.

Abstract: A liquid phase growth method is provided which comprises dipping a seed substrate in a solution in a vessel having a crystal raw material melted therein and growing a crystal on the substrate, wherein a fin is provided on a bottom of the vessel, for regulating a flow of the solution from a central portion outside in a radial direction in the vessel; a flow-regulating plate is provided in the vicinity of an inner sidewall of the vessel, for regulating a flow of the solution from the bottom upwardly; and the vessel is rotated while regulating a flow of the solution by an action of the fin and the flow-regulating plate to bring the solution into contact with the seed substrate. Thus, there is provided a liquid phase growth method and apparatus capable of providing a high growth rate and showing little difference in the growth rate among the substrates or within the same substrate even when a number of substrates are charged in one batch.

Abstract: A crystal forming apparatus and method for using the apparatus, the apparatus including a plate and a film. The plate has a site adapted to hold a screening solution. The film is adjacent to the plate. The film seals the site and is adapted to contain a precipitant solution inside the site with an air gap between the screening solution and the precipitant solution. In a preferred embodiment, the film is transparent. In another preferred embodiment, the plate comprises a second transparent film supported by a lattice structure and the precipitant solution is sandwiched between the two films.

Abstract: A furnace for growing a high volume of crystals includes a plurality of individual growth stations and first and second heater matrixes. Each individual growth station has a crucible and an insulating container generally surrounding the crucible and thermally isolating the crucible from the other individual growth stations. The first and second heater matrices each include at least two legs electrically connected in parallel and each of the legs have at least two resistance heaters electrically connected in series. Each of the individual growth stations have at least one of the resistance heaters within the first heater matrix and at least one of the resistance heaters within the second heater matrix associated therewith. The resistance heaters of the first heater matrix are located above the crucibles and are preferably adapted to provide a homogeneous temperature across tops of the crucibles.

Abstract: Reactive gas is released through a crystal source material or melt to react with impurities and carry the impurities away as gaseous products or as precipitates or in light or heavy form. The gaseous products are removed by vacuum and the heavy products fall to the bottom of the melt. Light products rise to the top of the melt. After purifying, dopants are added to the melt. The melt moves away from the heater and the crystal is formed. Subsequent heating zones re-melt and refine the crystal, and a dopant is added in a final heating zone. The crystal is divided, and divided portions of the crystal are re-heated for heat treating and annealing.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing a crystal with face-orientation control using a seed crystal being securely performed, and which can advantageously produce a high quality crystal with a large diameter quickly. A crystal-growth crucible movable in the vertical direction is used. While the temperature is being raised, the crucible is kept at a position where all the raw material, i.e., a crystalline substance placed in the crucible, is not melted. After the temperature stabilizes, the crucible moves in a first direction where the temperature becomes higher, so that the whole raw material and a part of the seed crystal melt. Then, the crucible moves in a second direction where the temperature becomes lower, whereby the seed crystal and the molten raw material sufficiently contact each other.

Abstract: The present invention includes an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor having a position amending device, an elevating device, a nozzle, a nozzle moving device and a flat zone alignment device. A wafer is transferred into the apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor and placed at the right position to be exactly located at a center of the chuck. In addition, the flat zone alignment device aligns the flat zone to face one direction. The nozzle may be moved to easily adjust an etching width of an edge of the wafer and to etch the flat zone thereof so it is etched to a uniform etching width about the edge of the wafer.

Abstract: A rotational directional solidification crystal growth system includes a vertical furnace, a crucible, and a rotate support device. The vertical furnace contains a high-temperature portion and a low-temperature portion. The crucible has a seed well and a growth region. The seed well and the growth region contain a seed crystal and raw material, respectively. The crucible moves from the high-temperature portion of the furnace to the low-temperature portion of the furnace or the thermal profile moves related to a stationary crucible to proceed the crystal growth. The rotation support device supports and rotates the crucible, and the tangent velocity of the rotated crucible is no less than about 5&pgr;/3 cm/s.

Abstract: A system for heating optical members includes a thermally-conductive inner housing defining an interior volume for receiving an optical member to be heated, a thermally-insulative outer housing at least partially containing the thermally-conductive inner housing, and a heating structure disposed outside the inner housing and configured to provide heat through the thermally-conductive inner housing and into the interior volume defined by the inner housing.

Abstract: A protein crystal growth assembly including a crystal growth cell and further including a cell body having a top side and a bottom side and a first aperture defined therethrough, the cell body having opposing first and second sides and a second aperture defined therethrough. A cell barrel is disposed within the cell body, the cell barrel defining a cavity alignable with the first aperture of the cell body, the cell barrel being rotatable within the second aperture. A reservoir is coupled to the bottom side of the cell body and a cap having a top side is disposed on the top side of the cell body.

Abstract: A crystal forming apparatus and method for using the apparatus, the apparatus including a plate and a film. The plate has a site adapted to hold a screening solution. The film is adjacent to the plate. The film seals the site and is adapted to contain a precipitant solution inside the site with an air gap between the screening solution and the precipitant solution. In a preferred embodiment, the film is transparent. In another preferred embodiment, the plate comprises a second transparent film supported by a lattice structure and the precipitant solution is sandwiched between the two films.

Abstract: Chemical vapor deposition epitaxial reactor comprising two reaction chambers, each provided with a susceptor, enclosed in a bell jar, to be induction heated by an induction coil supplied by a medium frequency AC generator, and generator means for providing a medium frequency power supply to the two induction coils of both the reaction chambers, wherein the means for power supplying the two induction coils are alternatively actuated, so that when one of the reaction chambers is heated the other one is purged, loaded and/or unloaded, providing however a time overlap of 1 to 10 minutes between the heating times of the two processes. A computerized controller provides to control the medium frequency generators in accordance with a dedicated software for providing an actuating method to the specific reactor.

Abstract: A crystal puller for growing monocrystalline silicon ingots includes first and second electrical resistance heaters in the crystal puller in longitudinal, closely spaced relationship with each other to radiate heat toward the ingot as the ingot is pulled upward within the housing. An adapter mounting the heaters may also be provided for adapting existing crystal pullers to incorporate the heaters.

Abstract: A simple and inexpensive method and apparatus for producing crystalline silicon comprising the steps of melting silicon in a mold, then cooling the bottom of the mold is cooled to create a positive temperature gradient from the bottom of the mold upward, thereby causing the molten silicon to crystallize from the inner bottom of the mold upward so that the solid-liquid phase boundary, separating the crystallized silicon from the molten silicon, moves upward as the molten silicon crystallizes. As the silicon crystallizes, an inert gas is blown onto the surface of the molten silicon from a position above the surface of the molten silicon, thereby vibrating the surface of the molten silicon in such a manner that cavities are formed in the surface of the molten silicon.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and method for depositing one or more layers onto at least one substrate placed inside a reaction chamber. The layers are deposited while using a liquid or solid starting material for one of the reaction gases utilized, which are fed via a gas admission unit to the reaction chamber where they condense or epitaxially grow on the substrate. The gas admission unit comprises a multitude of buffer volumes in which the reaction gasses enter separate of one another, and exit through closely arranged outlet openings while also being spatially separate of one another. The temperature of reaction gases is moderated while passing through the gas admission unit.