Seed Pulling Patents (Class 117/208)
  • Publication number: 20100192841
    Abstract: A process reinforcing a silica glass substance, such as a silica glass crucible, is provided without intermixing an impurity. The process comprises forming a silica glass powder layer on a surface of the silica glass substance, and crystallizing said silica glass powder layer under high temperature. As for a silica glass crucible, the process for reinforcing the silica glass crucible and the reinforced silica glass crucible are provided, wherein the silica glass powder layer on the whole or a part of the surface of the crucible is formed and then, crystallized under a temperature at the melting of a silicon raw material being charged into said quartz glass crucible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshio TSUJIMOTO, Hiroya Ishizuka, Naotaka Fumoto
  • Publication number: 20100186662
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicants: HERAEUS SHIN-ETSU AMERICA, INC., SHIN-ETSU QUARTZ PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kemmochi, Yasuo Ohama
  • Publication number: 20100170432
    Abstract: An apparatus for pulling a silicon single crystal, comprising: a crucible that stores a silicon melt; a heater that heats the crucible; a crucible driving unit for rotating and/or lifting up and down the crucible; a chamber that holds the crucible and the heater; and a magnetic field applying unit that is provided outside the chamber and applies a magnetic field to the chamber, wherein the magnetic field applying unit is formed along the outer peripheral surface of the chamber such that substantially concentric circle-shaped equi-strength lines of the magnetic field are formed about a center axis of the crucible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jun Furukawa
  • Publication number: 20100162943
    Abstract: In a silica glass crucible used for pulling a silicon crystal, a circumferential maximum tolerance of each of bubble content, wall thickness and transmission as measured over a full circumference of the crucible at a same height position is not more than 6%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kishi
  • Publication number: 20100154701
    Abstract: A method of making a silica crucible in a mold cavity of the type in which air is drawing through silica grain placed in the mold cavity. A pure silica grain layer is formed on top of a natural silica grain layer. At least a portion of the purse silica grain layer is fused while substantially no air is drawn through the silica grain. Any remaining pure silica grain and a least a portion of the natural silica grain layer is fused while drawing a substantially higher volume of air through the silica. At least a portion of the fused pure silica grain layer is then sublimated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: HERAEUS SHIN-ETSU AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kemmochi, Robert Joseph Coolich
  • Publication number: 20100154702
    Abstract: A surface modified quartz glass crucible and a process for modifying the crucible includes a layer of a metal oxide on the whole or a part of the inside and/or outside of the crucible, and baking it. At least an inside surface of the crucible is coated with a said metal oxide of magnesium, calcium, strontium or barium. The coated layer of the crucible does not abrade easily and provides a high dislocation free ratio of silicon single crystals pulled by using the crucible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshio Tsujimoto, Yoshiyuki Tsuji
  • Publication number: 20100154703
    Abstract: To provide a silica glass crucible, wherein there are no problems of generating a sinking and buckling when said crucible is used for pulling up silicon single crystal at a high temperature. The silica glass crucible used for pulling up the silicon single crystal, wherein at least an outer surface of a wall part of the crucible is covered with fine grooves having a length of less than 200 ?m, a width of less than 30 ?m and a depth of from more than 3 ?m to less than 30 ?m. Preferably, said fine groves are formed by carrying out a sand-blast treatment and a hydrofluoric acid etching and exist on more than 10% of the outer surface of the crucible, and a sliding frictional coefficient of the outer surface of the crucible to a carbon at 1500 degree C. is more than 0.6.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki TSUJI, Toshio Tsujimoto
  • Publication number: 20100147213
    Abstract: A silica glass crucible for pulling up a silicon single crystal including an outer layer formed from a natural silica glass layer, and an inner layer formed from a synthetic silica glass layer, wherein the synthetic silica glass layer includes a first synthetic silica glass layer formed in a region within a certain range from the center of a crucible bottom section, and a second synthetic silica glass layer formed in a region which excludes the formation region of the first synthetic silica glass layer, and wherein the first synthetic silica glass layer has a thickness of 0.5 mm or more and 1.5 mm or less and a concentration of an OH group included in the first synthetic silica glass layer being 100 ppm or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro HARADA, Masaki MORIKAWA, Satoshi KUDO
  • Publication number: 20100139549
    Abstract: The present invention is a quartz glass crucible 5 for pulling a silicon single crystal, comprising at least an outer layer portion 23 being a translucent glass layer containing multiple bubbles in it and an inner layer portion 24 being a transparent quartz glass layer having no bubbles and a smooth surface, formed on the inner surface of the outer layer portion 23, wherein the outer layer portion 23 contains bubbles of 0.1 to 0.3 mm in diameter at the density of 1.5 to 5.0×104 bubbles/cm3. Thus, there are provided a quartz glass crucible for pulling a silicon single crystal, the quartz glass crucible being increased in mechanical strength, making it possible to suppress deformation of a quartz glass crucible for pulling a silicon single crystal during a single crystal pulling process, thereby prevent degradation in yield rate due to dislocation in a single crystal and make the manufacture of a silicon single crystal highly efficient and a method of manufacturing the same quartz glass crucible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicants: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD., SHIN-ETSU QUARTZ PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Sakurada, Susumu Sonokawa, Izumi Fusegawa, Hiroshi Matsui
  • Publication number: 20100132609
    Abstract: A quartz glass crucible for silicon single crystal pulling operation that by a simple arrangement, attains prevention of any collapse onto the inside at a superior edge of straight trunk part; and a process for manufacturing the same. The quartz glass crucible for silicon single crystal pulling operation having a straight trunk part and a bottom part, is characterized in that at least the straight trunk part is provided with a gradient of fictive temperature so that the fictive temperature on the outermost side thereof is 25° C. or more lower than the fictive temperature on the innermost side thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicants: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG, Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuo Ohama
  • Patent number: 7727334
    Abstract: In a Czochralski (CZ) single crystal puller equipped with a cooler and a thermal insulation member, which are to be disposed in a CZ furnace, smooth recharge and additional charge of material are made possible. Further, elimination of dislocations from a silicon seed crystal by use of the Dash's neck method can be performed smoothly. To these ends, there is provided a CZ single crystal puller, wherein a cooler and a thermal insulation member are immediately moved upward away from a melt surface during recharge or additional charge of material or during elimination of dislocations from a silicon seed crystal by use of the Dash's neck method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Sumco Techxiv Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Inagaki, Shigeki Kawashima, Makoto Kamogawa, Toshirou Kotooka, Toshiaki Saishoji, Daisuke Ebi, Kentaro Nakamura, Kengo Hayashi, Yoshinobu Hiraishi, Shigeo Morimoto, Hiroshi Monden, Tadayuki Hanamoto, Tadashi Hata
  • Publication number: 20100126408
    Abstract: The present invention resides in a silicon single crystal growth method of pulling up and growing a single crystal from a melt of a silicon raw material in a quartz crucible based on a Czochralski method, wherein the method comprises the steps of: applying a DC voltage between an outer wall of the quartz crucible acts as a positive electrode and a pulling wire or pulling shaft for pulling up the silicon single crystal acts as a negative electrode; and fixing an electric current flowing through the silicon single crystal over a period of time for pulling up the single crystal, to grow the single crystal; as well as a pulling apparatus therefor. This allows for provision of the silicon single crystal growth method and the pulling apparatus therefor, capable of generating appropriately crystallized layers, i.e.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuuichi Miyahara, Atsushi Iwasaki, Tetsuhiro Oda
  • Publication number: 20100116198
    Abstract: A method is provided of protecting a carbonaceous crucible that is easy to handle, reduces work hour, and can cover the inner surface of a crucible without breaking the sheet and without gaps. A single-crystal pulling apparatus is also provided. The method of protecting a carbonaceous crucible by interposing a protective sheet made of an expanded graphite material between a quartz crucible and a carbonaceous crucible on which the quartz crucible is placed, including: laying two or more protective sheet pieces on an inner surface of the carbonaceous crucible, each of the protective sheet pieces having such a shape that the protective sheet pieces are combined integrally to form the protective sheet in laying the protective sheet between the crucibles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: TOYO TANSO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Hirose, Tetsuya Yuki
  • Publication number: 20100107970
    Abstract: Disclosed is a silica glass crucible employed in pulling silicon single crystals. The crucible comprises at least a transparent layer, semitransparent layer, and opaque layer disposed from the inner surface side to the outer surface side of the crucible. The content of bubbles in the transparent layer is less than 0.3 percent; the content of bubbles in the semitransparent layer falls within a range of from 0.3 to 0.6 percent; and the content of bubbles in the opaque layer is greater than 0.6 percent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makiko KODAMA, Masaki MORIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20100107965
    Abstract: A silica glass crucible for pulling up a silicon single crystal including a wall part and a bottom part is provided with a natural silica glass layer which forms at least one part of a an inner surface of the bottom part, and a synthetic silica glass layer which forms at least an inner surface of the wall part, wherein a concentration of Ca included in the natural silica glass layer is 0.5 ppm or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanori FUKUI, Satoshi KUDO, Masaki MORIKAWA
  • Patent number: 7708827
    Abstract: A highly pure, replaceable wear insert and a process for manufacturing the same use a group of materials which is suitable for meeting the requirements of high temperature semiconductor technology processes and is chosen at the same time for producing thin layers or components therefrom. The materials are compacted and purified at high temperatures in compression molds and the products so produced are put to their intended use. The substantially thin-walled and crucible-shaped, always highly pure components, which are predominantly made of expanded graphite, are employed as a wear insert for protecting graphitic support crucibles from reactive attack by quartz glass crucibles in semiconductor technology processes at temperatures above 500° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: SGL Carbon SE
    Inventors: Hans-Georg Kahl, Jürgen Kessel, Helmut Schmitz-Gräpp
  • Publication number: 20100095881
    Abstract: The arc discharge apparatus comprises a plurality of carbon electrodes connected to respective phases of a power supply for heating a silica powder and causing it to fuse by generating arc discharge between the carbon electrodes. All of the carbon electrodes have a density in a range from 1.30 g/cm3 to 1.80 g/cm3, and variability in density among the carbon electrodes is 0.2 g/cm3 or less. The carbon particles that constitute the carbon electrodes preferably have a particle diameter of 0.3 mm or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicants: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION, SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanori FUKUI, Koichi SUZUKI, Takeshi FUJITA
  • Patent number: 7686887
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a quartz glass crucible reduced in the generation of vibration occurring on the surface of a silicon melt and free from the generation of rough surface and cristobalite spots, yet capable of pulling up single crystal silicon stably and at high yield even in long-term operations; it is also an object to provide a method for producing the same. In a quartz glass crucible for pulling up single crystal silicon comprising a crucible base body having a bottom part and a straight shell part with an inner layer provided to the inner surface thereof, the quartz glass crucible is characterized by that said inner layer comprises a synthetic quartz glass layer from the lowest end to at least a height of 0.25 H; a naturally occurring quartz glass layer or a mixed layer of naturally occurring quartz glass and synthetic quartz glass extended in a range of from at least 0.5 H to 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignees: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG, Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Ohama, Takayuki Togawa
  • Publication number: 20100071613
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a fused silica crucible by heating and melting a vitreous silica powder compact shaped into a mold using arc discharge of electrodes arranged around a rotation shaft of the mold, includes the steps of: arranging the electrodes in a ring shape, and setting a ratio W/R of a horizontal distance W between the electrode front end and the surface of the vitreous silica powder compact to a vitreous silica powder compact opening radius R, for at least a predetermined time during arc heating, to be in the range of 0.002 to 0.98.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi KISHI, Masanori FUKUI, Masaki MORIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20100050929
    Abstract: Coil arrangement for crystal pulling comprising two coils, wherein at least one of said two coils is arranged in a way to substantially surround the crystal and/or the fluid the crystal is pulled from. Method of forming a crystal comprising the steps of providing a fluid the crystal is pulled from, and providing two coils, wherein at least one of said two coils is arranged in a way to substantially surround the crystal and/or the fluid, and pulling the crystal from the fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: ACCEL INSTRUMENTS GMBH
    Inventors: Achim Hobl, Bernhard Fischer
  • Patent number: 7662231
    Abstract: The invention relates to the production of a cable rotating head, which is devoid of an abrasion ring, for a Czochralski-crystal drawing system which is used to drive a drawing cord in an azimuthal and vertical manner and the nucleus of a crystal is fixed therein. According to the invention, the cord rotating head comprises a cord winding mechanism which can be supported by a vertical hollow shaft, through which the drawing cord is suspended in the crystal drawing system, and the cord rotating head is rotationally mounted about the axis thereof and can be offset by a rotation motor, which is secured to the crystal drawing system, together with the cord winding mechanism and the drawing cord in a rotational movement, and said vertical hollow shaft is surrounded in a coaxial manner by a double toothed gear which is rotationally mounted opposite to the hollow shaft and can be driven by a drawing motor which is secured to the crystal drawing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Crystal Growing Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Mühe
  • Publication number: 20100031871
    Abstract: A doping device includes a first dopant accommodating portion including an opening on an upper portion to accommodate a first dopant that is evaporated near a surface of a semiconductor melt; a second dopant accommodating portion including a dopant holder that holds a second dopant that is liquefied near the surface of the semiconductor melt while including a communicating hole for delivering the liquefied dopant downwardly, and a conduit tube provided on a lower portion of the dopant holder for delivering the liquefied dopant flowed from the communicating hole to the surface of the semiconductor melt; and a guide provided by a cylinder body of which a lower end is opened and an upper end is closed for guiding dopant gas generated by evaporation of the first dopant to the surface of the semiconductor melt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Yasuhito Narushima, Shinichi Kawazoe, Fukuo Ogawa, Toshimichi Kubota
  • Publication number: 20100024718
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for growing a semiconductor crystal include pulling the semiconductor crystal from melt at a pull speed and modulating the pull speed by combining a periodic pull speed with an average speed. The modulation of the pull speed allows in-situ determination of characteristic temperature gradients in the melt and in the crystal during crystal formation. The temperature gradients may be used to control relevant process parameters that affect morphological stability or intrinsic material properties in the finished crystal such as for instance the target pull speed of the crystal or the melt gap, which determines the thermal gradient in the crystal during growth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: Benno Orschel, Andrzej Buczkowski, Joel Kearns, Keiichi Takanashi, Volker Todt
  • Publication number: 20100006022
    Abstract: A silica glass crucible causing fewer pinholes in silicon single crystals is provided by a method of preventing pinholes by performing the pulling up of a silicon single crystal while restraining the dissolution rate of the crucible inner surface to 20 ?m/hr or less, using a silica glass crucible for the pulling up of silicon single crystals, wherein the area of crystalline silica formed by crystallization of amorphous silica is restricted to 10% or less of the crucible inner surface area, or the density of pits formed from open bubbles on the crucible inner surface is restricted to 0.01 to 0.2 counts/mm2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicants: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION, SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi KISHI, Minoru KANDA
  • Publication number: 20100000465
    Abstract: A method is provided for producing a vitreous silica crucible having excellent shape formability and fewer internal bubbles without excessively heating the curved portion and the bottom part. The method comprises arc melting a quartz powder molded product loaded in a rotating mold while performing vacuum suction, wherein the electrode is moved sideways with respect to the mold center line upon the initiation of arc melting or during the arc melting, and the arc melting is performed at an eccentric position, and preferably the time for total heating is limited to 60% or less of the total arc melting time. A vitreous silica crucible produced by this method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi KISHI, Minoru KANDA
  • Publication number: 20090320743
    Abstract: A system for growing silicon crystals that facilitates controlling a shape of a melt-solid interface is described. The crystal growing system includes a heated crucible including a semiconductor melt from which a monocrystalline ingot is grown according to a Czochralski process. The ingot is grown on a seed crystal pulled from the melt. The method includes applying an unbalanced cusped magnetic field to the melt, and rotating the ingot and the crucible in the same direction while the ingot is being pulled from the melt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hariprasad Sreedharamurthy, Milind S. Kulkarni, Richard G. Schrenker, Joseph C. Holzer, Harold W. Korb
  • Publication number: 20090314198
    Abstract: This invention relates to a device and method for production of ingots of semiconductor grade silicon, including solar grade silicon, where the presence of oxygen in the hot zone is substantially reduced or eliminated by employing materials void of oxides in the hot zone of the melting and crystallisation process. The method may be employed for any known process including for ciystallising semiconductor grade silicon ingots, including solar grade silicon ingots, such as the Bridgman process, the block-casting process, and the CZ-process for growth of monocrystalline silicon crystals. The invention also relates to devices for carrying out the melting and crystallisation processes, where the materials of the hot zone are void of oxides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: REC ScanWafer AS
    Inventors: Stein Julsrud, Tyke Laurence Naas
  • Publication number: 20090308306
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: IBIDEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki KATO, Haruhide Shikano, Masahiro Yasuda
  • Patent number: 7632350
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of manufacturing a crystal grower is disclosed. The crystal grower includes a reservoir constructed to receive a crystal growing material therein. An induction heater having a coil of woven strands of wire is disposed proximate the reservoir and heats the crystal growing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: ABP Induction, LLC
    Inventor: Donald H. Wiseman
  • Publication number: 20090293806
    Abstract: A silica glass crucible for pulling up a silicon crystal related to the present invention includes a roundness Sx of an interior surface of the silica glass crucible and a roundness Sy of an exterior surface of the silica glass crucible in at least a wall part of the silica glass crucible both being 0.4 or less (Sx/M?0.4, Sy/M?0.4) to a maximum thickness M in the same measurement height as the roundness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroshi KISHI
  • Publication number: 20090272315
    Abstract: A silica glass crucible having a sidewall portion and a bottom portion is provided with a first synthetic silica glass layer constituting an inner layer at least in the sidewall portion, a second synthetic silica glass layer constituting an inner layer at least in a region including a center of the bottom portion, and a natural silica glass layer constituting an outer layer in the sidewall portion and the bottom portion. A melting rate of the second synthetic silica glass layer with respect to a silicon melt is higher than that of the first synthetic silica glass layer. An aluminum concentration of the second synthetic silica glass layer is higher than that of the first synthetic silica glass layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanori FUKUI, Hiroshi KISHI
  • Patent number: 7611580
    Abstract: System for controlling crystal growth in a Czochralski crystal growing apparatus. A magnetic field is applied within the crystal growing apparatus and varied to control a shape of the melt-solid interface where the ingot is being pulled from the melt. The shape of the melt-solid interface is formed to a desired shape in response to the varied magnetic field as a function of a length of the ingot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Zheng Lu
  • Publication number: 20090249994
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for crystal growth using VGF and VB growth processes to reduce body lineage. In one exemplary embodiment, there is provided a method of inserting an ampoule with raw material into a furnace having a heating source, growing a crystal using a vertical gradient freeze process wherein the crystallizing temperature gradient is moved relative to the crystal and/or furnace to melt the raw material and reform it as a monocrystalline compound, and growing the crystal using a vertical Bridgman process on the wherein the ampoule/heating source are moved relative each other to continue to melt the raw material and reform it as a monocrystalline compound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Inventors: Weiguo LIU, A. Grant Elliot
  • Publication number: 20090183670
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a high-quality semiconductor single crystal ingot and a method using the same. The apparatus of the present invention includes a quartz crucible, a heater installed around a side wall of the quartz crucible, a single crystal pulling means for pulling a single crystal from the semiconductor melt received in the quartz crucible, and a magnetic field applying means for forming a Maximum Gauss Plane (MGP) at a location of ML-1000 mm to ML-350 mm based on a Melt Level (ML) of the melt surface, and applying a strong magnetic field of 3000 to 5500 Gauss to an intersection between the MGP and the side wall of the quartz crucible and a weak magnetic field of 1500 to 3000 Gauss below a solid-liquid interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2009
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: SILTRON INC.
    Inventors: Hyon-Jong Cho, Young-Ho Hong, Hong-Woo Lee, Jong-Min Kang, Dae-Yeon Kim
  • Publication number: 20090173276
    Abstract: A high-purity vitreous silica crucible which has high strength and is used for pulling a large-diameter single-crystal silicon ingot, includes a double laminated structure constituted by an outer layer composed of amorphous silica glass with a bubble content of 1 to 10% and a purity of 99.99% or higher and an inner layer composed of amorphous silica glass with a bubble content of 0.6% or less and a purity of 99.99% or higher, and in the portion between the upper opening end of the high-purity vitreous silica crucible and the ingot-pulling start line of a silicon melt surface in the step of pulling a single-crystal silicon ingot, a portion corresponding to 40 to 100 volume % from the upper opening end of the crucible is in a crystalline structure free from the crystallization promoter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tadahiro SATOU
  • Publication number: 20090165702
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a self-coated single crystal that without any special step conducted after crystal growth, has its circumference coated with a layer of different properties. A self-coated single crystal according to the present invention is characterized in that in operations comprising melting crystal materials for a core and a clad in a single crucible and carrying out growth of a single crystal through a pulling up method or a pulling down method, a grown single crystal in an as-growth condition has its circumference self-coated with a clad whose refractive index is lower than that of the core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: FUKUDA CRYSTAL LABORATORY
    Inventors: Tsuguo FUKUDA, Akira Yoshikawa, Yuji Kagamitani
  • Publication number: 20090165700
    Abstract: A vitreous silica crucible for pulling single-crystal silicon, comprising a surface glass layer having a thickness of 100 ?m from an inner surface of the crucible, and a glass layer provided below the surface glass layer in a thickness direction of the crucible and extending to a depth of 1 mm from the inner surface of the crucible. The concentration of OH groups in the surface glass layer is 90 ppm or less, and the concentration of OH groups in the glass layer is equal to or more than 90 ppm and equal to or less than 200 ppm. The bubble content in the glass layer is 0.1% or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi KISHI, Minoru KANDA
  • Publication number: 20090151624
    Abstract: A high-purity vitreous silica crucible used for pulling a large-diameter single-crystal silicon ingot, includes a double layered structure constituted by an outer layer composed of high-purity amorphous vitreous silica with a bubble content of 1 to 10% and a purity of 99.99% or higher, and an inner layer composed of high-purity amorphous vitreous silica s with a bubble content of 0.6% or less and a purity of 99.99% or higher, wherein, at least for an inner surface of the vitreous silica crucible between ingot-pulling start line and ingot-pulling end line of a silicon melt surface, a longitudinal section of the inner surface is shaped into a waveform, and depth and width of the ring grooves constituting the multi ring-groove patterned face are set in the range of 0.5 to 2 mm and 10 to 100 mm, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventor: Atushi SHIMAZU
  • Publication number: 20090145351
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a vitreous silica crucible for pulling up silicon single crystals by a pulling-up process having a first stage and a second stage after the first stage. The crucible comprises a transparent inner layer containing inner layer bubbles, and an outer layer containing outer layer bubbles. The second stage expansion coefficient X2 of the inner-layer bubbles during the second stage is set to ? or less of the first stage expansion coefficient X1 of the inner-layer bubbles during the first stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi KISHI, Minoru KANDA
  • Patent number: 7524375
    Abstract: The invention provides for growing semiconductor and other crystals by loading a vessel in its lower portion with a seed crystal, loading a charge thereon in the vessel, heating the charge to a molten state and electromagnetically stirring the melt using magnetic and electric fields to obtain a more uniform composition of melt and slowly reducing the temperature of the melt over the crystal to grow a more uniform crystal from such stirred melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Gerald W. Iseler, David F. Bliss, Vladimir L. Tassev
  • Publication number: 20090090294
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an ultra low defect semiconductor single crystalline ingot, which uses a Czochralski process for growing a semiconductor single crystalline ingot through a solid-liquid interface by dipping a seed into a semiconductor melt received in a quartz crucible and slowly pulling up the seed while rotating the seed, wherein a defect-free margin is controlled by increasing or decreasing a heat space on a surface of the semiconductor melt according to change in length of the single crystalline ingot as progress of the single crystalline ingot growth process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Applicant: SILTRON INC.
    Inventors: Young-Ho Hong, Hyon-Jong Cho, Sung-Young Lee, Seung-Ho Shin, Hong-Woo Lee
  • Publication number: 20090084308
    Abstract: A vitreous silica member of the present invention is characterized by being formed of vitreous silica exhibiting the easily crystallizable property in the absence of a crystallization accelerator. The vitreous silica having the easily crystallizable property is obtained preferably by heating and melting crystalline quartz at a temperature in the range of 1,710° C. or more to 1,780° C. or less for vitrification, and controlling the fictive temperature of the glass to be in the range of 1,100° C. or more to 1,400° C. or less. The invention also includes a vitreous silica crucible and a method of pulling single-crystal silicon using this vitreous silica crucible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi KISHI, Minoru KANDA
  • Publication number: 20090060823
    Abstract: A string for use in a string ribbon crystal has a base portion with a refractory material, and an externally exposed layer radially outward of the refractory material. The base portion has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is generally matched with the coefficient of thermal expansion for silicon. The externally exposed layer has a contact angle with silicon of between about 15 and 120 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: EVERGREEN SOLAR, INC.
    Inventors: Christine Richardson, Weidong Huang, Richard Wallace, Daniel Doble, Scott Reitsma
  • Patent number: 7491270
    Abstract: A heat shielding member 20 that thermally shields the periphery of a single crystal 16 used in a Czochralski single crystal pulling device that pulls the single crystal 16 from a melt 15 that is collected in a crucible 10 is disclosed. The heat shielding member 20 is provided with an approximately cylindrical main body portion 21 arranged so as to surround the single crystal 16, with a lower end portion thereof extending to the vicinity of the melt 15, and an approximately annular bottom plate portion 22 that extends in the diameter direction from the bottom end portion of the main body portion 21 to cover the melt. The bottom plate portion 22 is attached to the main body portion 21 in the state of being severed in the circumferential direction at at least one location. With this constitution it is possible to provide a heat shielding member with superior durability and a single crystal pulling device that employs the heat shielding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Sumco Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Sasaki, Syunji Kuragaki
  • Publication number: 20080311021
    Abstract: In a Czochralski (CZ) single crystal puller equipped with a cooler and a thermal insulation member, which are to be disposed in a CZ furnace, smooth recharge and additional charge of material are made possible. Further, elimination of dislocations from a silicon seed crystal by use of the Dash's neck method can be performed smoothly. To these ends, there is provided a CZ single crystal puller, wherein a cooler and a thermal insulation member are immediately moved upward away from a melt surface during recharge or additional charge of material or during elimination of dislocations from a silicon seed crystal by use of the Dash's neck method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: Komatsu Denshi Kinzoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Inagaki, Shigeki Kawashima, Makoto Kamogawa, Toshirou Kotooka, Toshiaki Saishoji, Daisuke Ebi, Kentaro Nakamura, Kengo Hayashi, Yoshinobu Hiraishi, Shigeo Morimoto, Hiroshi Monden, Tadayuki Hanamoto, Tadashi Hata
  • Publication number: 20080289568
    Abstract: A crucible has a structure where a layer containing a crystallization accelerating component such as aluminum or the like (a crystallization accelerating layer) is inserted inside a quartz glass layer of a crucible straight body part excepting a crucible bottom part. The crucible does not deform and fall inwardly at the straight body part since a part containing a crystallization accelerating component advances to crystallize so as to increase strength at a high temperature when the crucible is used in pulling up silicon single crystal. Therefore, a single crystallization rate can be increased. Further, since the crystallization accelerating layer is inserted inside the quartz glass layer, the crystallization accelerating component, such as aluminum or barium, does not contact with silicon melt or a carbon susceptor, contamination by eluting these metals does not occurs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Minoru Kanda, Masaru Sato
  • Patent number: 7455731
    Abstract: A polycrystalline silicon rod according to present invention has a structure for hanging of polycrystalline silicon rods to each other end-to-end, so that the efficiency of melting polycrystalline silicon can be increased considerably. A polycrystalline silicon rod obtained by entirely or partially removing a peripheral portion from the rod to leave a central portion, and processing the central portion, preferably, the peripheral portion is removed by grinding in an amount corresponding to 10 to 60% of the diameter of the rod, and then subjected to groove-forming processing. This makes annealing unnecessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Nakano, Yukio Yamaguchi, Teruhisa Kitagawa, Rikito Sato, Naoki Hatakeyama
  • Publication number: 20080264331
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2006
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Hirokazu Iwata, Seiji Sarayama, Minoru Fukuda, Tetsuya Takahashi, Akira Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20080190358
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: Olexy V. Radkevich, Volodimir Protsenko
  • Patent number: 7396411
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Tomohisa Kato, Shinichi Nishizawa, Fusao Hirose