Including Details Of Precursor Replenishment Patents (Class 117/214)
  • Patent number: 11958723
    Abstract: A takeout jig (1) includes: a support part (20) which is configured to be pulled up to take out a silicon rod (10) and which is configured to support the silicon rod (10) by clamping one or more end portions (15) of the silicon rod (10); one or more first cords (30) which are equal in number to or greater in number than the silicon rod (10) and which are configured to pull up the support part (20); and one or more second cords (40) which are configured to hold the silicon rod (10) by wrapping around the silicon rod (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: TOKUYAMA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junya Sakai, Kazuhiro Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 11866845
    Abstract: Methods for growing single crystal silicon ingots that involve silicon feed tube inert gas control are disclosed. Ingot puller apparatus that include a flange that extends radially from a silicon funnel or from a silicon feed tube to reduce backflow of gases from the silicon feed tube into the growth chamber are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: GlobalWafers Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Matteo Pannocchia, Maria Porrini
  • Patent number: 11534819
    Abstract: A furnace for electromagnetic casting a tubular-shaped silicon ingot is provided. The furnace includes a mold, outer and inner induction coils and a support member. The mold includes an outer crucible and an inner crucible. The outer crucible is annular-shaped. The inner crucible is disposed in the outer crucible and spaced away from the outer crucible to provide a gap between the inner crucible and the outer crucible. The mold is configured to receive granular silicon in the gap. The outer induction coil disposed around the outer crucible. The inner induction coil disposed in the inner crucible. The outer induction coil and the inner induction coil are configured to heat and melt the granular silicon in the mold to form a tubular-shaped silicon ingot. The support member is configured to hold and move a seed relative to the mold during formation of the tubular-shaped silicon ingot on the seed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Igor Peidous, Vijay Nithiananthan
  • Patent number: 11441238
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing monocrystalline silicon by flowing inert gas in a chamber, applying horizontal magnetic field to a silicon melt in a quartz crucible, and pulling up monocrystalline silicon includes: forming a flow distribution of a flow of the inert gas flowing between a lower end of a heat shield and a surface of the silicon melt in the quartz crucible to be plane asymmetric with respect to a plane defined by a crystal pull-up axis of the pull-up device and an application direction of the horizontal magnetic field and rotationally asymmetric with respect to the crystal pull-up axis: maintaining the formed plane asymmetric and rotationally asymmetric flow distribution in a magnetic-field-free state until a silicon material in the quartz crucible is completely melted; and applying the horizontal magnetic field to the completely melted silicon material and starting pulling up the monocrystalline silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryusuke Yokoyama, Hideki Sakamoto, Wataru Sugimura
  • Patent number: 11352713
    Abstract: Disclosed a heat shield structure for a single crystal production furnace, which is provided above a melt crucible of a single crystal production furnace and comprises an outer housing and a heat insulation plate disposed within the outer housing. A bottom outer surface of the outer housing faces an interior of the melt crucible, and an angle formed between a plane in which the heat insulation plate is located and a plane in which a bottom of the outer housing is located is an acute angle and faces an outer surface of single crystal silicon. The heat shield design is changed, a heat absorbing plate is additionally provided for transferring heat absorbed to the single crystal silicon, a heat channel is formed in the heat shield, so that a pulling rate is controlled, which improves radial mass uniformity of the single crystal silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignees: Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zing Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Zhongying Xue, Tao Wei, Xing Wei, Zhan Li, Yun Liu, Minghao Li
  • Patent number: 10584426
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for producing a single crystal, the method in which, after a charging process, a crucible position setting process including a step of placing a lower end of a conical valve below a lower end of a purge tube, a step of performing a movement in such a way that the conical valve and the crucible get relatively closer to each other while measuring changes in the weight of the conical valve, a step of detecting contact between the lower end of the conical valve and an upper end of a raw material based on the rate of change in the weight of the conical valve, a step of measuring the position of the upper end of the raw material based on the position of the lower end of the conical valve at which the contact was detected, and a step of setting the position of the crucible so that the spacing between the lower end of the purge tube and the upper end of the raw material charged in the crucible becomes a predetermined distance and a melting process including a crucible position adjust
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 9670593
    Abstract: A method for recharging raw material polycrystalline silicon which enables large chunks of polycrystalline silicon to be recharged to a CZ ingot growth process while preventing the CZ crucible from being damaged and restricting a decline of the dislocation free rate and the quality of the grown ingot. Polycrystalline silicon chunks are recharged by first forming cushioning layer silicon of smaller chunks. The cushioning layer of polycrystalline silicon chunks are deposited on a surface of the residual silicon melt in a crucible. Subsequently, large-sized polycrystalline silicon chunks are introduced onto the cushioning layer, the cushioning layer cushioning the impact due to dropping of the large-sized polycrystalline silicon chunks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventors: Hideo Kato, Satoko Yoshimura, Takeshi Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 8920561
    Abstract: A silicon single crystal pull-up apparatus includes a pull-up furnace, a sample chamber in which a sublimable dopant is housed, a sample tube which can be raised and lowered between the interior of the sample chamber and the interior of the pull-up furnace, a raising and lowering means for raising and lowering the sample tube, a supply pipe which is installed inside the pull-up furnace and supplies the sublimable dopant to a melt, and a connection means for connecting the sample tube and the supply pipe. The connection means is constructed from a ball joint structure comprising a convex member which projects from one end of the sample tube and a concave member which is provided at one end of the supply pipe and is formed to be engageable with the convex member. The contact surfaces of the convex member and the concave member are formed to be curved surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Sumco Techxiv Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhito Narushima, Shinichi Kawazoe, Fukuo Ogawa, Toshimichi Kubota, Tomohiro Fukuda
  • Publication number: 20140360428
    Abstract: A recharging apparatus is disclosed. The recharging apparatus includes a body provided with an introduction port and a discharge port, a cover unit including a plurality of divided covers, each of the covers being connected to one end of the body and adapted to rotated about the one end of the body, and an opening and closing adjuster to support one surface of each of the covers and to rotate each of the covers about a portion of each of the covers connected to the one end of the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: So Young JANG, YOUNG HO HONG
  • Patent number: 8821636
    Abstract: The present invention is a single-crystal manufacturing apparatus based on the Czochralski method having a main chamber configured to accommodate hot zone components including a crucible, and a pull chamber configured to accommodate and take out a single crystal pulled from a raw material melt, the apparatus further comprising a multipurpose chamber interchangeable with the pull chamber, wherein a heating means for heating a raw material charged into the crucible and a cooling means for cooling the hot zone components after pulling the single crystal are placeable in the multipurpose chamber respectively. As a result, there is provided a single-crystal manufacturing apparatus that enables, in manufacture of a single crystal of a large diameter, e.g., approximately 200 mm or more, an operating rate of the single-crystal manufacturing apparatus and productivity of the single crystal to be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Abe, Kouzou Yokota, Kouji Mizuishi
  • Patent number: 8801853
    Abstract: This mechanism for controlling a melt level includes: an optical recording device by which a real image of a furnace internal structural object and a reflected image reflected on the melt surface; and a processing device which, taking a value based on the real image as a reference value, controls the position of the melt surface based on a relationship of a position or a size of the reflected image, a distance between the reflected image and the real image, or amounts of changes thereof to the position of the melt surface. This mechanism for adjusting a melt level includes: the above mechanism for controlling a melt level; and a lifting mechanism which is controlled by the mechanism for controlling a melt level and adjusts the melt surface to the set position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Sumco Corporation
    Inventor: Keiichi Takanashi
  • Patent number: 8715416
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Sumco Techxiv Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhito Narushima, Shinichi Kawazoe, Fukuo Ogawa, Toshimichi Kubota
  • Patent number: 8691013
    Abstract: A crystal puller for melting silicon and forming a single crystal ingot and a feed tool for shielding a portion of the crystal puller during charging of the crystal puller are disclosed herein. The crystal puller includes a crucible for containing molten silicon. The feed tool includes a cylinder and a plate. The cylinder has an inner surface and an annular ledge formed in a portion of the inner surface. The cylinder has a diameter at the annular ledge that is less than a diameter of the cylinder at the inner surface. The plate is positioned on the annular ledge and includes a first section separate from a second section. The first section and the second section are operable to move laterally with respect to each other. The plate has a central opening formed in at least one of the first section and the second section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: MEMC Singapore Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Benjamin Michael Meyer, Hariprasad Sreedharamurthy, Steven Lawrence Kimbel
  • Patent number: 8673075
    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: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignees: Sumco Phoenix Corporation, Sumco Corporation
    Inventors: Benno Orschel, Andrzej Buczkowski, Joel Kearns, Keiichi Takanashi, Volker Todt
  • Patent number: 8652257
    Abstract: A melting furnace, mounted adjacent a growth furnace, comprises a receiving container for melting therein raw material in a particle or powder form falling in it from a feeder. The receiving container accommodates a set of slope-wise plates providing a distributed sliding of partially melted raw material particles over the surface of these plates and their complete melting while moving downward; eventually the melted raw material flows into the crucible of the growth furnace through a conveying tube extending slantingly from the bottom of the receiving container to the crucible through coaxial openings in housings of both furnaces. The rate of feeding is given solely by the feeder, and at continuous feeding the raw material flows continuously by gravity from the feeder to the crucible of the growth furnace, first in a solid state (powder, granules, pellets, etc.) and then in a liquid state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Inventors: Lev George Eidelman, Vladimir Ilya Zheleznyak
  • Publication number: 20130305982
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a silicon carbide single crystal using a solution process including coming a seed crystal substrate for growing silicon carbide into contact with a Si—C alloy solution including at least one additive metal and growing the silicon carbide single crystal on a seed crystal for growing silicon carbide, including feeding a silicon feedstock into an alloy solution when a molar ratio of Si and the additive metal is lower than an initially set value as the reaction progresses. The method increases a crystal growth speed, maintains the growth speed, and prevents the growth from unwillingly stopping when the silicon carbide single crystal is manufactured using a solution growth process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Inventors: Sung Wan Hong, Young Shol Kim
  • Patent number: 8524000
    Abstract: Methods for producing multicrystalline silicon ingots by use of a Czochralski-type crystal puller and pulling assemblies that include a plurality of seed crystals for pulling multicrystalline silicon ingots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: MEMC Singapore Ptd. Ltd.
    Inventor: Steven L. Kimbel
  • Publication number: 20130220215
    Abstract: A melting furnace is mounted adjacent a growth furnace in which a single crystal ingot is pulled from the melt according to the Czochralski method. The melting furnace comprises a receiving container for melting therein raw material in a particle or powder form falling in it from a feeder. The receiving container accommodates a set of slope-wise plates providing a distributed sliding of partially melted raw material particles over the surface of these plates and their complete melting while moving downward; eventually the melted raw material flows into the crucible of the growth furnace through a heated conveying tube extending slantingly from the conical bottom of the receiving container to the crucible through coaxial openings in housings of both furnaces. The rate of feeding is defined solely by a feeder, and at continuous feeding the raw material flows continuously by gravity from the feeder to the crucible of the growth furnace, first in a solid state (powder, granules, pellets, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Inventors: Lev George Eidelman, Vladimir Ilya Zheleznyak
  • Patent number: 8518180
    Abstract: A silicon single crystal pull-up apparatus is used to pull up a doped silicon single crystal from a melt by means of the Czochralski process and includes a pull-up furnace, a sample chamber which is externally mounted on the pull-up furnace and houses a sublimable dopant, a shielding means for thermally isolating the interior of the pull-up furnace and the interior of the sample chamber, a sample tube which can be raised and lowered between the interior of the sample chamber and the interior of the pull-up furnace, and a raising and lowering means which is provided with guide rails on which the sample tube can slide and a wire mechanism by which the sample tube is raised and lowered along the guide rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Sumco Techxiv Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhito Narushima, Shinichi Kawazoe, Fukuo Ogawa, Toshimichi Kubota, Tomohiro Fukuda
  • Patent number: 8454746
    Abstract: Silicon single crystals are prepared from molten granules, by producing a first volume of molten silicon between a growing single crystal and the lower end of a silicon conical tube which is closed at its lower end, and encloses a central opening of a rotating silicon plate below which the tube extends, by means of a first induction heating coil arranged below the plate; producing a second volume of molten silicon by a second induction heating coil arranged above the plate; melting the lower end of the tube to form a passage for the second volume of molten silicon, the passage produced at a point in time when the second volume is not yet present or is less than double the volume of the first volume; and crystallizing monocrystalline silicon on the growing single crystal with consumption of molten silicon from the first and the second volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Wilfried von Ammon, Ludwig Altmannshofer
  • Publication number: 20130098290
    Abstract: A Czochralski growth system is described comprising a growth chamber, a feed port, and a feed chamber comprising a container for feedstock and a feeder. The feed port is disposed in at least one side wall of the growth chamber, and the feed chamber is attached to the growth chamber at the feed port. The feeder is insertable into the growth chamber through the feed port and supplies the feedstock into the growth chamber. Preferably this system can be used for producing silicon ingots using a continuous Czochralski method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: GT Advanced CZ, LLC
    Inventor: GT Advanced CZ, LLC
  • Patent number: 8394198
    Abstract: A silica glass crucible for pulling up a silicon single crystal including a wall part, a corner part and a bottom part is provided with an outer layer formed from an opaque silica glass layer which includes many bubbles, and an inner layer formed from a transparent silica glass layer which substantially does not include bubbles, wherein at least one part of an inner surface of the wall part and the corner part being an uneven surface formed with multiple damaged parts having a depth of 50 ?m or more and 450 ?m or less, and wherein a region among the inner surface of the bottom part within a certain range from the center of the bottom part being a smooth surface which does is substantially not formed with damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Japan Super Quartz Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Morikawa, Jun Furukawa, Satoshi Kudo
  • Publication number: 20120301386
    Abstract: A Czochralski growth system is disclosed comprising a crucible, a silicon delivery system comprising a feeder having a delivery point overhanging the crucible and delivering a controllable amount of silicon into the crucible, and at least one doping mechanism controllably delivering at least one dopant material to the feeder. The system can comprise two or more doping mechanisms each loaded with a different dopant material and can therefore be used to prepare silicon ingots having multiple dopants. The resulting ingots have substantially constant dopant concentrations along their axes. Also disclosed is a method of Czochralski growth of at least one silicon ingot comprising at least one dopant material, which is preferably a continuous Czochralski method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: GT Advanced CZ, LLC
    Inventors: Bayard K. Johnson, John P. DeLuca, William L. Luter
  • Patent number: 8317919
    Abstract: An improved system based on the Czochralski process for continuous growth of a single crystal ingot comprises a low aspect ratio, large diameter, and substantially flat crucible, including an optional weir surrounding the crystal. The low aspect ratio crucible substantially eliminates convection currents and reduces oxygen content in a finished single crystal silicon ingot. A separate level controlled silicon pre-melting chamber provides a continuous source of molten silicon to the growth crucible advantageously eliminating the need for vertical travel and a crucible raising system during the crystal pulling process. A plurality of heaters beneath the crucible establish corresponding thermal zones across the melt. Thermal output of the heaters is individually controlled for providing an optimal thermal distribution across the melt and at the crystal/melt interface for improved crystal growth. Multiple crystal pulling chambers are provided for continuous processing and high throughput.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Solaicx, Inc.
    Inventor: David L Bender
  • Publication number: 20120285369
    Abstract: A method for producing a single crystal of semiconductor material having material properties of a zone-pulled single crystal includes providing a vessel transmissive to high frequency magnetic fields and having a granulate of a granular semiconductor material disposed therein and a first conductor disposed externally thereto. A high frequency current is supplied to a planar inductor disposed above the vessel, the planar inductor having a turn and a slit as a current supply so as to produce an open melt lake on the granulate by a temperature field at a surface of the granulate produced by thermal power of the planar inductor and a heating action of the first inductor, the melt lake being embedded in unmelted material of the granular semiconductor material and not being in contact with a wall of the vessel. A single crystal is pulled form the melt lake of the semiconductor material upwards.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: FORSCHUNGSVERBUND BERLIN E.V.
    Inventors: Helge Riemann, Nikolai V. Abrosimov, Joerg Fischer, Matthias Renner
  • Publication number: 20120285373
    Abstract: A crystal puller for melting silicon and forming a single crystal ingot and a feed tool for shielding a portion of the crystal puller during charging of the crystal puller are disclosed herein. The crystal puller includes a crucible for containing molten silicon. The feed tool includes a cylinder and a plate. The cylinder has an inner surface and an annular ledge formed in a portion of the inner surface. The cylinder has a diameter at the annular ledge that is less than a diameter of the cylinder at the inner surface. The plate is positioned on the annular ledge and includes a first section separate from a second section. The first section and the second section are operable to move laterally with respect to each other. The plate has a central opening formed in at least one of the first section and the second section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: MEMC SINGAPORE PTE. LTD. (UEN200614794D)
    Inventors: Benjamin Michael Meyer, Hariprasad Sreedharamurthy, Steven Lawrence Kimbel
  • Patent number: 8257496
    Abstract: A weighing system is provided for a continuous Czochralski process that accurately measures the weight of the crucible and melt during crystal growth to control the introduction of feedstock in order to keep the weight approximately constant. The system can measure the weight of the crucible while the crucible is rotating, and is insensitive to vibrations of the melt surface as well as variable torques on the crucible shaft induced by the rotation. The system also measures the weight of the crucible and its contents in order to control the amount of feedstock recharged after an ingot is withdrawn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Solaicx, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Bender, Gary Janik, Roy P. Crawford, David E. A. Smith
  • Patent number: 8236104
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Soeta, Toshifumi Fujii
  • Patent number: 8221550
    Abstract: A process for producing a single crystal of semiconductor material, in which fractions of a melt, are kept in liquid form by a pulling coil, solidify on a seed crystal to form the growing single crystal, and granules are melted in order to maintain the growth of the single crystal. The melting granules are passed to the melt after a delay. There is also an apparatus which Is suitable for carrying out the process and has a device which delays mixing of the molten granules and of the melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventor: Wilfried von Ammon
  • Patent number: 8152921
    Abstract: An implementation of a Czochralski-type crystal growth has been shown and embodied. More particularly, a furnace with suitable insulation and flow arrangement is shown to improve the cost-efficiency of production of crystals. That is achieved by the shown new hot-zone structure, gas flows and the growth process which can decrease the power consumption, increase the lifetime of hot-zone parts and improve the productivity, e.g., by giving means for opening the hot-zone and easily adapting the hot-zone to a new crystal diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Okmetic Oyj
    Inventors: Olli Anttila, Ari Saarnikko, Jari Paloheimo
  • Patent number: 8021483
    Abstract: A method for recharging a crucible with polycrystalline silicon comprises adding flowable chips to a crucible used in a Czochralski-type process. Flowable chips are polycrystalline silicon particles made from polycrystalline silicon prepared by a chemical vapor deposition process, and flowable chips have a controlled particle size distribution, generally nonspherical morphology, low levels of bulk impurities, and low levels of surface impurities. Flowable chips can be added to the crucible using conventional feeder equipment, such as vibration feeder systems and canister feeder systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Arvid Neil Arvidson, Terence Lee Horstman, Michael John Molnar, Chris Tim Schmidt, Roger Dale Spencer, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7922817
    Abstract: A feed assembly and method of use thereof of the present invention is used for the addition of a high pressure dopant such as arsenic into a silicon melt for CZ growth of semiconductor silicon crystals. The feed assembly includes a vessel-and-valve assembly for holding dopant, and a feed tube assembly, attached to the vessel-and-valve assembly for delivering dopant to a silicon melt. An actuator is connected to the feed tube assembly and a receiving tube for advancing and retracting the feed tube assembly to and from the surface of the silicon melt. A brake assembly is attached to the actuator and the receiving tube for restricting movement of the feed tube assembly and locking the feed tube assembly at a selected position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Massoud Javidi, Steve Garner
  • Publication number: 20110036860
    Abstract: A single-crystal growth apparatus includes: a raw-material accumulation tube housed in a pull chamber; a bottom lid attached to a lower end opening of the raw-material accumulation tube; a shaft connected to the bottom lid to lift/lower the accumulation tube and bottom lid; a forward/backward movable raw-material guide tube having a leading end to be inserted through a side wall of the pull chamber into the raw-material accumulation tube; and a raw-material supply apparatus for supplying solid raw materials through the raw-material guide tube into the raw-material accumulation tube, in which the solid raw materials are supplied from the raw-material supply apparatus, through the raw-material guide tube, to the raw-material accumulation tube with the leading end of the raw-material guide tube being inserted into the raw-material accumulation tube, so as to accumulate the solid raw materials, and the bottom lid is lowered to drop the solid raw materials into a crucible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: Sumco Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Fujiwara, Takehiko Hosoi, Takuya Yotsui, Hisashi Furuya
  • Publication number: 20110030612
    Abstract: The present invention is a single-crystal manufacturing apparatus based on the Czochralski method having a main chamber configured to accommodate hot zone components including a crucible, and a pull chamber configured to accommodate and take out a single crystal pulled from a raw material melt, the apparatus further comprising a multipurpose chamber interchangeable with the pull chamber, wherein a heating means for heating a raw material charged into the crucible and a cooling means for cooling the hot zone components after pulling the single crystal are placeable in the multipurpose chamber respectively. As a result, there is provided a single-crystal manufacturing apparatus that enables, in manufacture of a single crystal of a large diameter, e.g., approximately 200 mm or more, an operating rate of the single-crystal manufacturing apparatus and productivity of the single crystal to be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takao Abe, Kouzou Yokota, Kouji Mizuishi
  • Patent number: 7875117
    Abstract: An epitaxial wafer and a high-temperature heat treatment wafer having an excellent gettering capability are obtained by performing epitaxial growth or a high-temperature heat treatment. A relational equation relating the density to the radius of an oxygen precipitate introduced in a silicon crystal doped with nitrogen at the time of crystal growth can be derived from the nitrogen concentration and the cooling rate around 1100° C. during crystal growth, and the oxygen precipitate density to be obtained after a heat treatment can be predicted from the derived relational equation relating the oxygen precipitate density to the radius, the oxygen concentration, and the wafer heat treatment process. Also, an epitaxially grown wafer and a high-temperature annealed wafer whose oxygen precipitate density has been controlled to an appropriate density are obtained, using conditions predicted by the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Sumco Techxiv Corporation
    Inventors: Kouzo Nakamura, Susumu Maeda, Kouichirou Hayashida, Takahisa Sugiman, Katsuhiko Sugisawa
  • Patent number: 7867334
    Abstract: A silicon casting apparatus for producing polycrystal silicon ingot by heating a silicon melt (8) held in a mold (4) from above by a heater (3) and cooling it from below while changing the heat exchange area of a heat exchange region (HE), defined between a pedestal (5) having the mold (4) placed thereon and a bottom cooling member (6), in such a manner as to keep pace with the rise of the solid-liquid interface of the silicon melt (8), thereby causing unidirectional solidification upward along the mold (4); and a method of producing polycrystal silicon ingot using such apparatus. According to this production method, the temperature gradient given to the silicon melt (8) can be maintained at constant by adjusting the heat exchange area, so that polycrystal silicon ingot having good characteristics can be produced with good reproducibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventor: Youhei Sakai
  • Publication number: 20100294999
    Abstract: The sublimation speed of dopant can be precisely controlled without being influenced by a change over time of intra-furnace thermal environment. A dopant supply unit equipped with an accommodation chamber and a supply tube is provided. A sublimable dopant is accommodated. Upon sublimation of the dopant within the accommodation chamber, the sublimed dopant is introduced into a melt. The dopant within the accommodation chamber of the dopant supply unit is heated. The amount of heating by means of heating means is controlled so as to sublime the dopant at a desired sublimation speed. The dopant is supplied to the melt so that the dopant concentration until the first half of a straight body portion of the silicon single crystal is in the state of low concentration or non-addition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: SUMCO TECHXIV CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhito Narushima, Shinichi Kawazoe, Fukuo Ogawa, Masahiro Irokawa, Toshimichi Kubota
  • Patent number: 7767020
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a single crystal semiconductor, in which, in a process of pulling up the single crystal semiconductor from melt for growing it, an impurity is incorporated more uniformly into the single crystal semiconductor so that a variation in impurity concentration across the semiconductor wafer surface can be reduced, and thus, the planarity of the wafer can be improved. In the process of pulling-up the single crystal semiconductor (6), fluctuation in a pulling-up speed is controlled, whereby the variation in concentration of the impurity in the single crystal semiconductor (6) is reduced. Especially, a width of speed fluctuation (?V) in 10 seconds is adjusted to less than 0.025 mm/min. Furthermore, in carrying out the control for adjusting the pulling-up speed such that a diameter of the single crystal semiconductor (6) becomes a desired diameter, a magnetic field having strength of 1,500 gauss or more is applied to the melt (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Sumco Techxiv Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Inagaki, Masanori Honma, Shigeki Kawashima, Masahiro Shibata
  • Publication number: 20100158783
    Abstract: A process for producing a single crystal of semiconductor material, in which fractions of a melt, are kept in liquid form by a pulling coil, solidify on a seed crystal to form the growing single crystal, and granules are melted in order to maintain the growth of the single crystal. The melting granules are passed to the melt after a delay. There is also an apparatus which Is suitable for carrying out the process and has a device which delays mixing of the molten granules and of the melt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: Siltronic AG
    Inventor: Wilfried von Ammon
  • Patent number: 7691199
    Abstract: A melter assembly supplies a charge of molten source material to a crystal forming apparatus for use in forming crystalline bodies. The melter assembly comprises a housing and a crucible located in the housing. A heater is disposed relative to the crucible for melting solid source material received in the crucible. The crucible has a nozzle to control the flow of molten source material such that a directed flow of molten source material can be supplied to the crystal forming apparatus at a selected flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: John Davis Holder
  • Patent number: 7655089
    Abstract: A process for producing a single crystal of semiconductor material, in which fractions of a melt, are kept in liquid form by a pulling coil, solidify on a seed crystal to form the growing single crystal, and granules are melted in order to maintain the growth of the single crystal. The melting granules are passed to the melt after a delay. There is also an apparatus which Is suitable for carrying out the process and has a device which delays mixing of the molten granules and of the melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventor: Wilfried von Ammon
  • 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
  • Patent number: 7591895
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for producing crystals wherein crystal quality can be kept and a crystal composition is uniformed from a growth early stage to a growth last stage are provided. In an apparatus for producing crystals wherein the crystals 13 are grown from a liquefying raw material 12 in a crucible retained in a furnace and slowly cooling the raw material 12 in the crucible 11 from below upward, the apparatus comprises a raw material supply apparatus 18 which supplies a resupply raw material, and a reflection plate 20 placed above the crucible 11, which liquefies the resupply raw material 19 supplied from the raw material supply apparatus 18 and drops it as a liquid into the crucible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Sasaura, Hiroki Kohda, Kazuo Fujiura, Takashi Kobayashi, Tadayuki Imai, Takashi Kurihara
  • Patent number: 7524371
    Abstract: A method for controlling the temperature gradient on the side surface of a silicon single crystal, the height of a solid-liquid interface, and the oxygen concentration in the longitudinal direction of the silicon single crystal is provided in order to manufacture a defect-free silicon single crystal whose oxygen concentration is controlled to a predetermined value rapidly and stably. By disposing a cylindrical cooler around the silicon single crystal, and adjusting the pulling speed of the silicon single crystal, the rotation speed of a crucible that stores molten silicon and the rotation speed of the silicon single crystal, and the output ratio of a multi-heater separated into at least two in the longitudinal direction of the silicon single crystal disposed around the crucible, the temperature gradient on the side surface, the height of the solid-liquid interface, and the oxygen concentration in the longitudinal direction of the silicon single crystal are controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Sumco Techxiv Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Yokoyama, Toshiaka Saishoji, Toshirou Kotooka, Kazuyoshi Sakatani
  • Patent number: 7465351
    Abstract: A method of servicing multiple crystal forming apparatus with a single melter assembly is provided. The method includes the steps of positioning the melter assembly relative to a first crystal forming apparatus for delivering molten silicon to a crucible of the first apparatus. A heater in the melter assembly is operated to melt source material in a melting crucible. A stream of molten source material is delivered from the melter assembly to the first crystal forming apparatus. The melter assembly is positioned relative to a second crystal forming apparatus for delivering molten silicon to a crucible of the second apparatus. A stream of molten source material is transferred from the melter assembly to the second crystal forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: John Davis Holder
  • Patent number: 7368011
    Abstract: The apparatus for manufacturing a silicon single crystal includes: a crucible for storing molten silicon; a pulling-up device for pulling up a silicon single crystal from the molten silicon in the crucible to grow; a detecting device for detecting a position of the crucible in a vertical direction; and a control device for controlling a pulling rate for the silicon single crystal by the pulling-up device, based on the detected position of the crucible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Sumitomo Mitsubishi Silicon Corporation
    Inventors: Youji Suzuki, Satoshi Sato
  • Patent number: 7335257
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for manufacturing a single crystal rod from a poly crystal feed rod including a closed chamber at which chamber the feed rod is located. The chamber has an annular energy supply arranged around the feed rod for melting off the one end of the rod for providing single crystals. Actuators are provided, for axial movement of the feed rod and for a rotating relative movement between the feed rod and the annular energy supply The apparatus further includes components for recording and regulating the distance between the surface of the feed rod and an annular inwardly radially facing reference face associated with the energy supply The resulting apparatus and method that enable use of irregular feed rods that assume other shapes than the optimal cylindrical shape and also enable use of curved cylindrical and elliptical rods with irregular surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Topsil Semiconductor Materials A/S
    Inventors: Leif Jensen, Jan Eyving Petersen, Per Vabengard
  • Patent number: 7326297
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the production of crystal rods having a defined cross-section and a column-shaped polycrystalline structure by means of floating-zone continuous crystallization, comprising at least one crucible filled with crystalline material, provided with a central deviation for transporting the contents of the crucible to a growing crystal rod arranged below the crucible, whereby the central deviation plunges into the melt meniscus, also comprising means for continuously adjustable provision of crystalline material to the crucible, and means for simultaneously feeding the melt energy and adjusting the crystallization front.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: PV Silicon Forschungs- und Produktions AG.
    Inventors: Nikolai V. Abrosimov, Helge Riemann
  • Patent number: 7323047
    Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a granular silicon crystal by allowing silicon melt in a crucible to be granularly discharged and fallen from a nozzle part composed of silicon carbide or silicon nitride, and cooling and solidifying the granular silicon melt during falling, a carbon source is added when the nozzle part is composed of silicon carbide, and a nitrogen source is added when the nozzle part is composed of silicon nitride, to the silicon melt in the crucible. Thereby, melt droplets of uniform size can be generated, so that granular silicon crystals having narrow variations in particle size can be manufactured at high productivity and superior reproducibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Shin Sugawara, Eigo Takahashi, Nobuyuki Kitahara, Yoshio Miura, Hisao Arimune
  • Patent number: 7311772
    Abstract: Means for supplying raw material in additional charging or recharging of solid granular raw material into molten material in the crucible, comprises a raw material supply tube to be filled with said material, a metallic support member which runs through the inside of the tube, connects with the bottom lid, and serves for descending the lid and for ascending the tube and the lid, and a configuration avoiding metallic contamination, whereby the lower-end aperture of the tube is opened for charging said material therein into the crucible in uniform circumferential distribution and in large quantity, thus achieving efficient supply operation to be widely applied for growing silicon single crystals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Sumco Corporation
    Inventors: Katsunori Nakashima, Koji Toma, Manabu Moroishi