Including Details Of Means Providing Product Movement (e.g., Shaft Guides, Servo Means) Patents (Class 117/218)
  • Patent number: 11982019
    Abstract: A crystal growth doping apparatus and a crystal growth doping method are provided. The crystal growth doping apparatus includes a crystal growth furnace and a doping device that includes a feeding tube inserted to the furnace body along an oblique insertion direction, and a storage cover and a gate tube that are disposed in the feeding tube. The feeding tube extends from an outer surface thereof to form a placement opening, and the placement opening is recessed from an edge thereof to form an upper recessed portion and a lower recessed portion along the oblique insertion direction. The storage cover includes a storage tank and a handle. When the storage cover is disposed in the gate tube body, the gate tube body is configured to isolate an inner space of the feeding tube from the placement opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: GLOBALWAFERS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu-Chih Chu, Tang-Chi Lin, Han-Sheng Wu, Hsien-Ta Tseng
  • Patent number: 11255023
    Abstract: An embodiment provides a silicon supply part including: a silicon supply chamber; a holder provided on an inner wall of a lower region of the silicon supply chamber; a tube elevating vertically by a first cable inside the silicon supply chamber; a guide provided outside the tube and overlapped with the holder vertically; and a stopper elevating vertically by a second cable and inserted into a lower portion of the tube to open and close the lower portion of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: SK SILTRON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jung Hyun Kong, Seong Hun Yun, Ho Jun Lee
  • Patent number: 9181631
    Abstract: Provided is a silicon crystalline material, which is manufactured by a CZ method to be used as a material bar for manufacturing a silicon single crystal by an FZ method and has a grasping section for being loaded in a crystal growing furnace employing the FZ method without requiring mechanical processing. A method for manufacturing such silicon crystalline material is also provided. The silicon crystalline material is manufactured by the silicon crystal manufacturing method employing the CZ method and is provided with the grasping section, which is manufactured in a similar way as a shoulder portion, a straight body portion and a tail portion in a silicon crystal growing step employing the CZ method, and is loaded in a single crystal manufacturing apparatus employing the FZ method to grow single crystals. A seed-crystal used in the silicon crystal manufacture employing the CZ method is used as the grasping section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: SUMCO TECHXIV CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji Togawa, Ryosuke Ueda
  • Patent number: 9040010
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus for manufacturing a single crystal silicon ingot having a dual crucible for silicon melting which can be reused due to a dual crucible structure. The apparatus includes a dual crucible for silicon melting, into which raw silicon is charged, a crucible heater heating the dual crucible to melt the raw silicon into molten silicon, a crucible drive unit controlling rotation and elevation of the dual crucible, and a pull-up drive unit disposed above the dual crucible and pulling up a seed crystal dipped in the molten silicon to produce a silicon ingot. The dual crucible has a container shape open at an upper side thereof, and includes a graphite crucible having an inclined surface connecting an inner bottom and an inner wall, and a quartz crucible inserted into the graphite crucible and receiving the raw silicon charged into the dual crucible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF ENERGY RESEARCH
    Inventors: Jin-Seok Lee, Bo-Yun Jang, Young-Soo Ahn
  • Publication number: 20150114286
    Abstract: A pulling head for a crystal growth furnace. The pulling head includes a servomotor and a rotatable housing attached to the servomotor, wherein the housing includes first, second, third and fourth housing magnets. The pulling head also includes a shaft attached to a scale and a connection device having first and second connection magnets. The first connection magnet is arranged between the first and second housing magnets to generate first and second magnetic repulsion forces and the second connection magnet is arranged between the third and fourth housing magnets to generate third and fourth magnetic repulsion forces. A rotation coupling is attached between the shaft and the connection device wherein the scale weighs the shaft, rotation coupling and the connection device. The servomotor rotates the housing and rotation of the housing is transmitted by the magnetic repulsion forces to the connection device to rotate the connection device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Mark S. Andreaco, Troy Marlar, Brant Quinton
  • Patent number: 8956455
    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: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Olexy V. Radkevich, Volodimir Protsenko
  • Patent number: 8936679
    Abstract: According to one exemplary embodiment, a single crystal pulling-up apparatus of pulling-up silicon single crystals by a Czochralski method, is provided with: a neck diameter measuring portion which measures a diameter of a grown neck portion; a first compensation portion which outputs a first compensated pulling-up speed for the seed crystals based on a difference between a measured value of the diameter of the neck portion and a target value of the neck portion diameter previously stored; a second compensation portion which outputs a second pulling-up speed while limiting an upper limit of the first pulling-up speed to a first limit value; and a crucible rotation number compensation portion which lowers the number of a rotation of a crucible at least in a period where the upper limit of the first pulling-up speed is limited to the first limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Globalwafers Japan Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Hironori Banba, Hiromichi Isogai, Yoshiaki Abe, Takashi Ishikawa, Shingo Narimatsu, Jun Nakao, Hiroyuki Abiko, Michihiro Ohwa
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8784559
    Abstract: A Czochralski (“CZ”) single-crystal growth process system continuously grows crystal boules in a chamber furnace during a single thermal cycle. Finished boules are transferred from the furnace chamber, without need to cool the furnace, to an adjoining cooling chamber for controlled cooling. Controlled cooling is preferably accomplished by transporting boules along a path having an incrementally decreasing temperature. In order to maximize crystal boule yield in a single furnace thermal cycle, the crucible assembly may be recharged with crystal growth aggregate and/or slag may be discharged during the crystal boule growth process without opening the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: James L. Corbeil, Troy Marlar, Piotr Szupryczynski
  • Publication number: 20140102357
    Abstract: A method for growing a single crystal in a chamber. The method includes heating raw material to form a melt for forming the single crystal. A crystal seed is then inserted into the melt and pulled from the melt to form a partial ingot, wherein the partial ingot radiates heat. An amount of gas is then introduced into the chamber which corresponds to a size of the partial ingot so as to provide a constant crystallization rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
    Inventor: Keith Ritter
  • Patent number: 8691009
    Abstract: A pulling apparatus and a method with which especially heavy crystals (5) can be pulled using the Czochralski method utilizing the pulling apparatus. For this purpose the neck (4) of the crystal (5) has an enlargement (10) beneath which extends the support device. This device includes latches (7), which are moved from a resting position into an operating position in which the latches (7) extend beneath the enlargement (10). Each latch (7) is supported on the base body such that it is swivellable about a pivot axis (8) and can assume two stable positions, namely the resting position and the operating position. Each of these positions is defined by a stop on the base body. When the latch rests on the one stop, its center of gravity, viewed from the neck (4), is located on the other side of the pivot axis (8). When the latch rests on the other stop, the center of gravity is located on this side of the pivot axis (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Burkhard Altekrüger, Stefan Henkel, Axel Vonhoff, Erich Tomzig, Dieter Knerer
  • 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: 8657957
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Japan Super Quartz Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kishi, Masanori Fukui, Masaki Morikawa
  • Publication number: 20130305981
    Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus of a SiC single crystal which can suppress the generation of a polycrystal is provided. A jig (41) and a crucible (6) are accommodated in a chamber (1). A SiC solution (8) is housed in the crucible (6). The jig (41) includes a seed shaft (411) and a cover member (412). The seed shaft (411) can move up and down, and a SiC seed crystal (9) is attached to the lower surface thereof. The cover member (412) is attached to the lower end portion of the seed shaft (411). The cover member (412) is a housing which has an opening at its lower end, wherein the lower end portion of the seed shaft (411) is disposed in the cover member (412).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2011
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhito Kamei, Kazuhiko Kusunoki, Nobuyoshi Yashiro, Nobuhiro Okada, Motohisa Kado, Hidemitsu Sakamoto, Hironori Daikoku
  • Patent number: 8580036
    Abstract: The method and apparatus includes a vessel having a bottom and sidewalls arranged to house the material in a molten state. A temperature controlled horizontally oriented, cooling plate is movable into and out of the top of the molten material. When the cooling plate is lowered into the top of the melt, an ingot of solid silicon is solidified downwards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Elkem Solar AS
    Inventor: Kenneth Friestad
  • Publication number: 20130276693
    Abstract: A single crystal production apparatus using the Czochralski method, includes: a crucible for holding raw material melt; a pedestal that supports the crucible and can be moved upward and downward; a crucible rotating shaft for rotating the crucible via the pedestal; and a melt receiver that is disposed below the crucible and provided with a center sleeve surrounding the pedestal, wherein, on the outer periphery of the pedestal, two or more grooves for preventing the raw material melt leaking from the crucible from dripping are provided. The single crystal production apparatus and single crystal production method can reliably prevent melt from reaching a metal portion below the pedestal even when the raw material melt in the crucible flows to the outside of the crucible in an unexpected accident or the like and runs down along the pedestal and thereby prevent damage to the apparatus and the occurrence of an accident.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Iwasaki, Susumu Sonokawa, Shinobu Takeyasu
  • Publication number: 20130233241
    Abstract: A single crystal pulling apparatus (1) has a quartz crucible (2) for accommodating silicon melt (3), a graphite crucible (4) for retaining the quartz crucible (2), a tray (5) for securing and holding the graphite crucible (4) from below, and a crucible rotating shaft (6) for supporting the tray (5) from below and for elevating and lowering the tray (5) and the crucibles (2), (4) while rotating them. A low heat conductive member (10) is interposed on a joint surface between the tray (5) and the crucible rotating shaft (6). The low heat conductive member (10) is formed in a substantially tubular shape, and is interposed in such a manner that a protruding portion of the crucible rotating shaft (6) is inserted through a center hole of the low heat conductive member (10). Thereby, a gap portion (11) is formed below a bottom portion of the tray (5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: TOYO TANSO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu Okada, Masaaki Kawakami
  • 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: 8470093
    Abstract: A device for pulling a single crystal from a melt having a widened portion between an upper and a lower neck portion including a pulling device having a pulling device cable drum configured to wind a pulling cable, the pulling cable configured to pull the single crystal and a supporting device configured to relieve the upper neck portion of a weight of the single crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Andreas Muehe, Alfred Miller, Johann-Andreas Huber
  • Patent number: 8414701
    Abstract: In this method for manufacturing a silicon single crystal, when growing the silicon single crystal, in order to control the V/G value with high accuracy so as to yield a desired defect-free region, it is important to conduct the pulling at a constant pulling rate. In the method for pulling a silicon single crystal in the present invention, in order to control the V/G value with high accuracy, the distance ?t between the melt surface of the silicon melt and the heat shielding member that is disposed so as to oppose to and to partially cover this melt surface is continuously measured while pulling (growing) the silicon single crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sumco Corporation
    Inventor: Keiichi Takanashi
  • Patent number: 8404046
    Abstract: A velocity of Ar gas flow passing through between a lower end of a cylindrical body and a thermal shielding body is influenced by arrangement of a pulling path of single crystal silicon, a cylindrical body, and a thermal shielding body. Accordingly, the velocity of the Ar gas flow passing through between a lower end of the cylindrical body and the thermal shielding body is controlled by adjusting a relative position of the pulling path of the single crystal silicon, the cylindrical body, and the thermal shielding body. As described above, dust falling off to silicon melt can be reduced, thereby preventing deterioration in quality of the single crystal silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Sumco Techxiv Corporation
    Inventors: Makato Kamogawa, Koichi Shimomura, Yoshiyuki Suzuki, Daisuke Ebi
  • Patent number: 8361223
    Abstract: Provided is a method for reliably and easily measuring a liquid level by selecting an optimal reflection method from among a plurality of reflection methods, depending on growing conditions of a pulled single crystal. The method comprises: setting a plurality of measuring methods having different ways of determining the liquid level; creating, in advance, information that associates with a gap between the outer peripheral face of the single crystal and a predetermined position located between a heat shield and the outer peripheral face of the single crystal; determining the gap in accordance with manufacturing conditions; selecting a measuring method associated to the determined gap, on the basis of the information; and measuring the liquid level of a melt surface in use of the selected measuring method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Sumco Techxiv Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Hayashida, Ayumi Kihara, Takuaki Takami
  • Patent number: 8337616
    Abstract: A single-crystal manufacturing apparatus comprises a chamber, a crucible in the chamber, a heater arranged around the crucible, a lifting mechanism for lifting a seed crystal, and a guide passage for the seed crystal and a grown single crystal. In the single-crystal manufacturing apparatus, a material polycrystal contained the crucible is melted by a heater, and the seed crystal is made to contact the molten polycrystal and is lifted. The single-crystal manufacturing apparatus comprises a cylindrical quartz tube having a curved bottom portion, and a dome-shaped quartz plate. The curved bottom portion faces the crucible from the upper portion of the chamber through the guide passage. The quartz plate is arranged to enclose the quartz tube. The quartz tube has a reflecting structure for reflecting a heat ray from at least its bottom portion whereas the quartz plate has a reflecting structure for reflecting the heat ray to the crucible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takao Abe
  • Publication number: 20120288432
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus for manufacturing a single crystal silicon ingot having a dual crucible for silicon melting which can be reused due to a dual crucible structure. The apparatus includes a dual crucible for silicon melting, into which raw silicon is charged, a crucible heater heating the dual crucible to melt the raw silicon into molten silicon, a crucible drive unit controlling rotation and elevation of the dual crucible, and a pull-up drive unit disposed above the dual crucible and pulling up a seed crystal dipped in the molten silicon to produce a silicon ingot. The dual crucible has a container shape open at an upper side thereof, and includes a graphite crucible having an inclined surface connecting an inner bottom and an inner wall, and a quartz crucible inserted into the graphite crucible and receiving the raw silicon charged into the dual crucible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: KOREA INSTITUTE OF ENERGY RESEARCH
    Inventors: Jin-Seok LEE, Bo-Yun JANG, Young-Soo AHN
  • Patent number: 8262797
    Abstract: A weir is extended vertically to define an optimal annular gap between the top of the weir and the underside of a super-adjacent heat shield. The annular gap provides a high velocity stream of argon gas to be directed from the growth region to the melt region to substantially eliminate the transport of airborne particles from the melt region to the growth region. The tall weir may be configured as a modular, reusable weir extension supportably engaged with an outer (and/or inner) weir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Solaicx, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Bender, 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: 8221545
    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: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignees: Sumco Phoenix Corporation, Sumco Corporation
    Inventors: Benno Orschel, Andrzej Buczkowski, Joel Kearns, Keiichi Takanashi, Volker Todt
  • Patent number: 8216372
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and method for growing a high quality Si single crystal ingot and a Si single crystal ingot and wafer produced thereby. The growth apparatus controls the oxygen concentration of the Si single crystal ingot to various values thereby producing the Si single crystal ingot with high productivity and extremely controlled growth defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Siltron Inc.
    Inventor: Hyon-Jong Cho
  • Patent number: 8177910
    Abstract: To reduce the heat input to the bottom of the crucible and to control heat extraction independently of heat input, a shield can be raised between a heating element and a crucible at a controlled speed as the crystal grows. Other steps could include moving the crucible, but this process can avoid having to move the crucible. A temperature gradient is produced by shielding only a portion of the heating element; for example, the bottom portion of a cylindrical element can be shielded to cause heat transfer to be less in the bottom of the crucible than at the top, thereby causing a stabilizing temperature gradient in the crucible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: GT Crystal Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Frederick Schmid, Chandra P. Khattak, David B. Joyce
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20120055395
    Abstract: A Czochralski process (“CZ”) crystal growth method and furnace having a heater capable of generating a heating zone, a crucible within the heating zone and capable of retaining a volume of molten crystal growth material forming a melt line oriented in a designated position within the heating zone, a seed growth rod retractable from the crucible with a rod retraction mechanism, for forming a crystal boule thereon proximal the melt line from the molten crystal growth material. The furnace causes relative movement between the crucible and heating zone as the crystal boule is retracted, so that the melt line is maintained in the designated position within the heating zone. In some embodiments relative movement is based at least in part on sensed weight of the growing crystal boule. In other embodiments the crucible growth rod retraction mechanism are fixed relative to each other by a gantry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
    Inventors: Mark S. Andreaco, Troy Marlar, Brant Quinton, Piotr Szupryczynski
  • Patent number: 8110042
    Abstract: Using a pulling-up apparatus, an oxygen concentration of the monocrystal at a predetermined position in a pulling-up direction is controlled based on a relationship in which the oxygen concentration of the monocrystal is decreased as a flow rate of the inactive gas at a position directly above a free surface of the dopant-added melt is increased when the monocrystal is manufactured with a gas flow volume in the chamber being in the range of 40 L/min to 400 L/min and an inner pressure in the chamber being in the range of 5332 Pa to 79980 Pa. Based on the relationship, oxygen concentration is elevated to manufacture the monocrystal having a desirable oxygen concentration. Because the oxygen concentration is controlled under a condition corresponding to a condition where the gas flow rate is rather slow, the difference between a desirable oxygen concentration profile of the monocrystal and an actual oxygen concentration profile is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Sumco Techxiv Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhito Narushima, Shinichi Kawazoe, Fukuo Ogawa, Tsuneaki Tomonaga, Yasuyuki Ohta, Toshimichi Kubota, Shinsuke Nishihara
  • Patent number: 8101022
    Abstract: A crystal-growing furnace system with an emergent pressure-release arrangement includes an isolated chamber and a furnace upper body. The top board is provided with an opening and three first guides, and the furnace upper body with a lower opening and three second guides, wherein the lower opening of the furnace upper body covers, correspondingly, on the opening of the top board. In case a crystal-growing furnace, combined oppositely by the furnace upper body and the furnace lower body, has an over-high internal pressure, the pressure will overcome the weight of, and lift up the furnace upper body. At this moment, the furnace upper body will slightly move upward and away from enclosing the furnace lower body, so that the over-high internal pressure in the furnace will be released immediately to prevent the furnace from being exploded and from resulting in public accidents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Green Energy Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shiow-Jeng Lew, Hur-Lon Lin
  • Patent number: 8083852
    Abstract: A silicon single crystal growth method of pulling up and growing a single crystal from a melt of a silicon raw material melted in a quartz crucible based on a Czochralski method, the method comprising the steps of: applying a direct current voltage in such a manner that an outer wall of the quartz crucible acts as a positive electrode and an electrode immersed into the melt of the silicon raw material acts as a negative electrode, the immersed electrode being placed separately from a pulling member for pulling the single crystal; and growing the single crystal with the pulling member while passing an electric current through the electrode, and a pulling apparatus thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kosei Sugawara, Ryoji Hoshi, Masanori Takazawa, Yuuichi Miyahara, Atsushi Iwasaki
  • Publication number: 20110290173
    Abstract: Computer controlled quality control methods for manufacturing high purity polycrystalline granules are introduced. Polycrystalline silicon granules are sampled and converted into single crystal specimen in computer controlled system, eliminating the need of human operator in controlling the processing parameters. Single crystal silicon test samples, then characterized by FTIR and other standard analysis, are therefore more representative of the starting granular silicon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: David C. Spencer, Jimmie D. Walter, Friedrich H. Doerbeck
  • Patent number: 8057598
    Abstract: Disclosed therein is an apparatus for producing a polycrystalline silicon ingot for a solar cell, which has uniform crystal grains formed by solidifying silicon melted in a crucible using a cooling plate. The polycrystalline silicon ingot producing apparatus includes: a crucible for melting silicon; conveying shafts for adjusting the height of the crucible; heaters for heating the crucible; and a cooling plate located below the crucible for cooling the crucible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Inventors: Young Sang Cho, Young Jo Kim
  • Publication number: 20110214605
    Abstract: The present invention provides a silicon single crystal manufacturing method for manufacturing a single crystal based on a horizontal magnetic field applied CZ method for pulling the single crystal while applying a horizontal magnetic field to a silicon raw material melt accommodated in a quartz crucible by a magnetic field application device, comprising: measuring a center position of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field application device; and deviating the measured center position of the magnetic field from a pulling member serving as a rotation axis of the single crystal in a horizontal direction within the range of 2 to 14 mm before manufacture of the single crystal and/or during manufacture of the single crystal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Suguru Matsumoto, Susumu Sonokawa, Toshiharu Uesugi, Takashi Mori
  • Patent number: 8012258
    Abstract: The liquid surface position of the melt in the crucible in the silicon single crystal growth process utilizing the Czochralski method is monitored using the melt surface position on the occasion of seeding as a reference position and an estimated melt surface position can be calculated according to every situation, so that the distance between the melt and the thermal shield or water-cooling structure can be controlled with high precision. When the estimated melt surface position passes a preset upper limit and approaches the thermal shield, an alarm goes off and, further, when the melt comes into contact with the thermal shield or approaches the water-cooling structure, an alarm goes off if desired and, at the same time, the crucible is forcedly stopped from moving, so that a serious accident such as steam-incurred explosion resulting from the melt coming into contact with the water-cooling structure can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Sumco Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hayakawa, Tokuji Maeda
  • Publication number: 20110132257
    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: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: SUMCO TECHXIV CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhito Narushima, Shinichi Kawazoe, Fukuo Ogawa, Toshimichi Kubota, Tomohiro Fukuda
  • 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
  • Patent number: 7828897
    Abstract: A pulling apparatus and a method with which especially heavy crystals (5) can be pulled using the Czochralski method utilizing the pulling apparatus. For this purpose the neck (4) of the crystal (5) has an enlargement (10) beneath which extends the support device. This device includes latches (7), which are moved from a resting position into an operating position in which the latches (7) extend beneath the enlargement (10). Each latch (7) is supported on the base body such that it is swivellable about a pivot axis (8) and can assume two stable positions, namely the resting position and the operating position. Each of these positions is defined by a stop on the base body. When the latch rests on the one stop, its center of gravity, viewed from the neck (4), is located on the other side of the pivot axis (8). When the latch rests on the other stop, the center of gravity is located on this side of the pivot axis (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignees: Crystal Growing Systems GmbH, Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Burkhard Altekrüger, Stefan Henkel, Axel Vonhoff, Erich Tomzig, Dieter Knerer
  • Patent number: 7799133
    Abstract: A crucible apparatus includes a hollow crucible body which is open at its upper and lower ends and a bottom plate which is formed separately from the crucible body and can close off the lower end of the crucible body. A space for receiving a molten material is formed by placing the crucible body atop the bottom plate. When molten material received in the space has solidified, the crucible body is raised off the bottom plate, and solidified material is pushed out of one end of the crucible body and removed from the crucible body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: IIS Materials Corporation, Ltd.
    Inventors: Norichika Yamauchi, Takehiko Shimada
  • Publication number: 20100212580
    Abstract: For manufacturing a monocrystal, a monocrystal pulling-up device controls pressure within a flow straightening cylinder to be from 33331 Pa to 79993 Pa and a flow velocity of inert gas in the cylinder to be from 0.06 m/sec to 0.31 m/sec (0.005 to 0.056 SL/min·cm2) during a post-addition-pre-growth period. By controlling the flow velocity of the inert gas to be in the above-described range during the post-addition-pre-growth period, the inert gas flows smoothly even when the pressure within the cylinder is relatively high. Evaporation of a volatile dopant because of a reverse flow of the inert gas can be restrained. The volatile dopant can be prevented from adhering to the flow straightening cylinder in an amorphous state, and the volatile dopant can be prevented from dropping into a melt or sticking on the melt while growing a crystal. Foulings can be easily removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: SUMCO TECHXIV CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichi Kawazoe, Fukuo Ogawa, Yasuhito Narushima, Toshimichi Kubota
  • 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: 20100126410
    Abstract: A quartz crucible retaining silicon melt is rotated at a prescribed rotating speed, and a silicon single crystal bar pulled from the quartz crucible is rotated at a prescribed rotating speed. A first coil and a second coil having the rotating center of the crucible at the center are arranged in a vertical direction at a prescribed interval, and currents of the same direction are permitted to flow in the first and the second coils to generate a magnetic field. The first coil is arranged outside a chamber, and the second coil is arranged inside the chamber. An intermediate position of the prescribed interval between the first and the second coils is controlled to be at a surface of the silicon melt or below so that a distance between the intermediate position and the surface of the silicon melt is 0 mm or more but not more than 10,000 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Senlin Fu, Naoki Ono
  • Patent number: 7716948
    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: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignees: Heraeus Shin-Etsu America, Inc., Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kemmochi, Yasuo Ohama
  • Publication number: 20100064965
    Abstract: A device for pulling a single crystal from a melt having a widened portion between an upper and a lower neck portion including a pulling device having a pulling device cable drum configured to wind a pulling cable, the pulling cable configured to pull the single crystal and a supporting device configured to relieve the upper neck portion of a weight of the single crystal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventors: Andreas Muehe, Alfred Miller, Johann-Andreas Huber
  • 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
  • Patent number: 7635414
    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 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Solaicx, Inc.
    Inventor: David L. Bender
  • Patent number: 7635413
    Abstract: A SiC single crystal is produced by the solution growth method in which a seed crystal attached to a seed shaft is immersed in a solution of SiC dissolved in a melt of Si or a Si alloy and a SiC single crystal is allowed to grow on the seed crystal by gradually cooling the solution or by providing a temperature gradient therein. To this method, accelerated rotation of a crucible is applied by repeatedly accelerating to a prescribed rotational speed and holding at that speed and decelerating to a lower rotational speed or a 0 rotational speed. The rotational direction of the crucible may be reversed each acceleration. The seed shaft may also be rotated synchronously with the rotation of the crucible in the same or opposite rotational as the crucible. A large, good quality single crystal having no inclusions are produced with a high crystal growth rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kusunoki, Kazuhito Kamei, Nobuyoshi Yashiro, Akihiro Yauchi, Yoshihisa Ueda, Yutaka Itoh, Nobuhiro Okada