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.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for growing a thin nitride film over a substrate and a thin nitride film device, in which the polarity of the thin nitride film can be controlled by a low temperature process. In the method for growing the thin nitride film over a substrate, a Ga face (2) and a N face (3) are formed over a c face sapphire (Al2O3) substrate (1), the Ga face (2) growing in +c face, and the N face (3) growing in ?c face.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the continuous production of semiconductor ribbons by growth from a linear molten zone. The creation of the molten zone is achieved by application of an electric current, direct or alternating, parallel to the surface of the ribbon and perpendicular to the direction of growth, and intense enough to melt the said material, preferably using electrodes of the said material. The molten zone is fed by transference of the material, in the liquid state, from one or more reservoirs, where melting of the feedstock occurs. Preferably, the said electrodes and the said reservoir(s) are only constituted by the said material, thus avoiding contamination by foreign materials. The present invention is applicable, for example, in the industry of silicon ribbons production for photovoltaic application.

Abstract: A silicon single crystal ingot growing apparatus for growing a silicon single crystal ingot based on a Czochralski method The silicon single crystal ingot growing apparatus includes a chamber; a crucible provided in the chamber, and for containing a silicon melt; a heater provided at the outside of the crucible and for heating the silicon melt; a pulling unit for ascending a silicon single crystal grown from the silicon melt; and a plurality of magnetic members provided at the outside of the chamber and for asymmetrically applying a magnetic field to the silicon melt Such a structure can uniformly controls an oxygen concentration at a rear portion of a silicon single crystal ingot using asymmetric upper/lower magnetic fields without replacing a hot zone In addition, such a structure can controls a flower phenomenon generated on the growth of the single crystal by the asymmetric magnetic fields without a loss such as the additional hot zone (H/Z) replacement, P/S down, and SR variance.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for producing a single crystal, and a method for producing a silicon single crystal using the same. An apparatus for producing a single crystal includes a heating device which heats polycrystalline silicon raw material held in a crucible to form silicon melt, and a pulling up device which grows a silicon single crystal while pulling it up from the silicon melt accompanied with rotation. By providing the apparatus with a magnetic field generation unit which applies to the silicon melt a cusp magnetic field a shape of neutral plane of which is symmetric around the rotation axis of the silicon single crystal and is curved in the upward direction, various conditions for producing a silicon single crystal having a defect free region is relaxed, and a silicon single crystal having a defect free region is produced at high efficiency.

Abstract: A process for producing a silicon single crystal is by pulling the single crystal from a silicon melt which is contained in a crucible with a diameter of at least 450 mm, above which a heat shield is arranged. The single crystal being pulled has a diameter of at least 200 mm. The silicon melt is exposed to the influence of a traveling magnetic field which exerts a substantially vertically oriented force on the melt in the region of the crucible wall. There is also an apparatus which is suitable for carrying out the process.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method for casting a silicon ingot by using a continuous casting method by means of an electromagnetic induction, and a method for cutting the silicon ingot as a starting material into plural silicon blocks. When the silicon blocks with a square section are cut out, the sectional shape of the silicon ingot is set to be rectangular. Not less than 6 pieces of equal-sized silicon blocks are cut out from the silicon ingot, thereby enabling to enhance the manufacturing efficiency to a great extent. And since the amount of excision of the edge per silicon block is reduced, the production yield can be enhanced. Further, since the proportion of columnar crystals with large grain size inside the ingot can be increased, it becomes possible to enhance the conversion efficiency of a solar battery using the silicon block as a substrate material.

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.

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.

Abstract: A process for producing a silicon single crystal includes the steps of bringing a seed crystal into contact with a silicon melt, gradually pulling the seed crystal from the melt so as to form a neck having a tapered portion and a constant diameter portion, then pulling a silicon single crystal. The atmosphere used during neck formation is a hydrogen-containing atmosphere prepared by adding a hydrogen-containing substance to an inert gas. The hydrogen-containing substance has a hydrogen gas equivalent concentration in the hydrogen-containing atmosphere of 3 to 20%.

Abstract: System for controlling crystal growth in a Czochralski crystal growing apparatus. A magnetic field is applied within the crystal growing apparatus and varied to control a shape of the melt-solid interface where the ingot is being pulled from the melt. The shape of the melt-solid interface is formed to a desired shape in response to the varied magnetic field as a function of a length of the ingot.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of fabrication of high quality silicon single crystal at high growth rate. The method grows silicon single crystal from silicon melt by Czochralski method, wherein the silicon single crystal is grown according to conditions that the silicon melt has an axial temperature gradient determined according to an equation, {(?Tmax??Tmin)/?Tmin}×100?10, wherein ?Tmax is a maximum axial temperature gradient of the silicon melt and ?Tmin is a minimum axial temperature gradient of the silicon melt, when the axial temperature gradient is measured along an axis parallel to a radial direction of the silicon single crystal.

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.

Abstract: The invention relates to a technique for producing a high quality Si single crystal ingot with a high productivity by the Czochralski method. The technique of the invention can control the magnetic field strength of an oxygen dissolution region different from that of a solid-liquid interface region in order to control the oxygen concentration at a desired value.

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.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of growing a single crystal from a melt contained in a crucible. The method includes the step of making the temperature of a melt increase gradually to a maximum point and then decrease gradually along the axis parallel to the lengthwise direction of the single crystal from the interface of the single crystal and the melt to the bottom of the crucible. The increasing temperature of the melt is kept to preferably have a greater temperature gradient than the decreasing temperature thereof. Preferably, the axis is set to pass through the center of the single crystal. Preferably, the convection of the inner region of the melt is made smaller than that of the outer region thereof.

Abstract: There is disclosed a single crystal obtained by a single crystal pulling method, wherein an interval of striations incorporated into the single crystal due to temperature fluctuation of crystal melt at the time of crystal growth is controlled, and a method of growing a single crystal according to a single crystal pulling method, wherein a growth rate and/or a temperature fluctuation period are controlled so that V×F/sin ? may be in a certain range when a growth rate at the time of growing a single crystal is defined as V (mm/min), a temperature fluctuation period of crystal melt is defined as F (min), and an angle to the level surface of a crystal-growth interface is defined as ?.

Abstract: A single crystal semiconductor manufacturing method for realizing a dislocation-free single crystal while not varying or hardly varying electric power supplied to a heater when and after a seed crystal comes into contact with a melt. The allowable temperature difference ?Tc not causing dislocation in the seed crystal is determined according to the concentration (C) of the impurities added to the seed crystal (14) and the size (diameter D) of the seed crystal (14). When the seed crystal (14) comes into contact with the melt (5), electric power supplied to a bottom heater (19) is fixed, and a magnetic field produced by a magnet (20) is applied to the melt (5). Electric power supplied to a main heater (9) is controlled so that the temperature at the surface of the melt (5) which the seed crystal (14) comes into contact with may be a target value. After the seed crystal (14) comes into contact with the melt (5), single crystal silicon is pulled up without performing a necking process.

Abstract: The method for manufacturing a single crystal semiconductor achieves an object to reduce the impurity concentration nonuniformity within a semiconductor wafer plane and thus to improve the wafer planarity by introducing an impurity into the single crystal semiconductor more uniformly during the pulling of the single crystal semiconductor from a melt. In the course of pulling the single crystal semiconductor (6), the rotating velocity (?2) of the single crystal semiconductor (6) being pulled is adjusted to a predetermined value or higher, and a magnetic field having a strength in a predetermined range is applied to the melt (5). Particularly, the crystal peripheral velocity is adjusted to 0.126 m/sec or higher, and M/V1/3 is adjusted to 35.5?M/V1/3?61.3. More desirably, the crystal peripheral velocity is adjusted to 0.141 m/sec or higher, and M/V1/3 is adjusted to 40.3?M/V1/3?56.4.

Abstract: Disclosed is a metod of fabrication of high quality silicon single crystal at high growth rate. The method grows silicon single crystal from silicon melt by Czochralski method, wherein the silicon single crystal is grown according to conditions that the silicon melt has an axial temperature gradient determined according to an equation, {(?Tmax??Tmin)/?Tmin}×100?10, wherein ?Tmax is a maximum axial temperature gradient of the silicon melt and ?Tmin is a minimum axial temperature gradient of the silicon melt, when the axial temperature gradient is measured along an axis parallel to a radial direction of the silicon single crystal.

Abstract: A silicon single crystal which, over an ingot length of over 10 percent of the total ingot length, has a uniform defect picture and narrow radial dopant and oxygen variations. The process in accordance with the Czochralski method involves bringing about a temperature distribution in the melt in the region of the solidification interface which deviates from rotational symmetry.

Abstract: The present invention is to produce a silicon crystal wherein the boron concentration in the silicon crystal and the growth condition V/G are controlled so that the boron concentration in the silicon crystal is no less than 1×1018 atoms/cm3 and the growth condition V/G falls within the epitaxial defect-free region ?2 whose lower limit line LN1 is the line indicating that the growth rate V gradually drops as the boron concentration increases. A silicon wafer is also produced wherein the boron concentration in the silicon crystal and the growth condition V/G are controlled so as to include at least the epitaxial defect region ?1, and both the heat treatment condition and the oxygen concentration of the silicon crystal are controlled so that no OSF nuclei grow to OSFs.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for producing a single crystal, and a method for producing a silicon single crystal using the same. An apparatus for producing a single crystal includes a heating device which heats polycrystalline silicon raw material held in a crucible to form silicon melt, and a pulling up device which grows a silicon single crystal while pulling it up from the silicon melt accompanied with rotation. By providing the apparatus with a magnetic field generation unit which applies to the silicon melt a cusp magnetic field a shape of neutral plane of which is symmetric around the rotation axis of the silicon single crystal and is curved in the upward direction, various conditions for producing a silicon single crystal having a defect free region is relaxed, and a silicon single crystal having a defect free region is produced at high efficiency.

Abstract: A method and system for use in combination with a crystal growing apparatus for growing a monocrystalline ingot according to a Czochralski process. The crystal growing apparatus has a heated crucible including a semiconductor melt from which the ingot is pulled. The ingot is grown on a seed crystal pulled from the melt. A time varying external magnetic field is imposed on the melt during pulling of the ingot. The magnetic field is selectively adjusted to produce pumping forces in the melt to control a melt flow velocity while the ingot is being pulled from the melt.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a silicon single crystal by pulling up the silicon single crystal from a molten silicon by the CZ method, comprising: a cooling step of cooling the silicon single crystal by a cooler surrounding the silicon single crystal, and a heat shield body disposed surrounding an outer side and a lower side of the cooler while the silicon single crystal is being pulled up; and an Ms adjusting step of determining, in advance, an allowable range of a pulling speed at which a silicon single crystal having few crystal defects can be obtained by adjusting a distance (referred to “Ms”) from the lower surface of the heat shield body disposed on the lower side of the cooler to the surface of the molten silicon, wherein the silicon single crystal 11 is pulled up at a pulling speed within the allowable range thus determined.

Abstract: [Problem] A silicon single crystal ingot in which point defect agglomerates do not exist over a substantially entire length thereof is manufactured without reducing a pure margin. [Solving Means] A heat shielding member 36 comprises a bulge portion 41 which is provided to bulge in an in-cylinder direction at a lower portion of a cylindrical portion 37 and has a heat storage member 47 provided therein. A flow quantity of an inert gas flowing down between the bulge portion 41 in the heat shielding member 36 and an ingot 25 when pulling up a top-side ingot 25a of the silicon single crystal ingot 25 is set larger than a flow quantity of the inert gas flowing down between the bulge portion 41 and the ingot 25 when pulling up a bottom-side ingot 25b of the silicon single crystal ingot 25, thereby pulling up the ingot 25.

Abstract: The invention relates to producing a melt that is as homogeneous as possible, to which fresh material in the form of granulate is continuously supplied. Since the granulate is cooler than the melt, heat sinks form that are especially pronounced when the granulate forms clumps in the melt. Therefore, the invention relates to a means for distributing the granulate. In one aspect, the means are inductors arranged outside the melting crucible that generate an alternating magnetic field in the melt. In this way, electrical currents are induced there that, in turn, cause the material flows. In one aspect, the inductors are arranged and controlled in such a way that a rapid distribution of the granulate is effected and thus its rapid melting. In this way, good homogeneity is achieved, especially in the center of the melt where the removal of the melted material also occurs.

Abstract: In order to pull semiconductor single crystals by the Czochralski method, quartz glass crucibles are used which require support crucibles having high temperature capabilities. Such support crucibles may be made of various materials, in which case graphite materials, carbon fiber-reinforced carbon (CFC), combinations thereof or carbon materials coated with silicon carbide (SiC) are used. The working life of a CFC support crucible can be extended by a partial thickening of the support crucible walls affected by corrosion processes.

Abstract: By utilizing a crystal pulling apparatus for producing a single crystal according to the Czochralski method comprising at least a crucible to be charged with a raw material, a heater surrounding the crucible, and subsidiary heating means provided below the crucible, a single crystal is pulled or the raw material is additionally introduced with heating by the heater surrounding the crucible and the subsidiary heating means when the amount of the raw material melt in the crucible becomes a limited amount. Thus, there is provided a method for growing a single crystal at a high yield while preventing solidification of melt raw material decreased to a limited amount without affecting crystal quality, durability of crucible or the like even when a crucible having a large diameter is used.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for producing a single crystal of which a whole plane in a radial direction is a defect-free region with pulling the single crystal from a raw material melt in a chamber by Czochralski method, wherein a pulling condition is changed in a direction of the crystal growth axis during pulling the single crystal so that a margin of a pulling rate is always a predetermined value or more that the single crystal of which the whole plane in a radial direction is a defect-free region can be pulled. Thereby, there can be provided a method for producing a single crystal in which when a single crystal is produced by CZ method, the single crystal of which a whole plane in a radial direction is a defect-free region entirely in a direction of the crystal growth axis can be produced with stability.

Abstract: Methods and system for controlling crystal growth in a Czochralski crystal growing apparatus. A magnetic field is applied within the crystal growing apparatus and varied to control a shape of the melt-solid interface where the ingot is being pulled from the melt. The shape of the melt-solid interface is formed to a desired shape in response to the varied magnetic field as a function of a length of the ingot.

Abstract: To suppress a fluctuation in resistivity around a target value to thereby stably manufacture high resistivity silicon single crystals having almost the same resistivity values in a manufacturing method wherein a silicon raw material is molten to manufacture a high resistivity silicon single crystal in the range of from 100 to 2000 ? cm with a CZ method. In a case where poly-silicon produced with a Siemens method using trichlorosilane as raw material is used as the silicon raw material, an impurity concentration in the silicon raw material is selected so as to be controlled in the range of from ?5 to 50 ppta method in terms of (a donor concentration—an acceptor concentration) and the selected poly-silicon is used. In a case of a MCZ method, the poly-silicon is selected in the range of from ?25 to 20 ppta and the selected poly-silicon is used. Instead of the raw material, poly-silicon produced with a Siemens method using monosilane as raw material is used.

Abstract: The invention presented here relates to a crystal growing equipment. It is equipped in general with a resistance heater for heating a melt (13) as well as with field coils, which generate alternating magnetic field in a crucible, with which flows can be induced in the melt (13). The invention is so designed that the resistance heaters are also devised to function as the field coils, that is, they are built of a hollow cylindrical body (1), in which, by means of a surrounding slit (2) which winds around it, a spiral-shaped single layer current path is formed. This has the advantage that the current needed for the electrical heating in the equipment is also used for the generation of the magnetic field. Thus, neither separate field coils nor a separate current supply is necessary. Further, the resistance heater, which serves as the field coil arranged as a coil array, is high temperature resistant and surrounds the immediate hot core zone of the equipment and thus the region of the melt.

Abstract: Monolithic integrated crystalline-structure-processed arrays of mechanical, and combined mechanical and electrical devices, and related systems and processing methods.

Abstract: An apparatus for pulling the single crystal has a radiation shield. The apparatus can improve the ratio of single crystallization, even if the radiation shield is made of graphite base material and covered with silicon carbide. The apparatus can be manufactured by low cost and can improve heat insulating characteristic. The apparatus does not generate cracks by heat stress even in a large size. In the apparatus for Czochralski method having the radiation shield, the radiation shield is formed of graphite base material covered with silicon carbide. An inside corner of a curvature formed on the base material is formed of a curved surface.

Abstract: A single crystal pulling device is composed of a cylindrical pulling furnace, a crucible disposed in the pulling furnace in which a single crystal material for a semiconductor is poured, a cylindrical vacuum vessel coaxially disposed around the pulling furnace, and a superconducting magnet composed of a plurality pairs of coils arranged inside the vacuum vessel so as to generate magnetic field. The superconducting coils are arranged on the same horizontal plane of the cylindrical vacuum vessel, and each of the paired superconducting coils includes coils set so as to oppose to each other with respect to a central axis of the cylindrical vacuum vessel so that one coil of one pair of coils and one coil of another pair of coils adjacent to that one pair of coils constitutes a set angle, directing towards the inside of the cylindrical vessel, in a range of 100° to 130°.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is disclosed a silicon single crystal wafer grown according to the CZ method which is a wafer having a diameter of 200 mm or more produced from a single crystal grown at a growth rate of 0.5 mm/min or more without doping except for a dopant for controlling resistance, wherein neither an octahedral void defect due to vacancies nor a dislocation cluster due to interstitial silicons exists as a grown-in defect, and a method for producing it.

Abstract: In a method for growing a single crystal by bringing a seed crystal (4) into contact with a melt (2) of raw materials melted under heating in a crucible (1) a blade member (5) or a baffle member in disposed in the raw material melt (2) in the crucible (1) and a single crystal is grown by pulling up it with rotating the crucible (1) to thereby grow various single crystals including CLBO from the highly viscous raw material melt (2) as high quality and high performance crystals.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate after heat-treatment in a non-oxidising atmosphere has the characteristics that the depth of the denuded zone may be greater than 12 &mgr;m or the defect-free depth of the void type defect is greater than 12 &mgr;m and the substrate has a locally densified portion produced by nitrogen segregation and exhibiting a signal strength two or more times the average signal strength at the depth of 12 &mgr;m or more below the surface thereof when measuring the concentration of nitrogen by using secondary ion mass-spectroscopy, and the density of the crystal defect of oxygen precipitates is 5×108/cm3 or more, and the said substrate is produced by heat-treating for at least one hour at the temperature of 1200° C. or more in a non-oxidising atmosphere.

Abstract: A magnetic garnet single crystal film formation substrate for growing a magnetic garnet single crystal film by liquid phase epitaxial growth is provided. This substrate comprises a base substrate composed of a garnet-based single crystal which is unstable with a flux used for the liquid phase epitaxial growth and a buffer layer composed of a garnet-based single crystal thin film formed on the base substrate and being stable with said flux. A high-quality magnetic garnet single crystal film can be produced by using the substrate. The magnetic garnet single crystal film is used as an optical element, such as a Faraday element, used in an optical isolator, optical circulator and magneto-optical sensor, etc.

Abstract: A protein crystal growth assembly including a crystal growth cell and further including a cell body having a top side and a bottom side and a first aperture defined therethrough, the cell body having opposing first and second sides and a second aperture defined therethrough. A cell barrel is disposed within the cell body, the cell barrel defining a cavity alignable with the first aperture of the cell body, the cell barrel being rotatable within the second aperture. A reservoir is coupled to the bottom side of the cell body and a cap having a top side is disposed on the top side of the cell body. The protein crystal growth assembly may be employed in methods including vapor diffusion crystallization, liquid to liquid crystallization, batch crystallization, and temperature induction batch mode crystallization.

Abstract: Disclosed is a Group II-VI or III-V compound-based single-crystal ferromagnetic material, wherein at least one transition metal selected from the group consisting of V and Cr is substituted for or for the Group II element of a Group II-VI compound selected from the group consisting of ZnTe, ZnSe, ZnS, CdTe, CdSe and CdS, or for the Group III element of a Group III-V compound selected from the group consisting of GsAs, InAs, Inp and GaP, to form a mixed crystal. Further, at least one transition metal selected from the group consisting of V, Cr and Mn is substituted for the Group III element of a Group III-V compound selected from the group consisting of GaN, AlN, InN and BN, to form a mixed crystal. Another transition metal element or n-type or p-type dopant is added to adjust ferromagnetic transition temperature or another ferromagnetic characteristic.

Abstract: A single crystal pulling device is composed of a cylindrical pulling furnace, a crucible disposed in the pulling furnace in which a single crystal material for a semiconductor is poured, a cylindrical vacuum vessel coaxially disposed around the pulling furnace, and a superconducting magnet composed of a plurality pairs of coils arranged inside the vacuum vessel so as to generate magnetic field. The superconducting coils are arranged on the same horizontal plane of the cylindrical vacuum vessel, and each of the paired superconducting coils includes coils set so as to oppose to each other with respect to a central axis of the cylindrical vacuum vessel so that one coil of one pair of coils and one coil of another pair of coils adjacent to that one pair of coils constitutes a set angle, directing towards the inside of the cylindrical vessel, in a range of 100° to 130°.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with a method of forming a single crystal of a ceramic, semiconductive or magnetic material. The method according to the invention comprises the steps of (a) compacting a nanocrystalline powder comprising particles having an average particle size of 0.05 to 20 &mgr;m and each formed of an agglomerate of grains with each grain comprising a nanocrystal of a ceramic, semiconductive or magnetic material; and (b) sintering the compacted powder obtained in step (a) at a temperature sufficient to cause an exaggerated growth of at least one of the grains, thereby obtaining at least one single crystal of aforesaid material.

Abstract: A method for growing solid state laser crystal boules is disclosed that when made into laser rods do not need separate end caps attached to the laser rods. The crystal boule is grown as a single integral unit with three segments. Two segments, the end segments, are un-doped or non-laser active, and they flank a central segment of the boule that is doped with an active laser ion. A first end segment of the crystal boule is first grown from un-doped melt material in a first crucible by slowly withdrawing its growing end from the first melt. The boule is then transferred to a doped melt in a second crucible where its growing end is submersed therein to grow the doped, laser active central segment. The temperature of the melt in the second crucible is initially higher than the growing temperature of the first melt and causes the growing end of the boule to melt.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing high quality semi-insulating silicon carbide crystals in the absence of relevant amounts of deep level trapping elements. The invention includes the steps of heating a silicon carbide crystal having a first concentration of point defect related deep level states to a temperature above the temperatures required for CVD growth of silicon carbide from source gases, but less than the sublimation temperature of silicon carbide under the ambient conditions to thereby thermodynamically increase the number of point defects and resulting states in the crystal, and then cooling the heated crystal to approach room temperature at a sufficiently rapid rate to maintain a concentration of point defects in the cooled crystal that remains greater than the first concentration.

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.

Abstract: In a method manufacturing a silicon single crystal 8 according to an MCZ method, a flow rate of an inert gas flowing in a growth furnace 1 during growth of the silicon single crystal 8 and/or a pressure in the growth furnace 1 is altered according to a pulling amount of the silicon single crystal 8 to adjust an interstitial oxygen concentration therein. By altering a flow rate of an inert gas flowing in the growth furnace or a pressure therein, an amount of oxygen evaporating as an oxide from a surface of a silicon melt 10 in the vicinity of a crystal growth interface can be easily adjusted, and thereby, an oxygen amount included in the silicon melt 10 can be controlled with ease.

Abstract: By using a semiconductor single crystal pulling apparatus for growing single crystals by the Czochralski method while rotating the melt by a magnetic field and electric current, namely by the EMCZ method, which comprises a main pulling means for pulling a single crystal, a holding mechanism for gripping an engaging stepped portion formed on the single crystal through engaging members and a sub pulling means for moving the holding mechanism up and down and in which an electric current is passed through the main pulling means and through the sub pulling means, it is possible to prevent heavy single crystals from undergoing a falling accident and, at the same time, effectively reduce the power consumption. In this pulling apparatus, it is effective to feed an electric current to the sub pulling means alone and it is desirable to dispose two or more electrodes whether the pulling means is of a shaft type or wire type.

Abstract: An improved method of obtaining a wafer exhibiting high resistivity while preventing the reduction of resistivity due to the generation of oxygen donors provided by: a) using the CZ method to grow a silicon single crystal ingot in the presence of a magnetic field, such crystal having a resistivity of 100 &OHgr;·cm or more and an initial interstitial oxygen concentration of 5 to 10 ppma and b) processing the ingot into a wafer.