Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor single crystal growth method, which uses a Czochralski process for growing a semiconductor single crystal through a solid-liquid interface by dipping a seed into a semiconductor melt received in a quartz crucible and pulling up the seed while rotating the quartz crucible and applying a strong horizontal magnetic field, wherein the seed is pulled up while the quartz crucible is rotated with a rate between 0.6 rpm and 1.5 rpm.

Abstract: Silicon single crystals having suppressed deformation and dislocations and the successful omission of the tail section are produced by growing the straight-body section of the silicon single crystal under the influence of a horizontal magnetic field with a magnetic flux density at its magnetic center being ?1000 Gauss, and ?2000 Gauss, reducing the lifting speed of the silicon single crystal relative to the surface of the melt to 0 mm/minute, maintaining a static state until there is a decrease in the apparent weight of the silicon single crystal, then further maintaining the static state so that the entire growth front of the silicon single crystal forms a convex shape protruding in a direction opposite to the lifting direction of the silicon single crystal, and separating the silicon single crystal from the melt.

Abstract: A method of dividing single crystals, particularly of plates of parts thereof, is proposed, which can comprise: pre-adjusting the crystallographic cleavage plane (2?) relative to the cleavage device, setting a tensional intensity (K) by means of tensional fields (3?, 4?), determining an energy release rate G(?) in dependence from a possible deflection angle (?) from the cleavage plane (2?) upon crack propagation, controlling the tensional fields (3?, 4?) such that the crack further propagates in the single crystal, wherein G(0)?2?e(0) and simultaneously at least one of the following conditions is satisfied: ? ? G ? ? ? ? = 0 ? 2 ? ? e h ? ? if ? ? ? 2 ? G ? ? 2 ? 0 ? ? or ( 2.1 ) ? ? G ? ? ? ? 2 ? ? e h ? ? ? ? : ? ? 1 < ? < ? 2 . ( 2.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing a sapphire seed for growing a crystal having reduced dislocation density. The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a sapphire seed formed by a sapphire single crystal and used for growing another sapphire single crystal on a (0001) face as a crystal growing surface, the method comprising: preparing a sapphire seed whose side face forms a crystal face within a {1-100} face±10°, and whose shape is processed so as to include a hexagonal prism or a triangle prism; and applying a predetermined thermal treatment to said sapphire seed.

Abstract: A ternary single crystal relaxor piezoelectric of PMN-PZ-PT grown from a novel melt using the Vertical Bridgeman method. The ternary single crystals are characterized by a Curie temperature, Tc, of at least 150° C. and a rhombohedral to tetragonal phase transition temperature, Trt, of at least about 110° C. The ternary crystals further exhibit a piezoelectric coefficient, d33, in the range of at least about 1200-2000 pC/N.

Abstract: Following steps are implemented: a melting step in which aluminum oxide within a crucible is melted to obtain an aluminum melt; a shoulder-portion formation step in which a seed crystal brought into contact with the aluminum melt is pulled up to thereby form a shoulder portion below the seed crystal; a body-portion formation step in which single-crystal sapphire is pulled up from the melt to form a body portion; and a tail-portion formation step in which a mixed gas including oxygen and an inert gas and having an oxygen concentration set at not less than 1.0 vol % nor more than 5.0 vol % is supplied while the single-crystal sapphire is pulled away from the melt to form a tail portion. Thus, when single-crystal sapphire is obtained by growth from a melt of aluminum oxide, formation of a protrusion in the tail portion of the single-crystal sapphire is more effectively inhibited.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing single crystal ingot and a wafer manufactured thereby are provided. The method includes pulling and growing an ingot in a crucible; and cooling the ingot, wherein during the pulling of the ingot, a pulling rate of the ingot is configured to generate a vacancy of less than 80 nm; when the ingot is cooled at an interval of about 1000 to about 2000, a cooling speed of the ingot is slow cooling to allow the vacancy of less than about 80 nm to grow into a vacancy of more than about 80 nm.

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: A method for the production of an SiC single crystal includes the steps of growing a first SiC single crystal in a first direction of growth on a first seed crystal formed of an SiC single crystal, disposing the first SiC single crystal grown on the first seed crystal in a direction parallel or oblique to the first direction of growth and cutting the disposed first SiC single crystal in a direction of a major axis in a cross section perpendicular to the first direction of growth to obtain a second seed crystal, using the second seed crystal to grow thereon in a second direction of growth a second SiC single crystal to a thickness greater than a length of the major axis in the cross section, disposing the second SiC single crystal grown on the second seed crystal in a direction parallel or oblique to the second direction of growth and cutting the disposed second SiC single crystal in a direction of a major axis in a cross section perpendicular to the second direction of growth to obtain a third seed crystal, u

Abstract: Silicon semiconductor wafers are produced by: pulling a single crystal with a conical section and an adjoining cylindrical section having a diameter ?450 mm and a length of ?800 mm from a melt in a crucible, wherein in pulling the transition from the conical section to the cylindrical section, the pulling rate is at least 1.8 times higher than the average pulling rate during the pulling of the cylindrical section; cooling the growing single crystal with a cooling power of at least 20 kW; feeding heat from the side wall of the crucible to the single crystal, wherein a gap having a height of ?70 mm is present between a heat shield surrounding the single crystal and the melt surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique which enables production of single crystal silicon having relatively low resistivity by preventing cell growth during crystal growth from occurring, especially in a case where a relatively large amount of dopant is added to a molten silicon raw material. Specifically, the present invention provides a method of producing single crystal silicon by the Czochralski process, comprising producing single crystal silicon having relatively low resistivity by controlling a height of a solid-liquid interface when the single crystal silicon is pulled up.

Abstract: An epitaxial wafer is produced by a method comprising steps of growing a silicon single crystal ingot having a given oxygen concentration through Czochralski method, cutting out a wafer from the silicon single crystal ingot, subjecting the wafer to a heat treatment at a given temperature for a given time, and epitaxially growing the wafer.

Abstract: The present invention is a silicon single crystal wafer grown by the Czochralski method, the silicon single crystal wafer in which an wafer entire plane is an N region located outside OSFs which are generated in the form of a ring when thermal oxidation treatment is performed and contains no defect region detected by the RIE process. As a result, a silicon single crystal wafer which belongs to none of a vacancy-rich V region, an OSF region, a Dn region in an Nv region, the Dn region in which a defect detected by the Cu deposition process is generated, and an interstitial silicon-rich I region and can improve the TDDB characteristic which is the time dependent breakdown characteristic of an oxide film more reliably than a known silicon single crystal wafer is provided, and the silicon single crystal wafer is provided under stable production conditions.

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

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for pulling a silicon single crystal from a melt which is contained in a crucible, comprising immersion of a seed crystal into the melt; crystallization of the single crystal on the seed crystal by raising the seed crystal from the melt with a crystal pull speed; widening the diameter of the single crystal to a setpoint diameter in a conical section, comprising control of the crystal pull speed in such a way as to induce a curvature inversion of a growth front of the single crystal in the conical section.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a silicon single crystal is provided including producing a silicon melt in a chamber by melting a silicon raw material loaded into a silica glass crucible under a reduced pressure and high temperature, removing gas bubbles from within the silicon melt by rapidly changing at least the pressure or temperature within the chamber, and pulling up the silicon single crystal from the silicon melt after the gas bubbles are removed. When the pressure is rapidly changed, the pressure within the chamber is rapidly changed at a predetermined change ratio. In addition, when the temperature is rapidly changed, the temperature within the chamber is rapidly changed at a predetermined change ratio. In this way, Ar gas attached to an inner surface of the crucible and h is the cause of the generation of SiO gas is removed.

Abstract: The crucible for receiving a melt of a high-melting material has a refractory metal layer that has a melting point of at least 1800° C., which covers a part of the surface of the crucible that would otherwise come in contact with the melt. The refractory metal preferably has a thickness of less than 1 mm. It is either a coating deposited on the surface of the crucible or is a loosely connected foil applied to the surface of the crucible.

Abstract: Methods for preparing a melt from silicon powder for use in growing a single crystal or polycrystalline silicon ingot in accordance with the Czochralski method that include removal of silicon oxides from the powder; application of a vacuum to remove air and other oxidizing gases; controlling the position of the charge relative to the heater during and after melting of the powder and maintaining the charge above its melting temperature for a period of time to allow oxides to dissolve; and use of a removable spacer between the crucible sidewall and the silicon powder charge to reduce oxides and silicon bridging.

Abstract: A silica glass crucible for pulling up a silicon single crystal including a wall part and a bottom part is provided with a natural silica glass layer which forms at least one part of a an inner surface of the bottom part, and a synthetic silica glass layer which forms at least an inner surface of the wall part, wherein a concentration of Ca included in the natural silica glass layer is 0.5 ppm or less.

Abstract: A method for the production of a silicon single crystal by pulling the single crystal, according to the Czochralski method, from a melt which is held in a rotating crucible, the single crystal growing at a growth front, heat being deliberately supplied to the center of the growth front by a heat flux directed at the growth front. The method produces a silicon single crystal with an oxygen content of from 4*1017 cm?3 to 7.2*1017 cm?3 and a radial concentration change for boron or phosphorus of less than 5%, which has no agglomerated self-point defects. Semiconductor wafers are separated from the single crystal. These semiconductor wafers have may have agglomerated vacancy defects (COPs) as the only self-point defect type or may have certain other defect distributions.

Abstract: The invention is a method for pulling a silicon single crystal, which is a Czochralski method for growing the silicon single crystal by contacting a seed crystal with a melt and by pulling up, including the steps of: contacting the seed crystal with the melt; forming a necking portion under the seed crystal; and forming the silicon single crystal under the necking portion by increasing a diameter, wherein a pulling rate during forming the necking portion is 2 mm/min or less, and the silicon single crystal with the increased diameter is a boron-doped silicon single crystal having a resistivity of 1.5 m?·cm or less at a shoulder portion. Therefore, there can be provided a method of pulling a silicon single crystal without generating defects such as scratches at a wafer surface in the case of processing a boron-doped silicon single crystal ingot with a low resistivity produced by CZ method into a wafer.

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.

Abstract: An oxide single crystal having a composition represented by RExSi6O1.5x+12 (RE: La, Ce, Pr, Nd, or Sm, x: 8 to 10) is grown by using the Czochralski method such that the crystal growth orientation coincides with the c-axis direction. The solidification rate (the weight of the grown crystal÷the weight of the charged raw material) in the crystal growth is less than 45%.

Abstract: The present invention provides a silicon single crystal comprising a seed crystal, a narrowed portion whose diameter decreases, and at its lower end, a neck portion, wherein in a front projection view, the contour of the narrowed portion is located inside the straight line connecting the contour of the lower end of the seed crystal to the contour of the upper end of the neck portion, and the contour of the neck portion is made to be a tangent at the lower end of the narrowed portion. At this time, the length L of the narrowed portion in a pulling direction and the difference d between the radius of the seed crystal and the radius of the narrowed portion relative to the diameter W of the seed crystal is appropriately adjusted and further the contour of the narrowed portion is desirably formed with any one of parabolas, circular arcs and elliptic arcs.

Abstract: By giving a shoulder portion height of at least 100 mm in growing silicon single crystals having a diameter of 450 mm (weighing up to 1100 kg) by the CZ method, it becomes possible to inhibit the occurrence of dislocations in the shoulder formation step to thereby achieve a yield improvement and increase productivity. Furthermore, when this method is applied under application of a transverse magnetic field with a predetermined intensity, the occurrence of dislocations can be further inhibited and, accordingly, defect-free silicon single crystals suited for wafer manufacture can be grown with high production efficiency. Thus, the method is best suited for the production of large-diameter silicon single crystals having a diameter of 450 mm, which are applied in the manufacture of semiconductor devices.

Abstract: A method of shoulder formation in growing silicon single crystals by the CZ method which comprises causing the taper angle to vary in at least two stages, desirably three stages or four stages, can inhibit the occurrence of dislocations in the shoulder formation step and thereby improve the yield and increase the productivity. As the number of stages resulting from varying the taper angle is increased, possible disturbances to occur at crystal growth interfaces and incur dislocations can be reduced and, further, when the above shoulder formation method is applied under application of a transverse magnetic field having a predetermined intensity, the occurrence of dislocations can be inhibited and defect-free silicon single crystals suited for the manufacture of wafers can be grown with high production efficiency. Therefore, the method is best suited for the production of large-diameter silicon single crystals with a diameter of 450 mm which are to be applied to manufacturing semiconductor devices.

Abstract: Crystalline noble metal nanostructures and methods for their preparation.

Abstract: By providing a length of not less than 100 mm to a tail portion to be formed following the cylindrical body portion in growing silicon single crystals having a cylindrical body portion with a diameter of 450 mm using the CZ method, it becomes possible to inhibit the occurrence of dislocations in the tail portion and thus achieve improvements in yield and productivity. A transverse magnetic field having an intensity of not less than 0.1 T is preferably applied on the occasion of formation of that tail portion.

Abstract: A method for growing silicon single crystal by the CZ method, namely by feeding silicon materials for crystal into a crucible to melt the materials, and growing a silicon single crystal on the lower end of the seed crystal, comprises: forming a narrowingly tapered portion with a gradually decreased seed crystal diameter by pulling up the seed crystal inserted in the melt; and providing increased or decreased neck diameter regions in the process of forming a neck in such a manner that each increased neck diameter is provided by increasing the neck diameter, followed by reverting the neck diameter to the original diameter, or alternatively, each decreased neck diameter region is provided by decreasing the neck diameter, followed by reverting the diameter to the original diameter, thereby enabling to reliably eliminate dislocations remaining in the central axial region of the neck in the step of necking.

Abstract: Until pulling a silicon single crystal is started after silicon raw materials filled in a quartz crucible are melted, the quartz crucible containing silicon melt is rotated while a rotating direction thereof is periodically alternated. Then, the silicon single crystal is pulled up by the CZ method. This pulling method can reduce micro defects, which are caused by bubbles formed in an inner surface of the quartz crucible, and dislocation in the single crystal.

Abstract: Disclosed are a single crystal wire and a manufacturing method thereof. The method comprises the steps of: placing into a growth crucible at least one metal selected from the group consisting of gold, copper, silver, aluminum and nickel; heating and melting the metal placed in the growth crucible; growing a single crystal using the metal crystal as a seed by the Czochralski or Bridgman method; cutting the grown single crystal by electric discharge machining; and forming the cut single crystal into a wire. In the method, the grown metal single crystal is formed into a disc-shaped piece by electric discharge machining. The piece is formed into a single crystal wire by wire-cut electric discharge machining, and the single crystal wire can be used as a ring, a pendant or a wire within a high-quality cable making a connection in audio and video systems. Also, the single crystal formed into the disc-shaped piece by electric discharge machining can be used as a substrate and a target for deposition.

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).

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.

Abstract: An upper side heater 10 is configured so that a current passage width becomes larger at a heater lower part than at a heater upper part. Thus, the upper side heater 10 has a current-carrying cross-sectional area which becomes larger at the heater lower part than at the heater upper part, a resistance value becomes accordingly smaller at the heater lower part than at the heater upper part, and a heat generation amount becomes relatively smaller at the heater lower part than at the heater upper part. Meanwhile, a lower side heater 20 is configured so that the current passage width becomes larger at the heater upper part than at the heater lower part. Thus, the current-carrying cross-sectional area of the lower side heater 20 becomes larger at the heater upper part than at the heater lower part, a resistance value becomes accordingly smaller at the heater upper part than at the heater lower part, and a heat generation amount becomes relatively smaller at the heater upper part than at the heater lower part.

Abstract: A III nitride single-crystal manufacturing method in which a liquid layer (3) of 200 ?m or less thickness is formed in between a substrate (1) and a III nitride source-material baseplate (2), and III nitride single crystal (4) is grown onto the face (1s) on the liquid-layer side of the substrate (1). Herein, the substrate (1) in at least a superficial layer (1a) on the liquid-layer side may be formed of a III nitride single crystal, while the III nitride source-material baseplate (2) can be formed of a III nitride polycrystal. Further, the substrate (1) in at least a superficial layer (1a) on the liquid-layer side, and the III nitride source-material baseplate (2) can be formed of a III nitride single crystal, while the face (1s) on the liquid-layer side of the substrate (1) can be made a III-atom surface, and the face (2s) on the liquid-layer side of the III nitride source-material baseplate (2) can be made a nitrogen-atom surface.

Abstract: An aspect of the invention provides a silicon single crystal production method in which a dislocation-free feature can easily be achieved to enhance crystal quality irrespective of a crystal orientation. In the silicon single crystal production method of the invention, by a Czochralski method, in dipping the seed crystal in the melt, a melt temperature is set to an optimum temperature at which the seed crystal is brought into contact with a melt surface, the melt temperature is lowered, the seed crystal is pulled up while a pulling rate of the seed crystal is increased, and the pulling rate is kept at a constant rate to form the neck portion at the time that a pulling diameter reaches a target neck diameter. The invention is suitable to the case in which a silicon single crystal having a crystal orientation <110> is pulled up using the seed crystal having the crystal orientation <110>.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing colloidal crystals using a confined convective assembly, more particularly, to a method for manufacturing two-dimensional and/or three dimensional colloidal crystals on a substrate by infusing colloidal suspension between two substrates and self-assembling colloidal particles by capillary action. The present invention can control a convective flow moving the colloidal particles to a meniscus generated by removing the solvent of the colloidal suspension. It is possible to manufacture face-to-face two-dimensional colloidal crystals and/or three-dimensional colloidal crystals within a short time using various sizes of colloidal particles through the control of the convective flow of colloidal particles, which are not easily achieved in the existing method.

Abstract: Small crystals are made by mixing a solution of a desired substance with an anti-solvent in a fluidic vortex mixer in which the residence time is less than 1s, for example 10 ms. The liquid within the fluidic vortex mixer (12) is subjected to high intensity ultrasound from a transducer (20, 22). The solution very rapidly becomes supersaturated, and the ultrasound can induce a very large number of nuclei for crystal growth. Small crystals, for example less than 5 ?m, are formed. The resulting suspension is treated so as to add or remove ingredients, and then spray dried using an atomizer tuned to create small droplets in such a way that each droplet should contain not more than one crystal. Crystal agglomeration is hence prevented.

Abstract: The crucible and the side heater are held in the respective initial positions, and the raw material is put into the crucible. These initial positions are positions where the crucible side surface is mainly heated by the side heater. When the side heater heats the crucible side surface, the raw material is melted to form melt. When a part or all of the raw material is melted, the crucible is raised from the initial position or the side heater is lowered from the initial position. At this time, the position of the crucible or the side heater is adjusted such that the amount of heat applied to the lower side curved portion of the crucible side surface is greater than that in the initial relative position between the crucible and the side heater.

Abstract: Epitaxial wafers comprising a single crystal silicon substrate comprising agglomerated vacancy defects and having an axially symmetric region in which silicon self-interstitials are the predominant intrinsic point defect and which is substantially free of agglomerated defects, and an epitaxial layer which is deposited upon a surface of the substrate and which is substantially free of grown-in defects caused by the presence of agglomerated intrinsic point defects on the substrate surface upon which the epitaxial layer is deposited.

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 thin film device comprises: a substrate and a thin film having a thickness formed on the substrate, wherein the thickness of the thin film is at least 1 micrometer, a crystal structure having crystals with a grain size formed within the thin film, wherein the grain size of a majority of the crystals includes a height to width ratio greater than three to two.

Abstract: A process for producing silicon which is substantially free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects in an ingot having a vacancy dominated region. An ingot is grown generally in accordance with the Czochralski method. While intrinsic point defects diffuse from or are annihilated within the ingot, at least a portion of the ingot is maintained above a temperature TA at which intrinsic point defects agglomerate. The achievement of defect free silicon is thus substantially decoupled from process parameters, such as pull rate, and system parameters, such as axial temperature gradient in the ingot.

Abstract: A process for preparing a single crystal silicon in accordance with the Czochralski method, is provided. More specifically, by quickly reducing the pull rate at least once during the growth of the neck portion of the single crystal ingot, in order to change the melt/solid interface shape from a concave to a convex shape, the present process enables zero dislocation growth to be achieved in a large diameter neck within a comparably short neck length, such that large diameter ingots of substantial weight can be produced safely and at a high throughput.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a process for preparing a single crystal silicon ingot by the Czochralski method. The process comprises selecting a seed crystal for Czochralski growth wherein the seed crystal comprises vacancy dominated single crystal silicon.

Abstract: The present invention provides aluminum oxide crystalline materials including dopants and oxygen vacancy defects and methods of making such crystalline materials. The crystalline materials of the present invention have particular utility in optical data storage applications.

Abstract: A process for controlling the amount of insoluble gas trapped by a silicon melt is disclosed. Polycrystalline silicon is charged to a crucible in a crystal pulling apparatus and the apparatus sealed and evacuated. After evacuation, the crystal pulling apparatus is backfilled at least once with a gas having a high solubility in silicon, such as nitrogen. The highly soluble gas fills in cavities between the polycrystalline silicon pieces and between the pieces and the crucible such that when the silicon is melted and bubbles form in the molten silicon the bubbles will solubilize into the melt instead of becoming entrapped in the growing crystal.

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: An apparatus and a method that permits a seed crystal to be directed to a precise location of a melt for growing a ribbon-shaped crystal, but after the crystal has commenced growing, the ribbon-shaped crystal is continuously pulled up so as to produce a longitudinally extending crystal using a continuous pulling device. The method for producing a ribbon-shaped crystal includes growing a ribbon-shaped crystal on a seed crystal using a linear pulling device for pulling the seed crystal and a crystal growing at the end of the seed crystal in a vertical direction, and continuing to pull the ribbon-shaped crystal by using a continuous pulling device having a continuous pulling mechanism.

Abstract: A process for controlling the amount of insoluble gas trapped by a silicon melt is disclosed. After a crucible is charged with polycrystalline silicon, a gas comprising at least about 10% of a gas having a high solubility in silicon is used as the purging gas for a period of time during melting. After the polycrystalline silicon charge has completely melted, the purge gas may be switched to a conventional argon purge. Utilizing a purge gas highly soluble in silicon for a period of time during the melting process reduces the amount of insoluble gases trapped in the charge and, hence, the amount of insoluble gases grown into the crystal that form defects on sliced wafers.