Abstract: An apparatus and method for growing nitride bulk single crystal, including an autoclave having a pre-growth zone and a growth zone. With control of the concentration of a saturated solution in a pre-growth chamber, the oversaturation reaction conditions for the overall process of growth of the nitride bulk single crystal can be regulated. By regulating the liquid level difference of the melt on an upper surface of a seed crystal, nucleation growth of N/Ga is preferentially performed on the surface of the seed crystal, which suppresses polycrystal formation at a gas-liquid interface and improves the growth rate of crystal and the utilization rate of raw materials.

Abstract: Silicon single crystals are grown from the melt by providing the melt in a crucible; imposing a horizontal magnetic field on the melt; directing a gas between the single crystal and a heat shield to a melt free surface, and controlling the gas to flow over a region of the melt free surface extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the magnetic induction. A suitable apparatus has a crucible for holding the melt; a heat shield surrounding the silicon single crystal having a lower end which is connected to a bottom cover facing a melt free surface and a non-axisymmetric shape with respect to a crucible axis, such that gas which is directed between the crystal and the heat shield to the melt free surface is forced to flow over a region of the melt which extends substantially perpendicular to the magnetic induction.

Abstract: It is used a substrate main body 1 having a side face 1b and a pair of main faces 1a and an underlying film 2 of a single crystal of a nitride of a metal belonging to the group III formed at least on one main face of the substrate main body 1. A single crystal 3 of a nitride of a metal belonging to the group III is grown on the main face 1a of the substrate main body 1 by a liquid phase process. The underlying film 2 has a shape of a convex figure in a plan view. A surface 4 without the underlying film thereon surrounds the entire circumference of the underlying film 2. The single crystal 3 of a nitride of a metal belonging to the group III grown on the underlying film 2 is not brought into contact with a single crystal of a nitride of a metal belonging to group III formed on another underlying film.

Abstract: A method for producing a crystallographically-oriented ceramic includes the steps of forming a first sheet with a thickness of 10 ?m or less containing a first inorganic material in which grain growth occurs at a first temperature or higher and a second sheet containing a second inorganic material in which grain growth occurs at a second temperature higher than the first temperature, laminating one or more each of the first and second sheets to form a laminated body, firing the laminated body at a temperature equal to or higher than the first temperature and lower than the second temperature to cause grain growth in the first inorganic material, and then firing the laminated body at a temperature equal to or higher than the second temperature to cause grain growth in the second inorganic material in the direction of a crystal plane of the first inorganic material.

Abstract: A crystalline thin structure (104, 204, 404) is grown on a surface (108, 228) of a substrate (112, 208, 400) by depositing molecules (136, 220) from a molecular precursor to a lateral growth front (144, 224) of the structure using a crystal grower (116, 200). In one embodiment, the crystal grower comprises a solution (124) containing the molecular precursor in a solvent (140). Molecules are added to the lateral growth front by moving one or both of the free surface (120, 120?) of the solution and deposition surface relative to the other at a predetermined rate. In another embodiment, the crystal grower comprises a mask (212) that includes at least one opening (216). Precursor molecules are vacuum deposited via a molecular beam (236) at the growth front (228) of the crystalline thin structure (204) as one or both of the opening and surface are moved relative to the other at a predetermined rate.

Abstract: In a method for producing a high quality silicon single crystal by the Czochralski method, a lower portion of a solid-liquid interface of a single crystal growth is divided into a central part and a circumferential part, and the temperature gradient of the central part and the temperature gradient of the circumferential part are separately controlled. When a silicon melt located at a lower portion of a solid-liquid interface of a single crystal growth is divided into a central part melt and a circumferential part melt, the method controls the temperature gradient of the central part melt by directly controlling the temperature distribution of a melt and indirectly controls the temperature gradient of the circumferential part melt by controlling the temperature gradient of the single crystal, thereby effectively controlling the overall temperature distribution of the melt, thus producing a high quality single crystal ingot free of defects with a high growth velocity.

Abstract: With respect to a liquid phase growth method for a silicon crystal in which the silicon crystal is grown on a substrate by immersing the substrate in a solvent or allowing the substrate to contact the solvent, a gas containing a raw material and/or a dopant is supplied to the solvent after at least a part of the gas is decomposed by application of energy thereto. In this manner, a liquid phase growth method for a silicon crystal, the method capable of achieving continuous growth and suitable for mass production, a manufacturing method for a solar cell and a liquid phase growth apparatus for a silicon crystal are provided.

Abstract: A liquid-phase growth process for continuously growing a crystal film on a plurality of substrates with respect to their one side surfaces, characterized in that said plurality of substrates are kept afloat on the surface of a flowing solution for liquid-phase epitaxy which comprises a crystallizing material dissolved in a solvent in a supersaturated state and which is flowing in a solution flow passage, and while said plurality of substrates being moved by virtue of said flowing solution in said solution flow passage, a crystal film is grown on the surfaces of said plurality of substrates which are in contact with said flowing solution. A liquid-phase growth apparatus suitable for practicing said liquid-phase growth process.

Abstract: In a liquid phase growth process comprising immersing a substrate in a melt held in a crucible, a crystal material having been dissolved in the melt, and growing a crystal on the substrate, at least a group of substrates to be immersed in the melt held in the crucible are fitted to the supporting rack at a position set aside from the center of rotation of the crucible or supporting rack, and the crystal is grown on the surface of the substrate thus disposed. This can provide a liquid phase growth process which can attain a high growth rate, can enjoy uniform distribution of growth rate in each substrate and between the substrates even when substrates are set in a large number in one batch, and can readily keep the melt from reaction and contamination even when the system has a large size, and provide a liquid phase growth system suited for carrying out the process.

Abstract: An inexpensive sheet with excellent evenness and a desired uniform thickness can be obtained by cooling a base having protrusions, dipping the surfaces of the protrusions of the cooled base into a melt material containing at least one of a metal material and a semiconductor material for crystal growth of the material on the surfaces of the protrusions. In addition, by rotating a roller having on its peripheral surface protrusions and a cooling portion for cooling said protrusions, the surfaces of the cooled protrusions can be dipped into a melt material containing at least one of a metal material and a semiconductor material for crystal growth of the material on the surfaces of the protrusions. Thus, a sheet with a desired uniform thickness can be obtained without slicing process.

Abstract: A used melt receptacle 40, a holder 60 for the alignment of crystalline substrates and a melt receptacle 20 are piled up in this order along a vertically extending central axis. A plurality of melt reservoirs 21a to 21d for different kinds of melts are disposed in the melt receptacle 20 concentrically about the central axis, while a plurality of used melt reservoirs are disposed in the used melt receptacle 40 in the same way. The supply of each melt from the corresponding melt reservoir 21a to 21d to the receiving cavity 63 of the holder 60 is changed by a cover 65, in which a melt supply hole 66 is formed, rotatable together with the holder 60. The melt used for crystal growth is discharged from the holder 60 to the used melt receptacle 40 through a cover 42 having used melt dropping holes 43a to 43d. Since the melt fills the receiving cavity 63 while partially remaining in the corresponding melt reservoir 21a to 21d, neither oxide films nor microcrystals are introduced into the receiving cavity 63.

Abstract: Disclosed is a backside-illuminated charge-coupled device imager, which has: a silicon substrate which includes a light-receiving region which is formed on the frontside of the silicon substrate and includes charge-coupled devices which are arranged one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally and has a thickness equal to or less than a pixel pitch, wherein light is supplied from the backside of the silicon substrate; wherein the light-receiving region of the silicon substrate is provided with a silicon layer with a thickness equal to or less than the pixel pitch and a silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) layer thicker than the silicon layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a bismuth-substituted rare-earth iron garnet single crystal film used for short wavelengths, includes the steps of: manufacturing a BIG-grown substrate in an LPE furnace by the LPE method, the BIG-grown substrate having a bismuth-substituted rare-earth iron garnet single crystal film grown on one surface of a non-magnetic garnet single crystal substrate, the film having a thickness in the range of 20-100 .mu.m; spinning the BIG-grown substrate at a high speed to remove a melt adhering thereto prior to taking the BIG-grown substrate out of the LPE furnace; and cooling the BIG-grown substrate to 300.degree. C. within one minute.

Abstract: In an improved liquid phase epitaxial growth method and apparatus in which a plurality of substrates are placed in a deposition chamber having at least one first vent hole; a solution for liquid phase growth is held in a solution chamber having at least one second vent hole and at least two sub-chambers separated by a partition plate and communicated with each other via a communicating portion; and before the substrates and the solution for liquid phase growth are brought into contact with each other, the deposition chamber and the solution chamber are revolved for causing the solution for liquid phase growth to move through the communicating portion so as to increase and decrease the volume of space portions of the respective sub-chambers and thereby replacement of a heat-treatment gas in the deposition chamber and the solution chamber is undertaken to achieve heat treatment.

Abstract: A method for the formation of a layer on at least one substrate. A liquid, which contains the material for forming the layer, flows over the surface of the substrate of the substrate to be coated. A concentration gradient of the layer-forming material is produced in a direction, perpendicular to the direction of the flow of the liquid. As a result, the concentration of the layer-forming material becomes a maximum at one side of the liquid.

Abstract: A method for producing a crystal film of an organic compound from a molten liquid or solution of the organic compound on a substrate or between a pair of substrates, the substrate or at least one of the pair of substrates having on a part of the surface thereof a three-dimensional geometrical structure capable of controlling the direction of the crystal growth of the organic compound, and the other part of the surface thereof than the part having a three-dimensional geometrical structure being smooth. The resulting crystal film comprises a sufficiently large single crystal for application to a practical element with its orientation controlled in an arbitrarily selected direction.