# US 11,305,319 B2 · Device and method for cleaning monocrystalline pulling apparatus

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- Number: US 11,305,319 B2
- Document ID: US11305319B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/482,016
- Filed: 2018-02-02
- Published: 2020-01-02
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2018-02-02
- Assignees: Sumco Corporation
- Applicants: Sumco Corporation
- Inventors: Kenji Okita
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305319B2

## CPC

- B08B 9/0436: {provided with mechanical cleaning tools, e.g. scrapers, with or without additional fluid jets (B08B9/045, B08B9/047 take precedence)}
- C30B 15/00: Single-crystal growth by pulling from a melt, e.g. Czochralski method (under a protective fluid C30B27/00)
- B08B 1/143: {Wipes}
- B08B 1/30: by movement of cleaning members over a surface
- B08B 5/00: Cleaning by methods involving the use of air flow or gas flow (cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto B08B9/00)
- B08B 9/087: by methods involving the use of tools, e.g. brushes, scrapers ({B08B9/0808} , B08B9/20 take precedence)
- C30B 29/06: Silicon
- B08B 9/0321: {using pressurised, pulsating or purging fluid (E04F17/126 takes precedence)}
- C30B 35/00: Apparatus not otherwise provided for, specially adapted for the growth, production or after-treatment of single crystals or of a homogeneous polycrystalline material with defined structure
- B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- C30B: SINGLE-CRYSTAL GROWTH (by using ultra-high pressure, e.g. for the formation of diamonds, B01J3/06); UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION OF EUTECTIC MATERIAL OR UNIDIRECTIONAL DEMIXING OF EUTECTOID MATERIAL; REFINING BY ZONE-MELTING OF MATERIAL (zone-refining of metals or alloys C22B); PRODUCTION OF A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE (casting of metals, casting of other substances by the same processes or devices B22D; working of plastics B29; modifying the physical structure of metals or alloys C21D, C22F); SINGLE CRYSTALS OR HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE; AFTER-TREATMENT OF SINGLE CRYSTALS OR A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE (for producing semiconductor devices or parts thereof H10); APPARATUS THEREFOR

## Abstract

A device for cleaning the inside of a monocrystalline pulling apparatus includes a main tube unit to be inserted into a pull chamber and an inner surface cleaning mechanism that is provided at an upper part of the main tube unit and cleans the inner surface of the pull chamber. The main tube unit includes a retreat/housing section into which a seed chuck provided at the lower end of a wire retreats and which houses the seed chuck therein, and a continuous extension mechanism that is provided at the lower part of the main tube unit and to which a plurality of extension rods are capable of being added and joined. Accordingly, the inner surface of the pull chamber is efficiently cleaned.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device for cleaning a monocrystalline pulling apparatus in which a semiconductor monocrystal is pulled from semiconductor melt stored in a crucible installed below a pull chamber by a wire suspended in the pull chamber of a sealed vessel, the device comprising:
a main tube unit to be inserted into the pull chamber;
an inner surface cleaning mechanism that is provided at an upper part of the main tube unit and cleans an inner surface of the pull chamber; and
an axial position regulating mechanism that is provided at a lower part of the main tube unit and regulates an axial position of the main tube unit with respect to a direction of a central axis of the pull chamber in a state where the main tube unit is inserted into the pull chamber;
wherein the inner surface cleaning mechanism includes a wiper member that is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the main tube unit and is in contact with the inner surface of the pull chamber in a state where the main tube unit is inserted into the pull chamber,
the main tube unit includes:
a retreat/housing section into which a seed chuck provided at a lower end of the wire retreats and which houses the seed chuck therein;
a bottom that is provided at a lower part of the retreat/housing section; and
a continuous extension mechanism that is connected to the bottom and to which a plurality of extension rods are added and joined in an axial direction,
a partition wall is provided as the bottom of the retreat/housing section, and
the axial position regulating mechanism includes a guide member that is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the main tube unit and is in contact with the inner surface of the pull chamber in a state wherein the main tube unit is inserted into the pull chamber, wherein the guide member is spaced apart from the wiper member, and wherein the guide member is not in direct contact with the wiper member.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device for cleaning a monocrystalline pulling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wiper member is provided in an annular shape along an inner peripheral surface of the pull chamber.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The device for cleaning a monocrystalline pulling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:
the inner surface cleaning mechanism includes a wiper activating mechanism that deforms or moves the wiper member in a radial direction of the main tube unit, and
the wiper activating mechanism includes a flexible bag body that is provided between the wiper member and the outer peripheral surface of the main tube unit, and the flexible bag body is configured to be inflated by injecting air into the flexible bag body.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The device for cleaning a monocrystalline pulling apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the flexible bag body is a rubber tube that is provided in an annular shape along the outer peripheral surface of the main tube unit.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device for cleaning a monocrystal line pulling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide member has a diameter substantially equal to or smaller than a diameter of the wiper member and is provided in a substantially annular shape along an inner peripheral surface of the pull chamber.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The device for cleaning a monocrystalline pulling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the axial position regulating mechanism includes a second wiper member that is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the guide member and is in contact with the inner surface of the pull chamber in a state where the main tube unit is inserted into the pull chamber.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A method of cleaning a monocrystalline pulling apparatus by using the device according to claim 1, wherein in the monocrystalline pulling apparatus, a semiconductor monocrystal is pulled from semiconductor melt stored in a crucible installed below a pull chamber by a wire suspended in the pull chamber of a sealed vessel, the method comprising:
inserting the main tube unit of the device into the pull chamber,
adding and joining a plurality of extension rods, which are a continuous extension mechanism, to a lower part of the main tube unit,
regulating an axial position of the main tube unit with respect to a direction of a central axis of the pull chamber by the guide member of the axial position regulating mechanism provided at the lower part of the main tube unit; and
sliding the wiper member of the inner surface cleaning mechanism along an inner surface of the pull chamber while contacting the wiper member with the inner surface of the pull chamber and cleaning the inner surface of the pull chamber.