Ingot puller apparatus including automated clamp

An ingot puller apparatus for producing a single crystal semiconductor ingot, the ingot puller apparatus comprising:

• a housing defining a growth chamber and a growth chamber outlet;
• an isolation valve having a first valve end connected to the growth chamber outlet and an opposite second valve end;
• an ingot receiving vessel defining an ingot receiving chamber and a receiving chamber inlet at a receiving vessel end;
• and
• a clamp including a clamp base connected to the second valve end, at least one clamping finger to releasably connect the receiving vessel end to the clamp base, the at least one clamping finger pivotably connected to the clamp base, and a support ring moveable relative to the clamp base between a first position and a second position, wherein the support ring urges the at least one clamping finger to pivot into engagement with the receiving vessel end when the support ring moves from the first position to the second position to connect the receiving vessel end to the clamp base.

A releasable clamp for releasably connecting an ingot receiving vessel of an ingot puller apparatus to an isolation valve, the releasable clamp comprising:

• a clamp base connectable with an end of the isolation valve;
• a clamp cover opposite the clamp base, the clamp cover defining an opening sized for receiving an end of the ingot receiving vessel;
• clamping fingers pivotably connected to the clamp base;
• a support ring moveable relative to the clamp base between a first position and a second position, wherein the support ring urges the clamping fingers to pivot into an engaging position adapted for connecting the end of the ingot receiving vessel to the clamp base when the support ring moves from the first position to the second position;
• and
• at least one actuator controllable to move the support ring between the first and second positions.