Method and apparatus for monitoring and controlling crystal growth, and probe system
OwnerChia-Ying Hsieh, Chi-Hao Chang +1inventors
InventorsChia-Ying Hsieh, Chi-Hao Chang, Hsin-Hwa Hu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a method for monitoring and controlling crystal growth during a crystal growing procedure, heights of a plurality of measuring points on a solid-liquid interface of a crystal material disposed in a crucible are measured, and at least one parameter of the crystal growing procedure is optimized based on the measured heights, so that the solid-liquid interface maintains a dome shape with a predetermined curvature during the crystal growing procedure.
Claims20
A method for monitoring and controlling crystal growth during a crystal growing procedure, comprising the following steps of:
- (a) measuring heights of a plurality of measuring points on a solid-liquid interface of a crystal material disposed in a crucible;
- and
- (b) automatically optimizing at least one parameter of the crystal growing procedure based on the measured heights, so that the solid-liquid interface maintains a dome shape with a predetermined curvature during the crystal growing procedure.
An apparatus for monitoring and controlling crystal growth during a crystal growing procedure, comprising:
- a growth chamber;
- a crucible disposed in said growth chamber for receiving a crystal material therein;
- a heating system disposed in said growth chamber and arranged around said crucible;
- a probe system disposed at said growth chamber and including a probe extended into said crucible for contacting a solid-liquid interface of the crystal material in said crucible during the crystal growing procedure so as to obtain crystal growth information;
- and
- a control system coupled to said probe system for receiving the crystal growth information therefrom and to said heating system for automatically controlling heating operation of said heating system according to the crystal growth information received from said probe system.
A probe system for monitoring crystal growth during a crystal growing procedure in a crucible, comprising:
- a probe having a main portion and a probing portion connected to said main portion and to be extended into the crucible, said main portion being movable along a predetermined measuring track and being rotatable around an axis of said main portion, said probing portion having a tip which is offset from the axis of said main portion and which is disposed for contacting a solid-liquid interface of crystal material in the crucible during the crystal growing procedure;
- and
- a probe control mechanism connected to said probe for raising and lowering said probe relative to the crucible and for controlling movement of said main portion of said probe along the predetermined measuring track and rotation of said main portion around the axis of said main portion so that said tip is able to contact different points on the solid-liquid interface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.