# US 2013/0152851 A1 · Bulk Growth Grain Controlled Directional Solidification Device and Method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0152851 A1 - Document ID: US20130152851A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/326,642 - Filed: 2011-12-15 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-15 - Assignees: SPX Corporation - Inventors: Tao Li; Richard H. Berg; Richard Heckert - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130152851A1 ## CPC - C30B 11/003: {Heating or cooling of the melt or the crystallised material} - C30B 11/006: {Controlling or regulating} - C30B 28/06: by normal freezing or freezing under temperature gradient - C30B 29/06: Silicon - Y10T 117/1092: Shape defined by a solid member other than seed or product [e.g., Bridgman-Stockbarger] - 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 - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A solidification system is provided and includes a crucible, heater, insulation, movable insulation, and radiation regulator. The crucible is configured to retain a volume of silicon. The heater is to heat the crucible. The heater being configured to provide sufficient heat to melt the volume of silicon. The insulation is to reduce heat loss from a first portion of the crucible. The movable insulation to regulate heat loss from a second portion of the crucible. The radiation regulator is to regulate radiant heat loss over the second portion of the crucible. The radiation regulator is configured to modulate a size of an opening in the radiation regular through which radiant heat dissipates from. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A solidification system, comprising: a crucible configured to retain a volume of silicon; a heater to heat the crucible, the heater being configured to provide sufficient heat to melt the volume of silicon; an insulation to reduce heat loss from a first portion of the crucible; a movable insulation to regulate heat loss from a second portion of the crucible; and a radiation regulator to regulate radiant heat loss over the second portion of the crucible, the radiation regulator being configured to modulate a size of an opening in the radiation regulator through which radiant heat dissipates from. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The solidification system according to claim 1, further comprising: a furnace chamber configured to retain the crucible. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The solidification system according to claim 1, further comprising: a heat exchange block configured to support the crucible and allow heat to conduct therethrough. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The solidification system according to claim 1, further comprising: a shield configured to cover at least a portion of the crucible. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The solidification system according to claim 1, further comprising: a seed crystal of silicon disposed in the crucible. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The solidification system according to claim 1, wherein the radiation regulator further comprises: a plurality of shutters operable to move relative to one another. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The solidification system according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of shutters includes a first pair of shutters disposed at a first side of the radiation regulator and a second pair of shutters disposed at a second side of the radiation regulator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The solidification system according to claim 6, wherein the radiation regulator further comprises: an iris diaphragm, the plurality of shutters being disposed in the iris diaphragm. ### Claim 9 A radiation regulator, comprising: a radiant heat reflective portion; and a radiant heat transmissive portion, the radiant heat transmissive portion being operable to increase and decrease in size and the radiant heat transmissive portion being disposed in cooperative alignment with a bottom center portion of a crucible. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The radiation regulator according to claim 9, further comprising a plurality of shutters disposed in an iris diaphragm configuration. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The radiation regulator according to claim 9, further comprising a first pair of shutters disposed at a first side of the radiation regulator and a second pair of shutters disposed at a second side of the radiation regulator. ### Claim 12 A method of solidifying a volume of silicon, the method comprising the steps of: modulating a temperature of the volume of silicon between a temperature of solidification and a temperature of melting; insulating a first portion of the volume of silicon; and modulating a size of a radiant heat transmissive opening disposed in cooperative alignment with a second portion of the volume of silicon. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, further comprising: modulating the size of the radiant heat transmissive opening to coincide with a diameter of a solidified portion of the volume of silicon. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, further comprising: moving a plurality of shutters to modulate the size of the radiant heat transmissive opening. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, further comprising: moving an insulation disposed around the second portion of the volume of silicon away from the second portion of the volume of silicon. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, further comprising: disposing a seed crystal of silicon in the volume of silicon and in cooperative alignment with the radiant heat transmissive opening. ### Claim 17 An apparatus for solidifying a volume of silicon, the apparatus comprising: means for modulating a temperature of the volume of silicon between a temperature of solidification and a temperature of melting; means for insulating around a first portion of the volume of silicon; and means for modulating a size of a radiant heat transmissive opening disposed in cooperative alignment with a second portion of the volume of silicon. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the means for modulating the size of the radiant heat transmissive opening is configured to modulate the size of the radiant heat transmissive opening to coincide with a diameter of a solidified portion of the volume of silicon. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising: means for moving a plurality of shutters to modulate the size of the radiant heat transmissive opening. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising: means for moving an insulation disposed around the second portion of the volume of silicon away from the second portion of the volume of silicon.