Method and apparatus for manufacturing silicon seed rods
AssigneeCreative Innovations, Inc.
InventorVitaliy A. Vaisberg
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for manufacturing high-purity long silicon seed rods with controlled resistivity for Siemens and similar processes with using a film of silicon dioxide, wherein a film of silicon dioxide is formed on the seed rod in the course of a reaction between a silicon melt and oxygen. The rod is formed with a quartz die and cooled by direct immersion into a cooling fluid, such as de-ionized water and/or by cooling fluid vapor in the gas cooling zone.
Claims28
A method of manufacturing high-purity long silicon seed rods for Siemens and similar processes, said method comprising:
- providing a growth reactor containing a silicon charge, a die having a die hole, an inductor heater providing a silicon melt column above said die, and a silicon seed rod passing through said die hole from below;
- providing an oxygen-containing atmosphere in said growth reactor;
- and
- forming a film of silicon dioxide on said silicon rod.
A method of manufacturing high-purity long silicon seed rods for Siemens and similar processes, said method comprising:
- providing a growth reactor containing a silicon charge, a die having a die hole, an inductor heater providing a silicon melt column above said die, and a silicon seed rod passing through said die hole from below;
- and
- cooling said silicon columnar rods in a fluid bath.
An apparatus for manufacturing high-purity long silicon seed rods for Siemens and similar processes, said apparatus comprising:
- a growth reactor having an oxygen-containing atmosphere;
- a die, having a die hole, said die made of a material that can withstand said oxygen-containing atmosphere;
- a columnar silicon seed rod in said die hole, said rod having a melt meniscus region;
- and
- a silicon charge located above said die in contact with said seed rod melt meniscus area.
An apparatus as in clam 18, and further including a ring located on said die, and said ring having a cross-section matching the cross-section of the silicon charge, said ring being concentrically aligned with said silicon charge, and said ring made of a material that can withstand the oxygen-containing atmosphere.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.