System for growth of single crystal materials with extreme uniformity in their structural and electrical properties

Abstract

A system and process for growing extremely high quality single crystal materials, particularly silicon and other semiconductor materials, containing a generally uniform distribution of dopants, impurities, and oxygen, both axially and radially, wherein the concentration of impurities and oxygen and the number of defects are minimized. A significant feature is the use of a shallow tray-like crucible consisting of a replenishment zone and at least one crystal growth zone independently heated by one or more heating elements through the bottom of the crucible. In the preferred embodiment, an oval shaped crucible is used which consists of one replenishment zone and one growth zone. In one embodiment, a spiral shaped heater is centered underneath the feed rod and growing crystal and a "picture frame" shaped heater is located underneath the outer edges of the replenishment and growth zones to provide a more controlled thermal gradient. Mechanical pumping produces a controlled, directed, three-dimensional flow within the melt from the replenishment zone to the growth zone. The pumping is achieved either by rotation of a solid feed rod in the replenishment zone or by a strong directed flow of an inert gas onto the surface of the melt. Guide elements positioned within the crucible assist in directing the pumped flow from the replenishment zone to the growth zone so that the flow sweeps through the growth zone under the crystal to produce a thin boundary layer at the growing crystal surface, uniformly mixes in the dopant, and removes any impurity build up in the growth zone. Optionally, magnets to increase apparent melt viscosity and improve flow control and separate dopant addition mechanisms may be utilized.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.