System for the in-situ visualization of a solid liquid interface during crystal growth

A system of in-situ monitoring of the interior of crystal growth material and control of a solid-liquid interface shape of the growing crystal, said system comprising the steps of:

• producing infrared radiographs for infrared imaging of said solid-liquid interface of said crystal growth material growing in a growth ampoule by providing an infrared source and an infrared camera in line with elements which are transparent to radiation emitted from said infrared source, said elements comprised of a furnace window in the wall of a crystal growth furnace and said growth ampoule and said crystal growth material therein in which said infrared source emits radiation in through said furnace window, said growth ampoule and said solid-liquid interface of said crystal growth material, and out through furnace window and into said infrared camera wherein said infrared camera is in sharp focus inside said crystal growth material on the solid-liquid interface wherein the infrared radiation detected by said infrared camera as thermal infrared radiosity from said solid-liquid interface is converted into a two dimensional thermal map of said solid-liquid interface on the interior of said crystal growth material;
• converting said two dimensional thermal map into a visible image in realtime of said thermal infrared radiosity from said solid-liquid interface and feeding the converted visible image to an image processor for displaying on a television monitor in realtime and for recording;
• and
• providing feedback means for controlling growth parameters of said process, said feedback means comprised of controlling the temperature in said growth furnace and movement of said ampoule within said growth furnace to maintain the growth of said solid-liquid interface precisely at the focus of said infrared camera.