Surface-treated crucibles for improved zero dislocation performance

A crucible in which a semiconductor material is melted and held during a crystal growing process, the crucible comprising

• a body of vitreous silica having a bottom wall and a sidewall formation extending up from the bottom wall and defining a cavity for holding the molten semiconductor material, the sidewall formation and the bottom wall each having an inner and an outer surface;
• a first devitrification promoter on the inner surface of the sidewall formation, the inner surface of the bottom wall lacking the first devitrification promoter, the distribution of first devitrification promoter on the inner surface of the sidewall formation being such that a first layer of substantially devitrified silica is formed on the inner surface of the crucible which is in contact with the molten semiconductor material when the semiconductor material is melted in the crucible during the crystal growing process;
• and
• a second devitrification promoter on the outer surface of the sidewall formation, the distribution of second devitrification promoter on the outer surface of the sidewall formation being such that a second layer of substantially devitrified silica is formed on the outer surface of the crucible when the semiconductor material is melted in the crucible during the crystal growing process.

A crucible in which a semiconductor material is melted and held during a crystal growing process, the crucible comprising

• a body of vitreous silica having a bottom wall and a sidewall formation extending up from the bottom wall and defining a cavity for holding the molten semiconductor material, the sidewall formation and the bottom wall each having an inner and an outer surface;
• a first devitrification promoter on the inner surface of the sidewall formation, the distribution of first devitrification promoter on the inner surface of the sidewall formation being such that a first layer of substantially devitrified silica is formed on the inner surface of the crucible which is in contact with the molten semiconductor material when the semiconductor material is melted in the crucible during the crystal growing process;
• and
• a second devitrification promoter on the outer surface of the sidewall formation, the distribution of second devitrification promoter on the outer surface of the sidewall formation being such that a second layer of substantially devitrified silica is formed on the outer surface of the crucible when the semiconductor material is melted in the crucible during the crystal growing process.

A crucible in which a semiconductor material is melted and held during a crystal growing process, the crucible comprising

• a body of vitreous silica having a bottom wall and a sidewall formation extending up from the bottom wall and defining a cavity for holding the molten semiconductor material, the sidewall formation and the bottom wall each having an inner and an outer surface;
• a first devitrification promoter on the inner surface of the sidewall formation, the distribution of first devitrification promoter on the inner surface of the sidewall formation being such that a first layer of substantially devitrified silica is formed on the inner surface of the crucible which is in contact with the molten semiconductor material when the semiconductor material is melted in the crucible during the crystal growing process;
• and
• a second devitrification promoter on the outer surface of the sidewall formation, the distribution of second devitrification promoter on the surface of the sidewall formation being such that a second layer of substantially devitrified silica is formed on the outer surface of the crucible when the semiconductor material is melted in the crucible during the crystal growing process, wherein the first devitrification promoter includes an alkaline-earth metal selected from the group consisting of barium, magnesium, strontium and beryllium, and the second devitrification promoter includes and alkaline-earth metal selected from the group consisting of calcium, barium, magnesium, strontium and beryllium.

A crucible in which a semiconductor material is melted and held during a crystal growing process, the crucible comprising

• a body of vitreous silica having a bottom wall and a sidewall formation extending up from the bottom wall and defining a cavity for holding the molten semiconductor material, the sidewall formation and the bottom wall each having an inner and an outer surface;
• a first devitrification promoter on the inner surface of the sidewall formation, the distribution of first devitrification promoter on the inner surface of the sidewall formation being such that a first layer of substantially devitrified silica is formed on the inner surface of the crucible which is in contact with the molten semiconductor material when the semiconductor material is melted in the crucible during the crystal growing process, the first substantially devitrified silica layer being such that it promotes uniform dissolution of the inner surface and reduces the release of crystalline silica particulates into the molten semiconductor material as a crystal is pulled from the molten semiconductor material;
• and
• a second devitrification promoter on the outer surface of the sidewall formation, the distribution of second devitrification promoter on the outer surface of the sidewall formation being such that a second layer of substantially devitrified silica is formed on the outer surface of the crucible when the semiconductor material is melted in the crucible during the crystal growing process, the second substantially devitrified silica layer being such that it reinforces the vitreous silica body.

A crucible in which a semiconductor material is melted and held during a crystal growing process, the crucible comprising

• a body of vitreous silica having a bottom wall and a sidewall formation extending up from the bottom wall and defining a cavity for holding the molten semiconductor material, the sidewall formation and the bottom wall each having an inner and an outer surface;
• a first devitrification promoter on the inner surface of the sidewall formation, the distribution of first devitrification promoter on the inner surface of the sidewall formation being such that a first layer of substantially devitrified silica is formed on the inner surface of the crucible which is in contact with the molten semiconductor material when the semiconductor material is melted in the crucible during the crystal growing process, the first substantially devitrified silica layer being such that it promotes uniform dissolution of the inner surface and reduces the release of crystalline silica particulates into the molten semiconductor material as a crystal is pulled from the molten semiconductor material;
• and
• a second devitrification promoter on the outer surface of the sidewall formation, the distribution of second devitrification promoter on the outer surface of the sidewall formation being such that a second layer of substantially devitrified silica is formed on the outer surface of the crucible when the semiconductor material is melted in the crucible during the crystal growing process, the second substantially devitrified silica layer being such that it reinforces the vitreous silica body, wherein the first devitrification promoter includes an alkaline-earth metal selected from the group consisting of barium, magnesium, strontium and beryllium, and the second devitrification promoter includes an alkaline-earth metal selected from the group consisting of calcium, barium, magnesium, strontium and beryllium.

A crucible for the containment of molten silicon in a Czochralski process, the crucible comprising

• a body of vitreous silica having a bottom wall and a sidewall formation extending up from the bottom wall and defining a cavity for holding the molten silicon, the sidewall formation and bottom wall each having an inner and an outer surface;
• a first devitrification promoter on the inner surface of the sidewall formation of the crucible in a concentration of between about 0.1 mM/1000 cm.sup.2 and about 0.6 mM/1000 cm.sup.2 having a segregation coefficient in molten silicon of less than 2.25.times.10.sup.-8 ;
• and
• a second devitrification promoter on the outer surface of the sidewall formation of the crucible in a concentration of between about 0.1 mM/1000 cm.sup.2 and about 1.2 mM/1000 cm.sup.2.

The use for the containment of molten silicon in a Czochralski process of a crucible, the crucible comprising

• a body of vitreous silica having a bottom wall and a sidewall formation extending up from the bottom wall and defining a cavity for holding the molten silicon, the sidewall formation and bottom wall each having an inner surface and an outer surface;
• a first devitrification promoter on the inner surface of the sidewall formation in a concentration of between about 0.1 mM/1000 cm.sup.2 and about 0.6 mM/1000 cm.sup.2 having a segregation coefficient in molten silicon of less than about 2.25.times.10.sup.-8 ;
• and
• a second devitrification promoter on the outer surface of the sidewall formation in a concentration of between about 0.1 mM/1000 cm.sup.2 and about 1.2 mM/1000 cm.sup.2.

A crucible in which polycrystalline silicon is melted and held as a molten silicon mass during a process in which a single crystal silicon ingot is pulled by the Czochralski method, the crucible comprising

• a body having a bottom wall, a sidewall formation which extends up from the bottom wall and defines a cavity for holding the silicon, the sidewall formation and the bottom wall each having inner and outer surfaces,
• the inner surface of the sidewall formation consisting of exposed layers of vitreous and devitrified silica, the devitrified silica layer comprising a continuous band which extends around the sidewall formation and which extends from the bottom wall to a position along the sidewall formation which is intermediate of the bottom wall and the top of the sidewall formation, the vitreous silica layer comprising a continuous band which extends around the sidewall formation and which extends from the top of the sidewall formation to the position intermediate of the bottom wall and the top of the sidewall formation at which the devitrified layer begins,
• the outer surface of the sidewall formation comprising an exposed devitrified silica layer, the devitrified layer being a continuous band which extends around the sidewall formation and strengthens the crucible as compared to an otherwise comparable crucible which lacks said exposed devitrified silica layer on the outer surface of the sidewall formation.