# US 9,435,053 B2 · Apparatus for manufacturing ingot > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,435,053 B2 - Document ID: US9435053B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/257,163 - Filed: 2014-04-21 - Published: 2015-09-17 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-11 - Assignees: Technovalue Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Hyun Goo Kwon; Yeo Kyun Yoon; Min Soo Son - Inventors: Hyun Goo Kwon; Yeo Kyun Yoon; Min Soo Son - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9435053B2 ## CPC - C30B 15/002: {Continuous growth} - C30B 15/02: adding crystallising materials or reactants forming it in situ to the melt - C30B 15/12: Double crucible methods - C30B 29/06: Silicon - Y10T 117/1056: including details of precursor replenishment - 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 Disclosed is an ingot manufacturing apparatus that includes: a chamber; a crucible which is disposed within the chamber and has a melting zone where silicon particles are melted; an inner wall which is disposed within the crucible and has a growth zone where an ingot grows from molten silicon introduced from the melting zone; a feeding part which supplies the silicon particles and sweeping gas to the inside of the chamber; and a suction part which surrounds the feeding part and discharges the sweeping gas supplied through the feeding part to the outside of the chamber. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ingot manufacturing apparatus comprising: a chamber; a crucible which is disposed within the chamber and has a melting zone where silicon particles are melted; an inner wall which is disposed within the crucible and has a growth zone where an ingot grows from molten silicon introduced from the melting zone; a feeding part which supplies the silicon particles and sweeping gas to the inside of the chamber; and a suction part which surrounds the feeding part and discharges the sweeping gas supplied through the feeding part to the outside of the chamber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ingot manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a distance from a surface of the molten silicon to an end of the feeding part is the same as or greater than a distance from the surface of the molten silicon to an end of the suction part. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The ingot manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the suction part and the feeding part have the same central axis. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The ingot manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a supply rate of the sweeping gas which is supplied from the feeding part is substantially the same as or less than a suction rate of the sweeping gas which is discharged through the suction part. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The ingot manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein silicon dust having a diameter less than a diameter of the silicon particle is introduced within the chamber through the feeding part, and wherein the suction part discharges the silicon dust to the outside of the chamber. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The ingot manufacturing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the suction part discharges not only the silicon dust but silicon oxide within the chamber to the outside of the chamber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The ingot manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a distance between an end of the feeding part and an inner surface of the suction part is less than a distance between the inner surface of the suction part and an outer surface of the feeding part in an area where the feeding part is bent within the chamber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The ingot manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein some of the sweeping gas is discharged to the suction part through a through-hole formed in a side of the feeding part, and wherein a diameter of the through-hole is less than a diameter of an end of the feeding part. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The ingot manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a divider which divides a suction space between the suction part and an end of the feeding part into a plurality of spaces by connecting an inner surface of the suction part and an outer surface of the feeding part. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The ingot manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the suction part comprises a plurality of units, and wherein each of the units is connected to an outer surface of the feeding part. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The ingot manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a temperature of the sweeping gas passing an end of the feeding part is lower than a temperature of the inside of the chamber. ### Claim 12 An ingot manufacturing apparatus comprising: a chamber; a crucible which is disposed within the chamber and has a melting zone where silicon particles are melted; an inner wall which is disposed within the crucible and has a growth zone where an ingot grows from molten silicon introduced from the melting zone; a feeding part which supplies the silicon particles and sweeping gas to the inside of the chamber; and a suction part which is disposed within the feeding part and discharges the sweeping gas supplied through the feeding part to the outside of the chamber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The ingot manufacturing apparatus of claim 12, wherein a distance from a surface of the molten silicon to an end of the suction part is the same as or greater than a distance from the surface of the molten silicon to an end of the feeding part. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The ingot manufacturing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the suction part and the feeding part have the same central axis. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The ingot manufacturing apparatus of claim 12, wherein a supply rate of the sweeping gas which is supplied from the feeding part is substantially the same as or less than a suction rate of the sweeping gas which is discharged through the suction part. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The ingot manufacturing apparatus of claim 12, wherein silicon dust having a diameter less than a diameter of the silicon particle is introduced within the chamber through the feeding part, and wherein the suction part discharges the silicon dust to the outside of the chamber. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The ingot manufacturing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the suction part discharges not only the silicon dust but silicon oxide within the chamber to the outside of the chamber. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The ingot manufacturing apparatus of claim 12, wherein a diameter of an end of the suction part is less than a diameter of the suction part in an area where the feeding part is bent within the chamber. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The ingot manufacturing apparatus of claim 12, wherein some of the sweeping gas is discharged to the suction part through a through-hole formed in a side of the suction part, and wherein a diameter of the through-hole is less than a distance between an inner surface of the feeding part and an outer surface of the suction part. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The ingot manufacturing apparatus of claim 12, wherein a temperature of the sweeping gas passing an end of the feeding part is lower than a temperature of the inside of the chamber. ### Claim 21 An ingot manufacturing apparatus comprising: a chamber; a crucible which is disposed within the chamber and has a melting zone where silicon particles are melted; an inner wall which is disposed within the crucible and has a growth zone where an ingot grows from molten silicon introduced from the melting zone; a feeding part which supplies the silicon particles and sweeping gas to the inside of the chamber; a suction part which discharges the sweeping gas supplied through the feeding part to the outside of the chamber, surrounds the feeding part or is disposed within the feeding part; a communicating tube which communicates the inside of the chamber and the suction part and provides a flow path through which the sweeping gas moves to the outside of the chamber; a main filter which filters dusts included in the sweeping gas moving through the communicating tube; and a main pump which provides a pressure required for the sweeping gas to move through the communicating tube.