US 9,957,636 B2 · System and method for crystalline sheet growth using a cold block and gas jet

Abstract

A crystallizer for growing a crystalline sheet from a melt may include a cold block having a cold block surface that faces an exposed surface of the melt, the cold block configured to generate a cold block temperature at the cold block surface that is lower than a melt temperature of the melt at the exposed surface. The system may also include a nozzle disposed within the cold block and configured to deliver a gas jet to the exposed surface, wherein the gas jet and the cold block are interoperative to generate a process zone that removes heat from the exposed surface at a first heat removal rate that is greater than a second heat removal rate from the exposed surface in outer regions outside of the process zone.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A crystallizer system for growing a crystalline sheet from a melt, comprising:

a crucible for housing the melt;
a cold block having a cold block surface that directly faces an exposed surface of the melt, the cold block configured to generate a cold block temperature at the cold block surface that is lower than a melt temperature of the melt at the exposed surface;
and
a nozzle disposed within the cold block and configured to deliver a gas jet to the exposed surface, wherein the gas jet and the cold block are interoperative to generate a process zone that removes heat from the exposed surface at a first heat removal rate that is greater than a second heat removal rate from the exposed surface in outer regions outside of the process zone.

1 more element

A method for growing a crystalline sheet from a melt, comprising:

providing the melt in a crucible;
arranging a cold block directly above an exposed surface of the melt;
generating, at a cold block surface of the cold block that faces the melt, a cold block temperature that is lower than a melt temperature of the melt at the exposed surface;
and
delivering a gas jet to the exposed surface through a nozzle disposed within the cold block, wherein the gas jet and the cold block are interoperative to generate a process zone that removes heat from the exposed surface at a first heat removal rate that is greater than a second heat removal rate from the exposed surface in outer regions outside of the process zone.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

14/226,991Filed 27 Mar 2014

Published

US 2018/0047864 A115 Feb 2018

Granted

1 May 2018

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

C30B 15/06
Single-crystal growth by pulling from a melt, e.g. Czochralski method: non-vertical pulling
C30B 15/00
Single-crystal growth by pulling from a melt
C30B 15/14
Single-crystal growth by pulling from a melt, e.g. Czochralski method: heating of the melt or the crystallised materials
C30B 15/20
Single-crystal growth by pulling from a melt, e.g. Czochralski method: controlling or regulating

System and method for crystalline sheet growth using a cold block and gas jet

Life of this patent

System and method for crystalline sheet growth using a cold block and gas jet

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20