Methods for adding a plurality of dopant batches to an ingot puller apparatus

1 . A method for producing a single crystal silicon ingot from a silicon melt held within a crucible, the method comprising:

adding solid-state silicon to the crucible, the crucible being disposed within an ingot puller inner chamber;

heating the solid-state silicon to cause the silicon melt to form in the crucible;

pulling the single crystal silicon ingot from the silicon melt;

rotating a dopant cup, a first dopant receptacle and a second dopant receptacle being disposed within the dopant cup, the dopant cup comprising:

a sidewall;

a first dopant cup opening formed in the sidewall; and

a second dopant cup opening; and

wherein rotating the dopant cup causes:

the first dopant receptacle to rotate to release a first batch of solid-phase dopant from the first dopant receptacle and through a first dopant receptacle outlet to cause the first batch of solid-phase dopant to enter the silicon melt while pulling the single crystal silicon ingot from the silicon melt, the first dopant cup opening being aligned with the first dopant receptacle outlet; and

the second dopant receptacle to rotate to release a second batch of solid-phase dopant from the second dopant receptacle and through a second dopant receptacle outlet to cause the second batch of solid-phase dopant to enter the silicon melt while pulling the single crystal silicon ingot from the silicon melt and after the first batch of solid-phase dopant is released from the first dopant receptacle, the second dopant cup opening being aligned with the second dopant receptacle outlet, the first dopant receptacle and the second dopant receptacle being disposed within a dopant feeder housing, the dopant feeder housing being external to an ingot puller outer housing.

2 . The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising adding a dopant of a first type to the crucible before pulling the single crystal silicon ingot from the silicon melt, the first type being p-type or n-type, wherein the first batch of solid-phase dopant released from the first dopant receptacle and the second batch of solid-phase dopant released from the second dopant receptacle are each a second type that is opposite that of the first type.

3 . The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first dopant receptacle and the second dopant receptacle are part of a dopant feeder for adding dopant to the crucible.

4 . The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the first dopant receptacle is a tube and the second dopant receptacle is a tube.

5 . The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the dopant feeder comprises a third dopant receptacle disposed in the dopant cup for holding a third batch of solid-phase dopant, wherein rotating the dopant cup causes the third dopant receptacle to rotate to release the third batch of solid-phase dopant from the third dopant receptacle and cause the third batch of solid-phase dopant to enter the silicon melt while pulling the single crystal silicon ingot from the silicon melt and after the second batch of solid-phase dopant is released from the second dopant receptacle.

6 . The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the dopant feeder comprises a fourth dopant receptacle disposed in the dopant cup for holding a fourth batch of solid-phase dopant, wherein rotating the dopant cup causes the fourth dopant receptacle to release the fourth batch of solid-phase dopant from the third dopant receptacle and cause the fourth batch of solid-phase dopant to enter the silicon melt while pulling the single crystal silicon ingot from the silicon melt and after the third batch of solid-phase dopant is released from the third dopant receptacle.

7 . The method as set forth in claim 1 comprising operating a handle to rotate the first and second dopant receptacles.

8 . The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the handle is connected to a shaft, the shaft extending through one or more bearings that enable the shaft to rotate.

9 . The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the dopant feeder comprises a funnel that is disposed below the first and second dopant receptacles, the funnel being connected to a dopant tube, wherein the first batch of solid-phase dopant falls through the funnel upon being released from the first dopant receptacle and the second batch of solid-phase dopant falls through the funnel upon being released from the second dopant receptacle.

10 . A method for producing a single crystal silicon ingot from a silicon melt held within a crucible, the method comprising:

adding solid-state silicon to the crucible, the crucible being disposed within an ingot puller inner chamber;

heating the solid-state silicon to cause the silicon melt to form in the crucible;

pulling the single crystal silicon ingot from the silicon melt;

rotating a first dopant receptacle to release a first batch of dopant from the first dopant receptacle and cause the first batch of dopant to enter the silicon melt while pulling the single crystal silicon ingot from the silicon melt, the first dopant receptacle being disposed within a dopant cup, the dopant cup comprising a sidewall, a first dopant cup opening formed in the sidewall, and a second dopant cup opening, the dopant cup being rotated to cause the first batch of dopant to fall through a first dopant receptacle outlet and from the first dopant receptacle, the first dopant cup opening being aligned with the first dopant receptacle outlet; and

rotating a second dopant receptacle to release a second batch of dopant from the second dopant receptacle and cause the second batch of dopant to enter the silicon melt while pulling the single crystal silicon ingot from the silicon melt and after the first batch of dopant is released from the first dopant receptacle, the second dopant receptacle being disposed within the dopant cup, the dopant cup being rotated to cause the second batch of dopant to fall through a second dopant receptacle outlet and from the second dopant receptacle, the second dopant cup opening being aligned with the second dopant receptacle outlet.

11 . The method as set forth in claim 10 comprising:

rotating a third dopant receptacle to release a third batch of dopant from the third dopant receptacle and cause the third batch of dopant to enter the silicon melt while pulling the single crystal silicon ingot from the silicon melt and after the second batch of dopant is released from the second dopant receptacle, the third dopant receptacle being disposed within the dopant cup, the dopant cup being rotated to cause the third batch of dopant to fall from the third dopant receptacle; and

rotating a fourth dopant receptacle to release a fourth batch of dopant from the fourth dopant receptacle and cause the fourth batch of dopant to enter the silicon melt while pulling the single crystal silicon ingot from the silicon melt and after the third batch of dopant is released from the third dopant receptacle, the fourth dopant receptacle being disposed within the dopant cup, the dopant cup being rotated to cause the fourth batch of dopant to fall from the fourth dopant receptacle.

12 . The method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the first batch of dopant is a first batch of solid-phase dopant and the second batch of dopant is a second batch of solid-phase dopant.

13 . A method for producing a single crystal silicon ingot from a silicon melt held within a crucible, the method comprising:

adding solid-state silicon to the crucible, the crucible being disposed within an ingot puller inner chamber;

heating the solid-state silicon to cause the silicon melt to form in the crucible;

pulling the single crystal silicon ingot from the silicon melt;

rotating a dopant cup, a first dopant receptacle and a second dopant receptacle being disposed within the dopant cup, the dopant cup comprising:

a sidewall;

a first dopant cup opening formed in the sidewall; and

a second dopant cup opening; and

wherein rotating the dopant cup causes:

the first dopant receptacle and the second dopant receptacle to rotate simultaneously in a first step to release a first batch of solid-phase dopant from the first dopant receptacle and through a first dopant receptacle outlet to cause the first batch of solid-phase dopant to enter the silicon melt while pulling the single crystal silicon ingot from the silicon melt, the first batch of solid-phase dopant being released only from the first dopant receptacle, the first dopant cup opening being aligned with the first dopant receptacle outlet; and

the first dopant receptacle and the second dopant receptacle to rotate simultaneously in a second step to release a second batch of solid-phase dopant from the second dopant receptacle and through a second dopant receptacle outlet to cause the second batch of solid-phase dopant to enter the silicon melt while pulling the single crystal silicon ingot from the silicon melt, the second batch of solid-phase dopant only being released from the second dopant receptacle, the second dopant cup opening being aligned with the second dopant receptacle outlet.

14 . The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein a third dopant receptacle and a fourth dopant receptacle are disposed in the dopant cup, wherein rotating the dopant cup causes:

the third dopant receptacle to rotate simultaneously with the first dopant receptacle and the second dopant receptacle in a third step to release a third batch of solid-phase dopant from the third dopant receptacle and cause the third batch of solid-phase dopant to enter the silicon melt while pulling the single crystal silicon ingot from the silicon melt and after the second batch of solid-phase dopant is released from the second dopant receptacle, the third batch of solid-phase dopant only being released from the third dopant receptacle; and

the fourth dopant receptacle to rotate simultaneously with the first dopant receptacle, the second dopant receptacle, and the third dopant receptacle in a fourth step to release a fourth batch of solid-phase dopant from the fourth dopant receptacle and cause the fourth batch of solid-phase dopant to enter the silicon melt while pulling the single crystal silicon ingot from the silicon melt and after the third batch of solid-phase dopant is released from the third dopant receptacle, the fourth batch of solid-phase dopant only being released from the fourth dopant receptacle.

15 . The method as set forth in claim 13 comprising operating a handle to rotate the first and second dopant receptacles.