Ingot growing apparatus
Disclosed is an ingot growing apparatus. An ingot growing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a growth furnace in which a main crucible is disposed, wherein the main crucible accommodates molten silicon and is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise to rotate the molten silicon clockwise or counterclockwise in order to grow an ingot, a susceptor formed to surround an outer surface of the main crucible and rotated in the same direction as the main crucible, and a preliminary melting unit which receives a solid silicon material, melts the solid silicon material into molten silicon, and supplies the molten silicon to the main crucible, wherein the preliminary melting unit includes a preliminary crucible which accommodates the molten silicon, and the preliminary crucible supplies the molten silicon contained in the preliminary crucible to the main crucible in a direction in which the molten silicon contained in the main crucible rotates.
1 . An ingot growing apparatus comprising:
a growth furnace in which a main crucible is disposed, wherein the main crucible accommodates molten silicon and is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise to rotate the molten silicon clockwise or counterclockwise in order to grow an ingot;
a susceptor formed to surround an outer surface of the main crucible and rotated in the same direction as the main crucible; and
a preliminary melting unit which receives a solid silicon material, melts the solid silicon material into molten silicon, and supplies the molten silicon to the main crucible,
wherein the preliminary melting unit includes:
a preliminary crucible which accommodates the molten silicon,
the preliminary crucible including:
a body of which an upper side is open and which includes a sidewall in which an opening is formed; and
a beak extending from the sidewall of the body in a tangential direction corresponding to a rotation direction of the molten silicon in the main crucible, and
a preliminary susceptor including a first support configured to support the body and a second support extending in the same direction as the beak and configured to support the beak, and a distal end of the beak extending farther than a distal end of the second support.
2 . The ingot growing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the molten silicon contained in the preliminary crucible is provided to the main crucible at an angle within a range of −20° to +70° relative to the tangential direction.
3 . The ingot growing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein an end portion of the beak of the preliminary crucible is disposed at a radial-position spaced in a radial direction from a center of the main crucible toward a periphery where an inclined surface is located, the end portion being radially inward of the inclined surface with respect to the center of the main crucible.
4 . The ingot growing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
the molten silicon contained in the main crucible is divided into a first convective region in which the ingot grows and a second convective region which surrounds the first convective region; and
an end portion of the beak of the preliminary crucible is disposed at a position spaced in a radial direction from a center of the main crucible above the second convective region, the position being farthest from the first convective region.
5 . The ingot growing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the preliminary crucible is movably formed between a first position at which the molten silicon is contained in the body of the preliminary crucible and a second position at which the molten silicon contained in the body flows out to the main crucible; and
the preliminary melting unit includes a preliminary crucible moving module which moves the preliminary crucible between the first position and the second position.
6 . The ingot growing apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the preliminary crucible moving module includes:
a support member which supports the preliminary susceptor so that the beak of the preliminary crucible facing the main crucible is rotatably tilted; and
a lifter which moves one side of the body of the preliminary crucible upward or downward.
7 . The ingot growing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the support member is disposed to be spaced apart from the main crucible so as not to interfere with the main crucible.
8 . The ingot growing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein:
the support member is formed in a pin shape extending upward;
an upper surface of the support member is formed as a curved surface; and a support groove in contact with the support member is formed in a lower surface of the preliminary susceptor to accommodate the upper surface of the support member.
9 . The ingot growing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the support groove is formed not to overlap the main crucible when viewed from above the main crucible.
10 . The ingot growing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an end portion of the beak of the preliminary crucible is formed to be disposed at a position spaced in a radial direction from a center of the main crucible toward a periphery where an upper surface of the main crucible is located, the end portion being radially inward of the upper surface with respect to the center of the main crucible.
11 . The ingot growing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the opening of the preliminary crucible is formed in a lowermost end of a central portion of the sidewall of the preliminary crucible; and
the beak of the preliminary crucible is formed to be disposed at a position corresponding to the opening.