IP Library Granted Patent US 7,229,494
Granted Patent B2
US 7,229,494 · App. 10/502,228 · Granted Jun 12, 2007

Production method for compound semiconductor single crystal

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,229,494
App. No.
10/502,228
Granted
Jun 12, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for producing a compound semiconductor single crystal by a liquid encapsulated Czochralski method, including containing a semiconductor raw material and an encapsulating material in a raw material melt-containing portion having a first crucible having a bottom and a cylindrical shape and a second crucible disposed within the first crucible and having a communication hole communicating with the first crucible in a bottom portion thereof; melting the raw material by heating the raw material melt-containing portion; and growing a crystal by making a seed crystal contact with a surface of the raw material melt in a state covered with the encapsulating material and by pulling up the seed crystal. A heater temperature is controlled so that a diameter of a growing crystal becomes approximately equal to an inner diameter of the second crucible, and the crystal is grown by maintaining a surface of the growing crystal in a state covered with the encapsulating material until termination of crystal growth.

Claims (14)

1. A method for producing a compound semiconductor single crystal by a liquid encapsulated Czochralski method, comprising:

containing a semiconductor raw material and an encapsulating material in a raw material melt-containing portion comprising a first crucible and a second crucible,

the first crucible having a bottom and a cylindrical shape, and the second crucible being disposed in an inside of the first crucible and having a bottom portion thereof provided with a communication hole communicating with the first crucible;

melting the raw material by heating the raw material melt-containing portion; and

growing a crystal by making a seed crystal be in contact with a surface of the raw material melt in a state covered with the encapsulating material and by pulling up the seed crystal,

wherein a crucible having a tapered structure in which an inner diameter of a bottom portion of the crucible is smaller than an inner diameter of a top portion of the crucible and in which a side face thereof tilted with respect to a vertical direction within a range of 0.2° to 10° C., and a diameter of a communication hole may be not more than ⅕ of the inner diameter of the crucible may be used as the second crucible, and

when the body of a crystal is grown, a heater temperature is controlled so that on an interface between a growing crystal and the raw material melt, the crystallization is advanced until reaching an inner wall of the second crucible, and the crystallization is done in such a way that a diameter of the body of the growing crystal is consistent with an inner diameter of the second crucible on the interface and the diameter of the body of the growing crystal is confined by the inner wall of the second crucible, while the crystal is grown by maintaining a surface of the growing crystal in a state covered with the encapsulating material until termination of crystal growth.

2. The method for producing a compound semiconductor single crystal as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an amount of the encapsulating material to be added is set to an amount such that the encapsulating material is capable of filling a space generated between the growing crystal and the second crucible in accordance with the crystal growth and covering an entire surface of the growing crystal.

3. The method for producing a compound semiconductor single crystal as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the crystal growth is performed in a state of the second crucible being dipped in the raw material melt contained in the first crucible to a depth within a range of 10 mm to 40 mm.

4. The method for producing a compound semiconductor single crystal as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the crystal growth is performed in a state of the second crucible being dipped in the raw material melt contained in the first crucible to a depth within a range of 10 mm to 40 mm.

5. The method for producing a compound semiconductor single crystal as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a temperature gradient in the raw material melt is set to at least not more than 20° C./cm.

6. The method for producing a compound semiconductor single crystal as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a temperature gradient in the raw material melt is set to at least not more than 20° C./cm.

7. The method for producing a compound semiconductor single crystal as claimed in claim 3 , wherein a temperature gradient in the raw material melt is set to at least not more than 20° C./cm.

8. The method for producing a compound semiconductor single crystal as claimed in claim 4 , wherein a temperature gradient in the raw material melt is set to at least not more than 20° C./cm.

Assignments (5)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Aug 11, 2021
From: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
To: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057160/0114 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Mar 29, 2017
From: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
To: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 042109/0069 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Feb 7, 2017
From: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
To: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 041649/0733 →
CHANGE OF NAME/MERGER Recorded Jun 9, 2011
From: NIPPON MINING & METALS CO., LTD.
To: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026417/0023 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 18, 2006
From: NIKKO MATERIALS CO., LTD.
To: NIPPON MINING & METALS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 018268/0048 →