Czochralski crucible for controlling oxygen and related methods
View Patent ↗A system for growing an ingot from a melt includes a first crucible, a second crucible, and a weir. The first crucible has a first base and a first sidewall that form an outer cavity for containing the melt. The weir is located on top of the first base at a location inward from the first sidewall to inhibit movement of the melt from a location outward of the weir to a location inward of the weir. The second crucible is sized for placement within the outer cavity and has a second base and a second sidewall that form an inner cavity. Related methods are also disclosed.
1. A system for growing an ingot from a melt, the system comprising:
a first crucible including a first base and a first sidewall forming an outer cavity for containing the melt, the first base having a top surface;
a weir located along the top surface of the first base at a location inward from the first sidewall, to inhibit movement of the melt from a location outward of the weir to a location inward of the weir; and
a second crucible sized for placement and located within the outer cavity of the first crucible having a second base and a second sidewall, the second base and the second sidewall forming an inner cavity, the second base being spaced from the first base by the weir, and the second base including a crucible passageway therethrough to allow the melt located within the weir to move into the inner cavity of the second crucible, the crucible passageway located inward of the weir, the weir contacting the first base of the first crucible and/or the second base of the second crucible continuously around a circumference of the weir.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a heater disposed directly below the first crucible for supplying heat to the first crucible and the second crucible to maintain the melt therein.
3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a feed tube, a sensor, and a controller, the feed tube disposed adjacent the first crucible for supplying a feedstock material to the first crucible at a location that is outward of the second crucible, the sensor is configured to detect a height of the melt, the controller is configured to control a flow of feedstock material through the feed tube.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the weir is bonded to the first crucible around a circumference of the weir to form an assembled crucible having two sidewalls and a single base.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the weir is bonded to the second base of the second crucible around a circumference of the weir.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the weir has a weir passageway extending therethrough to allow the melt in the outer cavity of the first crucible to move within the weir.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the weir passageway and the crucible passageway through the second crucible are in diametric opposition to one another to provide a tortuous path for the melt.
8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a pull system for lowering and raising a seed crystal into and out of the melt.
9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second weir located between the first crucible and the second crucible.
10. A system for growing an ingot from a melt, the system comprising:
a first crucible having a first base and a first sidewall forming an outer cavity for containing the melt;
a second crucible located within the outer cavity of the first crucible and including a second base and a second sidewall sized for placement within the outer cavity of the first crucible, the second base and the second sidewall forming an inner cavity, the second crucible including a crucible passageway therethrough the second base to allow portions of the melt in an area outward of the second crucible to move into the inner cavity of the second crucible; and
a weir located within the outer cavity of the first crucible to inhibit movement of the melt from a location outward of the weir to a location inward of the weir; the weir being positioned between the first base and the second base to space the second base from the first base, the crucible passageway located inward of the weir, the weir contacting the first base of the first crucible and/or the second base of the second crucible continuously around a circumference of the weir.
11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a temperature sensor, a controller, and a plurality of heaters, the plurality of heaters disposed directly below the first crucible for supplying heat to the first crucible and the second crucible to maintain the melt therein, the temperature sensor configured to measure temperature, the controller configured to control each of the plurality of heaters independently.
12. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a feed tube, a sensor, and a controller, the feed tube disposed adjacent the first crucible for supplying a feedstock material to the first crucible at a location that is outward of the second crucible, the sensor is configured to detect a weight of the melt, the controller is configured to control a flow of feedstock material through the feed tube.
13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the second crucible is bonded to the weir around a circumference of the weir to form an assembled crucible having two sidewalls and a single base, the two sidewalls extend from the single base in opposite directions.
14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the weir has a weir passageway extending therethrough to allow the melt in the outer cavity of the first crucible to move to a location inward of the weir.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the weir passageway and the crucible passageway through the second crucible are in diametric opposition to each other to provide a tortuous path for the melt.
16. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a pull system for lowering and raising a seed crystal into and out of the melt.