Apparatus and method for crystalline sheet growth

1. An apparatus for forming a crystalline sheet, comprising:

a crystallizer comprising a first gas channel and a second gas channel, wherein the first gas channel and the second gas channel extend through the crystallizer to a lower surface of the crystallizer between an upstream edge and a downstream edge, the second gas channel being isolated from the first gas channel, within the crystallizer,

wherein the first gas channel is disposed closer to the downstream edge than the second gas channel, wherein a first gas source is coupled to the first gas channel, the first gas source comprising helium or hydrogen, and

wherein a second gas source is coupled to the second gas channel, the second gas source not containing hydrogen or helium, the second gas comprising a lower thermal conductivity than a thermal conductivity of hydrogen or helium.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second gas channel is separated from the upstream edge by a first distance D 1 , wherein the first gas channel is separated from the second gas channel by a second distance D 2 , wherein the first gas channel is separated from the downstream edge by a third distance D 3 , wherein the third distance D 3 is greater than the first distance D 1 .

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the crystallizer comprises:

a cold block, the cold block containing the first gas channel and having a cold block temperature; and

a second block, the second block disposed adjacent the cold block and containing the second gas channel, the second block having a second block temperature along a portion of the lower surface, the second block temperature being greater than the cold block temperature.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a thermal insulation block disposed adjacent the crystallizer;

a third gas source, the third gas source not including hydrogen or helium; and

a gas distribution assembly, the gas distribution assembly coupled to the third gas source, the gas distribution assembly comprising a plurality of gas openings, and being disposed along a lower edge of the thermal insulation block, the plurality of gas openings not being disposed along the lower surface of the crystallizer.

5. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing to contain a melt, the melt having a melt temperature and defining a melt surface;

a crystallizer disposed over the melt and having an upstream edge, a downstream edge, and a lower surface, the lower surface facing the melt surface, the crystallizer generating a first temperature in at least a portion of the lower surface, the first temperature being lower than the melt temperature, the crystallizer including a first gas channel and a second gas channel, the first gas channel and the second gas channel extending to the lower surface, wherein the first gas channel is disposed closer to the downstream edge than the second gas channel, the second gas channel being isolated from the first gas channel, within the crystallizer;

a first gas source coupled to the first gas channel, the first gas source comprising helium or hydrogen; and

a second gas source coupled to the second gas channel, the second gas source not containing hydrogen or helium, the second gas comprising a lower thermal conductivity than a thermal conductivity of hydrogen or helium.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first gas channel and the second gas channel are asymmetrically arranged between the upstream edge and the downstream edge of the crystallizer wherein the crystallizer further comprises a centerline, wherein the first gas channel and the second gas channel are disposed between the centerline and the upstream edge.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising: a crystal puller, disposed downstream of the crystallizer, the crystal puller being movable along a pull direction.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the crystallizer comprises:

a cold block, the cold block having a cold block temperature and containing the first gas channel; and

a second block, the second block disposed adjacent the cold block and containing the second gas channel, the second block having a second block temperature along a portion of the lower surface, the second block temperature being greater than the cold block temperature and less than the melt temperature.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second block comprises a quartz material, and wherein the second block is not water cooled.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the second gas source comprises a first inert gas source, wherein the first gas channel is coupled to the first inert gas source, or to a second inert gas source separate from the first inert gas source.

11. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:

a thermal insulation block disposed adjacent the crystallizer;

third gas source, the third gas source not including hydrogen or helium; and

a gas distribution assembly, the gas distribution assembly coupled to the third gas source, the gas distribution assembly comprising a plurality of gas openings, and being disposed along a lower edge of the thermal insulation block.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a thermal insulation block, the thermal insulation block comprising a lower edge, wherein the lower edge of the thermal insulation block comprises a first lower edge, the first lower edge disposed proximate the cold block and a second lower edge being disposed adjacent the second block, wherein the first lower edge forms a first angle with respect to the melt surface, and wherein the second lower edge forms a second angle with respect to the melt surface, wherein the second angle is greater than the first angle.

13. A method, comprising:

directing an asymmetric gas flow from a crystallizer to a melt surface of a melt, while crystallizing a crystalline sheet along the melt surface, wherein the directing comprises:

directing a first gas flow along a first direction through a first gas channel through the crystallizer, the first gas flow comprising helium or hydrogen; and

directing a second gas flow along the first direction through a second gas channel through the crystallizer, the second gas channel being disposed upstream of the first gas channel, the second gas flow not containing hydrogen or helium, the second gas comprising a lower thermal conductivity than a thermal conductivity of hydrogen or helium.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the crystalline sheet forms in a first region below the crystallizer along the melt surface, wherein a gas vortex forms in the first region between the crystallizer and the crystalline sheet, and wherein no gas vortex forms between the crystallizer and the melt surface in a second region, the second region being disposed upstream of the first region.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the directing the first gas flow forms the crystalline sheet, adjacent to the first gas channel, the method further comprising pulling the crystalline sheet along a melt surface of the melt in a pull direction using a crystal puller disposed downstream of the crystallizer.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first direction is perpendicular to a surface of the melt, the method further comprising:

directing a first inert gas flow through the crystallizer when the crystallizer is disposed at a first separation S 1 along the first direction with respect to the melt;

moving the crystallizer to a second separation S 2 along the first direction with respect to the melt, wherein the second separation is less than the first separation; and

directing the first gas flow as a helium gas flow or a hydrogen gas flow through the first gas channel while directing the second gas flow as a second inert gas flow through the second gas channel when the crystallizer is disposed at the second separation.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the directing the first gas flow comprises directing helium at a first gas flow rate, the directing the second inert gas flow comprises directing argon at a second gas flow rate, and wherein a ratio of the second gas flow rate to the first gas flow rate is between 0.05 and 0.5.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising

providing a thermal insulation block adjacent the crystallizer;

providing a gas distribution assembly along a lower surface of the thermal insulation block; and

flowing a third inert gas flow through the gas distribution assembly at a third gas flow rate, wherein the third gas flow rate is less than the first gas flow rate.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the crystallizer comprises an upstream edge and a downstream edge,

wherein the second gas channel is separated from the upstream edge by a first distance D 1 along a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction,

wherein the first gas channel is separated from the second gas channel by a second distance D 2 along the second direction,

wherein the first gas channel is separated from the downstream edge by a third distance D 3 along the second direction,

wherein D 1 is less than the second separation S 2 , D 2 is less than the second separation S 2 , and D 3 is greater than or equal to the second separation S 2 .