IP Library Granted Patent US 12,371,812
Granted Patent B2
US 12,371,812 · App. 17/783,616 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Quartz glass crucible and manufacturing method thereof

Inventors: Masami Ohara (Akita, JP); Hiroshi Kishi (Akita, JP); Eriko Kitahara (Akita, JP)
Assignee: SUMCO CORPORATION
C30B15/10C03B20/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,371,812
App. No.
17/783,616
Granted
Jul 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A quartz glass crucible ( 1 ) has a structure wherein a peak of a distribution of a total concentration of Na, K, and Ca in a depth direction from an inner surface ( 10 i ) of the crucible is present at a position deeper than the inner surface ( 10 i ). In an exemplary embodiment, the quartz glass crucible is capable of improving the yield of a silicon single crystal by suppressing peeling-off of brown rings.

Claims (39)

1. A quartz glass crucible characterized in that a peak of a distribution of a total concentration of Na, K, and Ca in a depth direction from an inner surface of the crucible is present at a position within a depth range of 16 μm or more than 32 μm or less from the inner surface, and

the peak value of the total concentration of Na, K, and Ca within the range of 16 μm or more and 32 μm or less from the inner surface is 2 times or more and 19 times or less an average value of the total concentration of Na, K, and Ca within a depth range of 0 μm or more and 8 μm or less from the inner surface.

2. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 1 , wherein

an average value of the total concentration of Na, K, and Ca within the depth range of 32 μm or more and 1000 μm or less from the inner surface is 0.6 times or more and 1 time or less the average value of the total concentration of Na, K, and Ca within a depth range of 0 μm or more and 8 μm or less from the inner surface.

3. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 2 , wherein

the total concentration of Na, K, and Ca within the depth range of 32 μm or more and 1000 μm or less from the inner surface has a negative concentration gradient with the depth direction as a positive direction.

4. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 3 , wherein

an average value of a total concentration of Li, Al, Na, K, and Ca within the depth range of 0 μm or more and 8 μm or less from the crucible inner surface is 3.6×10 16 atoms/cc or more and 5.5×10 17 atoms/cc or less.

5. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 3 comprising:

a transparent layer made of silica glass containing no bubbles and constituting the inner surface; and

a bubble layer made of silica glass containing a large number of bubbles and provided outside the transparent layer, wherein

a thickness of the transparent layer is 1 mm or more.

6. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 2 , wherein

an average value of a total concentration of Li, Al, Na, K, and Ca within the depth range of 0 μm or more and 8 μm or less from the crucible inner surface is 3.6×10 16 atoms/cc or more and 5.5×10 17 atoms/cc or less.

7. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 2 comprising:

a transparent layer made of silica glass containing no bubbles and constituting the inner surface; and

a bubble layer made of silica glass containing a large number of bubbles and provided outside the transparent layer, wherein

a thickness of the transparent layer is 1 mm or more.

8. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 1 , wherein

an average value of a total concentration of Li, Al, Na, K, and Ca within the depth range of 0 μm or more and 8 μm or less from the crucible inner surface is 3.6×10 16 atoms/cc or more and 5.5×10 17 atoms/cc or less.

9. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 1 comprising:

a transparent layer made of silica glass containing no bubbles and constituting the inner surface; and

a bubble layer made of silica glass containing a large number of bubbles and provided outside the transparent layer, wherein

a thickness of the transparent layer is 1 mm or more.

10. A quartz glass crucible characterized in that a peak of a distribution of a total concentration of Na, K, and Ca in a depth direction from an inner surface of the crucible is present at a position within a depth range of 16 μm or more or more and 32 μm or less from the inner surface, and

an average value of the total concentration of Na, K, and Ca within a depth range of 32 μm or more and 1000 μm or less from the inner surface is 0.6 time or more and 1 time or less the average value of the total concentration of Na, K, and Ca within a depth range of 0 μm or more and 8 μm or less from the inner surface.

11. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 10 , wherein

a total concentration of Na, K, and Ca within the depth range of 32 μm or more and 1000 μm or less form the inner surface has a negative concentration gradient with the depth direction as a positive direction.

12. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 10 , wherein an average value of a total concentration of Li, Al, Na, K, and Ca within the depth range of 0 μm or more and 8 μm or less from the crucible inner surface is 3.6×10 16 atoms/cc or more and 5.5×10 17 atoms/cc or less.

13. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 10 , comprising:

a transparent layer made of silica glass containing no bubbles and constituting the inner surface; and

a bubble layer made of silica glass containing bubbles and provided outside the transparent layer, wherein

a thickness of the transparent layer is 1 mm or more.

14. A quartz glass crucible characterized in that a peak of a distribution of a total concentration of Na, K, and Ca in a depth direction from an inner surface of the crucible is present at a position within a depth range of 16 μm or more and 32 μm or less from the inner surface, and

an average value of at total concentration of Li, Al, Na, and Ca within a depth range of 0 μm or more and 8 μm or less form the crucible inner surface is 3.6×10 16 atoms/cc or more and 5.5×10 17 atoms/cc or less.

15. The quartz glass crucible according to claim 14 comprising:

a transparent layer made of silica glass containing no bubbles and constituting the inner surface; and

a bubble layer made of silica glass containing bubbles and provided outside the transparent layer, wherein

a thickness of the transparent layer is 1 mm or more.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 8, 2022
From: OHARA, MASAMI; KISHI, HIROSHI; KITAHARA, ERIKO
To: SUMCO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 060142/0937 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-231815 · Dec 23, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230010489A1 · Jan 12, 2023
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