Patent · US Expired

Apparatus for crystal growth control

US4267151A · kind A · utility

0Cited by
1References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 14, 1978
Grant dateMay 12, 1981
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 14, 1998

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T117/1044
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

The growth of a crystalline body of a selected material is controlled so that the body has a selected cross-sectional shape. The apparatus is of the type which includes the structure normally employed in known capillary die devices as well as means for observing at least the portion of the surfaces of the growing crystalline body and the meniscus (of melt material from which the body is being pulled) including the solid/liquid/vapor junction in a direction substantially perpendicular to the meniscus surface formed at the junction when the growth of the crystalline body is under steady state conditions. The cross-sectional size of the growing crystalline body can be controlled by determining which points exhibit a sharp change in the amount of reflected radiation of a preselected wavelength and controlling the speed at which the body is being pulled or the temperature of the growth pool of melt so as to maintain those points exhibiting a sharp change at a preselected spatial position relative to a predetermined reference position. The improvement comprises reference object means positioned near the solid/liquid/vapor junction and capable of being observed by the means for observing …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.