Patent ID: 8728238
Filing Date: 2014-05-20
Classification: C30B,H01L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of operating a crystal growth system, for growing a crystalline material, comprising the steps of: providing a furnace system containing at least a high-temperature melting zone and a sub-high temperature crystal growth zone; said sub-high temperature zone having a temperature growth gradient transition range including a liquidus/solidus temperature transition of said crystalline material; providing a melting crucible in said high-temperature melting zone containing a melted batch melt of said crystalline material; providing a crystal growth crucible in said sub-high temperature zone; providing a melt conduit extending from said melting crucible to said crystal growth crucible for a transferring said melted batch melt; providing control means for controlling a growth rate of said crystalline material in said crystal growth crucible; providing positioning means in said control means for moving at least said crystal growth crucible relative to said sub-high temperature zone to maintain said growth rate and said temperature growth gradient transition range relative to a growth of said crystalline material during a use of said system; and providing at least one of a thermal valve means in said control means for thermally controlling said transfer of said melted batch along said melt conduit and a fluid control means in said control means for fluidly controlling said transfer of said melted batch along said melt conduit, whereby said at least one of said thermal valve means and said fluid control means enables an improved composition control by said growth rate.