Patent ID: 7942970

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a housing having an interior surface defining a chamber; an energy source proximate to the housing and operable to supply energy to the chamber; a first inlet communicating with the chamber and configured to flow a nitrogen-containing gas into the chamber; a nitrogen-containing gas source, wherein the first inlet communicates with the nitrogen-containing gas source; a raw material inlet communicating with the chamber and configured to flow a raw material into the chamber wherein the raw material includes a non-gaseous metal; a second inlet communicating with the chamber and operable to flow a halide-containing gas into the chamber; a crucible capable of receiving the raw material, and the crucible being located in the chamber relative to the first and the second inlets such that the crucible is downstream of a flow of the nitrogen-containing gas and a flow of the halide-containing gas; a sensor that is operable to sense one or more of temperature or of pressure in the chamber; a valve that is operable to block a flow to one or more inlet; and a controller communicating with one or more of the sensor, the valve or the energy source.