Patent ID: 8709154

Claim:
A method of casting one or more of a semiconductor, an oxide, and an intermetallic material, comprising: placing a molten form of the one or more materials in contact with at least one seed crystal in a vessel having one or more side walls heated to at least the melting temperature of the one or more materials, and at least one wall for cooling; and forming a solid body comprising a monocrystalline form of the one or more materials, optionally having at least two dimensions each being at least about 10 cm, by cooling the molten form of the one or more materials to control crystallization, wherein the forming includes forming a solid-liquid interface at an edge of the molten form of the one or more materials that optionally at least initially parallels the at least one wall for cooling, the interface being controlled during the cooling so as to move in a direction that increases a distance between the molten form of the one or more materials and the at least one wall for cooling.