Patent ID: 7326297

Claim:
An apparatus for fabricating a crystal rod of a predetermined cross-section and columnar polycrystalline structure, comprising: a crucible for receiving crystal material; means for feeding crystal material into the crucible; vertically movable means below the crucible for supporting the crystal rod at a first end thereof; a conduit connected to the crucible for feeding molten crystal from the crucible into a meniscus of molten crystal at an end of the crystal rod opposite the first end; a frame defining an opening and disposed to contact the molten crystal closely adjacent to a second end of the crystal rod opposite the first end; an induction coil defining an opening surrounding the conduit and mounted for movement relative to the crucible and the second end of the crystal rod for melting the crystal material above the coil and for crystallizing the molten crystal material moving through the conduit below the coil.