Ingot pulling apparatus comprising automatic feed assembly for filling semiconductor material

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an ingot puller for producing a single crystal semiconductor ingot, comprising: a housing defining a growth chamber; the crucible is positioned in the growth chamber; an ingot receiving container defining an ingot receiving chamber connected to the growth chamber; and a feed assembly for filling the crucible with a semiconductor material. The feed assembly includes a discharger for containing the semiconductor material and movable in the ingot receiving chamber between a raised position and a lowered position. The unloader includes a bottom and a sidewall releasable from the bottom to allow the semiconductor material to exit the unloader. The feed assembly also includes a cotter pin selectively extendable into and retractable from the ingot receiving chamber. The cotter pin engages the unloader when extending into the ingot receiving chamber to release the unloader sidewall from the unloader bottom when the unloader moves toward the lowered position.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 326,343, filed May 31, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to ingot pulling equipment for producing single-crystal semiconductor ingots, and more specifically, to an automated feeding assembly for loading semiconductor material into a crucible. Background Technology

[0004] Monocrystalline silicon (which is the starting material for most processes in manufacturing many electronic components such as semiconductor devices and solar cells) is typically prepared using batch Chukraski (CZ) or continuous Chukraski (CCZ) methods. In these methods, a polycrystalline source material (e.g., polycrystalline silicon) in solid form is packed into a quartz crucible and melted, bringing the seed crystal into contact with the molten silicon or melt, and growing a monocrystalline silicon ingot by slow extraction.

[0005] Conventional equipment for promoting the growth of monocrystalline silicon ingots includes a furnace or outer shell defining a growth chamber in which a crucible is positioned, an isolation valve connected to the outlet of the growth chamber, and an ingot receiving container connected to the isolation valve. During the ingot growth process, the isolation valve is opened to provide communication between the growth chamber and the ingot receiving chamber defined by the ingot receiving container. An initial charge of polycrystalline silicon material is added to the crucible through the isolation valve and the outlet of the growth chamber and subsequently melted. The ingot is grown by slow extraction, wherein the grown ingot is pulled out from the growth chamber and enters the ingot receiving chamber by opening the isolation valve. The fully grown ingot is contained within the ingot receiving chamber. After the growth process, the isolation valve is closed and the ingot receiving container is removed from the isolation valve. The fully grown ingot is then removed from the ingot receiving chamber.

[0006] The initial loading of polysilicon material is typically performed using a feeder added to the crucible, which is lowered in the ingot receiving chamber toward the outlet of the growth chamber. The feeder includes a bottom and releasable sidewalls located on the bottom. When released, the sidewalls "open" the feeder, allowing the polysilicon material to exit the feeder and flow into the crucible. In existing growth equipment, an opening flange temporarily positioned between the ingot receiving container and the isolation valve can be used to open the feeder. The opening flange includes a protrusion that extends into the ingot receiving chamber and engages with the lowered feeder in the ingot receiving chamber to release the sidewalls and thereby open the feeder. For the initial loading operation, the operator must manually install the opening flange. Subsequently, the opening flange must be removed after the loading operation; otherwise, the protrusion may contact and damage the ingot being pulled through the ingot receiving chamber.

[0007] The use of the opening flange and the manual installation and removal required of this assembly results in low operational efficiency of the ingot growth process and limits the ability of the use equipment to provide an automated growth process. The use of the opening flange also creates opportunities for operator error. For example, the opening flange can be installed improperly resulting in the incorrect loading of the polysilicon material into the crucible (e.g., underfilling). There is a need for an improved feed assembly for use with an ingot growth apparatus for loading polysilicon material that addresses the above shortcomings.

[0008] This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that can be related to various aspects of the present disclosure that are described and / or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. These statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art. SUMMARY

[0009] One aspect is a puller for producing a single crystal semiconductor ingot, the puller comprising: a housing defining a growth chamber; a crucible positioned within the growth chamber; an ingot receiving vessel defining an ingot receiving chamber connected with the growth chamber; and a feed assembly for loading a semiconductor material to the crucible. The feed assembly comprises a hopper for containing the semiconductor material and an opening pin selectively extendable into and retractable from the ingot receiving chamber. The hopper is movable between an elevated position and a lowered position in the ingot receiving chamber. The hopper comprises a hopper bottom and a hopper sidewall extending from the hopper bottom, the hopper sidewall releasable from the hopper bottom to allow the semiconductor material to exit the hopper. The opening pin, when extended into the ingot receiving chamber, engages the hopper to release the hopper sidewall from the hopper bottom as the hopper is moved toward the lowered position.

[0010] Another aspect is a puller for producing a single crystal semiconductor ingot, the puller comprising: a housing defining a growth chamber and a growth chamber outlet; a crucible positioned within the growth chamber; a feed assembly for charging a semiconductor material to the crucible; and a controller. The feed assembly comprises a hopper and a split pin assembly for containing a semiconductor material. The hopper comprises a hopper bottom and a hopper sidewall releasable from the hopper bottom to define a charge slot for the semiconductor material to exit the hopper, and the hopper is movable between a raised position and a lowered position. The split pin assembly each comprises a split pin selectively extendable into engagement with the hopper to release the hopper sidewall from the hopper bottom when the hopper is moved toward the lowered position. The charge slot is defined and positioned adjacent to the growth chamber outlet or within the growth chamber when the hopper is in the lowered position. Each split pin assembly further comprises an actuator to cause the split pin to extend into engagement with the hopper. The controller controls each actuator to cause the respective split pin to extend into engagement with the hopper.

[0011] Another aspect is a method of producing a single crystal semiconductor ingot from a semiconductor melt using a puller. The method comprises: positioning a crucible within a growth chamber defined by a housing of the puller; connecting an ingot receiving vessel defining an ingot receiving chamber to the housing; lowering a hopper in the ingot receiving chamber, the hopper containing a semiconductor material; using a controller to control a split pin to extend into the ingot receiving chamber to cause the hopper to open and allow the semiconductor material to exit the hopper and flow into the crucible; heating the semiconductor material to cause a semiconductor melt to form in the crucible; and pulling a single crystal semiconductor ingot from the semiconductor melt.

[0012] There are various improvements to the features mentioned above with respect to the above aspects of the disclosure. Additional features can also be incorporated into the above aspects of the disclosure. These improvements and additional features can exist individually or in any combination. For example, various features discussed below with respect to any illustrative embodiment of the disclosure can be incorporated into any of the above aspects of the disclosure, alone or in any combination. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-section of a puller apparatus for forming a single crystal silicon ingot;

[0014] Figure 2 is Figure 1 a schematic cross-section of the puller apparatus of

[0015] Figure 3 is Figure 1 and 2a partial cross-section of a puller apparatus of FIG. 1, showing a discharger of a feed assembly in a lowered and open position;

[0016] Figure 4 is Figure 3 a cross-section of the puller apparatus of FIG. 1, taken along a line extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the puller apparatus through the open pin assembly;

[0017] Figure 5 is a close-up perspective view of one of the open pin assemblies of FIG. 1;

[0018] Figure 6 is Figure 5 a cross-section of the open pin assembly of FIG. 1; and

[0019] Figures 7 to 9 is Figure 3 a partial cross-section of a puller apparatus of FIG. 1 and illustrates a step in a sequence of moving a discharger of a feed assembly from a raised position (FIG. 1A) Figure 7 to a lowered position (FIG. 1B and Figure 8 FIG. 1C). 9

[0020] In all figures, corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Referring to Figure 1 , a cross-section of an example puller apparatus or puller is schematically shown and generally indicated at 100. The puller 100 is used to produce a single crystal (i.e., monocrystalline) ingot of a semiconductor material, such as, for example, a monocrystalline silicon ingot. In some embodiments, the ingot is grown by a so-called Czochralski (CZ) process in which the ingot is extracted from a semiconductor melt 102 (e.g., a silicon melt 102) held within a crucible 104 of the puller 100. In some embodiments, the ingot is grown by a batch CZ process in which polycrystalline semiconductor material (e.g., polycrystalline silicon) is loaded into the crucible 104 in a suitable amount to grow one ingot, such that after growing one ingot, the crucible 104 is substantially depleted of the melt 102. In other embodiments, the ingot is grown by a continuous CZ (CCZ) process in which polycrystalline semiconductor material (e.g., polycrystalline silicon) is continuously or periodically added to the crucible 104 to replenish the melt 102 during the growth process. The CCZ process facilitates growth of multiple ingots pulled from a single melt 102. Embodiments of the described subject matter are not limited to a particular crystal growth process, but can be used to grow ingots formed from monocrystalline semiconductor materials other than silicon.

[0022] ​The puller 100 includes a housing 106 that defines a crystal growth chamber 108 and a growth chamber outlet 110 having a lateral dimension that is less than the growth chamber 108. The housing 106 has a generally dome-shaped upper wall 112 that transitions from the growth chamber 108 to the growth chamber outlet 110. The puller 100 includes an inlet port 114 and an outlet port 116 that can be used to introduce process gas to and remove process gas from the growth chamber 108 during crystal growth.

[0023] The crucible 104 within the puller 100 contains a silicon melt 102 from which a silicon ingot is extracted. The crucible 104 can be made of quartz or fused silica that has a high melting point and thermal stability and generally does not react with the molten silicon in the melt 102. The crucible 104 can be made of other materials than quartz without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For example, the quartz crucible 104 can be made of a composite material that includes silica and an additional material, such as silicon nitride or silicon carbide.

[0024] The silicon melt 102 is obtained by melting polycrystalline silicon that is charged to the crucible 104. The puller 100 includes a feed assembly 200 (as shown in FIG. 2) that facilitates charging of the polycrystalline silicon material to the crucible 104. The feed assembly 200 is used to initially charge the polycrystalline silicon material to the crucible 104. The polycrystalline silicon material can be solid polycrystalline silicon. In some embodiments, the initial charge of polycrystalline silicon material added using the feed assembly 200 can be continuously replenished to the crucible 104 using an auxiliary feed system (not shown). For example, the puller 100 can be configured to produce ingots by a continuous CZ growth process and can include a feed tube assembly (not shown) that extends through the housing 106 into the growth chamber 108 (not shown) to continuously feed polycrystalline silicon material into the crucible 104 and / or the melt 102 during the ingot growth process. Figure 2

[0025] The crucible 104 is positioned within and supported by a susceptor 118 that is, in turn, supported by a rotatable shaft 120. The susceptor 118 and the rotatable shaft 120 facilitate rotation of the crucible 104 about a central longitudinal axis X of the puller 100.

[0026] ​A heating system 122 (e.g., one or more resistive heaters) surrounds the susceptor 118 and the crucible 104 and supplies heat by conduction through the susceptor 118 and the crucible 104 to melt the silicon charge to produce the melt 102 and / or to maintain the melt 102 in a molten state. The heater 122 can also extend below the susceptor 118 and the crucible 104. The heating system 122 is controlled by a controller 140 so that the temperature of the melt 102 is precisely controlled throughout the pulling process. For example, the controller can control the current provided to the heating system 122 to control the amount of heat energy supplied by the heating system 122. The controller can control the heating system 122 so that the temperature of the melt 102 is maintained above the melting temperature of silicon (e.g., about 1412°C). For example, the melt 102 can be heated to a temperature of at least about 1425°C, at least about 1450°C, or even at least about 1500°C. Insulating material (not shown) surrounding the heating system 122 can reduce the amount of heat lost through the enclosure 106. The puller 100 can also include a heat shield assembly (not shown) positioned above the surface of the melt 102 for shielding the ingot from the heat of the crucible 104 to increase the axial temperature gradient at the solid-melt interface.

[0027] A puller winch 132 is attached to a pull line 124 that extends downward from the winch. The winch 132 is capable of raising and lowering the pull line 124 and rotating the pull line 124. Depending on the type of puller, the puller 100 can have a pull shaft instead of a line. The pull line 124 is terminated at a pull assembly 126, which includes a seed chuck 128 that holds a seed 130 for growing a silicon ingot.

[0028] The puller 100 also includes an isolation valve 150 connected to the housing 106 and more specifically to the upper wall 112 at the growth chamber outlet 110. The isolation valve 150 includes a valve body 152 extending between a first valve end 154 connected to the housing 106 and a second valve end 156. A valve passage 158 extends through the valve body 152 between the first and second valve ends 154 and 156. The valve body 152 is open at both valve ends 154, 156 such that the valve passage 158 connects the growth chamber 108 and a ingot receiving chamber 162 defined by an ingot receiving container 160. The isolation valve 150 is openable and closable to selectively provide communication between the growth chamber 108 and the ingot receiving chamber 162. The isolation valve 150 includes a valve element (not shown) positioned in the valve passage 158 that is selectively actuatable, either automatically (e.g., by an actuating arm that can be controlled by the controller 140) or manually by an operator using a valve handle (not shown) connected to the valve element, to close or open the valve passage 158. The valve element can be a movable disc that is actuated to selectively seal the second valve end 156 thereby closing the valve passage 158. In other examples, the isolation valve 150 can include any suitable valve configuration and valve element to enable the isolation valve 150 to function as described. For example, the isolation valve 150 can include a ball valve, a butterfly valve, a diaphragm valve, or any other suitable type of valve. When closed, the isolation valve 150 can suitably isolate the growth chamber 108 from the ingot receiving chamber 162 and / or the surrounding environment.

[0029] The ingot receiving container 160 includes a hollow cylinder defining the ingot receiving chamber 162. The ingot receiving container 160 is open at a first container end 166 to define a receiving chamber inlet 164. The ingot receiving container 160 extends from the first container end 166 to a second container end 168. The ingot receiving container 160 includes a door 170 (as shown in Figure 4 The side wall 172 extends between the first and second container ends 166 and 168. When the puller 100 is assembled during the growth process, the first container end 166 is connected to the second valve end 156 and secured to the second valve end 156 using a clamp 176. The receiving container 160 extends vertically above the isolation valve 150 and the housing 106, coaxially aligned with the valve passage 158 and the growth chamber outlet 110. More specifically, the receiving container 160, the isolation valve 150, and the growth chamber outlet 110 are aligned axially along the longitudinal axis X of the puller 100 to enable a grown ingot to be pulled from the growth chamber 108 through the growth chamber outlet 110, through the valve passage 158, and into the ingot receiving chamber 162. The receiving container 160 extends a suitable height between the first and second container ends 166 and 168 to accommodate the entire length of a fully grown ingot and the pulling assembly 126. The door 170 on the side wall 172 of the ingot receiving container 160 is sized and shaped to provide a lateral exit for a fully grown ingot from the receiving chamber 162.

[0030] Process gas (e.g., argon) is introduced into the growth chamber 108 through the inlet port 114 and exits through the outlet port 116. The inlet port 114 is shown positioned at the second container end 168 to introduce process gas through the ingot receiving chamber 162 and open valve passage 158 toward the growth chamber 108. In other examples, the inlet port 114 can be located at additional or alternative suitable locations in the puller 100 (e.g., on the upper wall 112 of the housing 106). The process gas creates an atmosphere within the housing, and the melt and atmosphere form a melt-gas interface. The outlet port 116 is in fluid communication with an exhaust system (not shown) of the puller.

[0031] The controller 140 can be any known computing device or computer system and includes one or more processors 142 and a memory area 144. The processor 142 executes instructions stored in the memory area 144. The term "processor" refers to a central processing unit, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a reduced instruction set circuit (RISC), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a logic circuit, and any other circuit or processor that is capable of executing the described functions. The above are examples and are therefore in no way intended to limit the definition and / or meaning of the term "processor." Additionally, the one or more processors 142 can be in one computing device or multiple computing devices working in parallel.

[0032] The memory area 144 stores, for example, processor-executable instructions for receiving and processing input received from an operator (e.g., via the user interface 146) and controlling process parameters of the puller 100 based on the processed input received from the operator. The memory area 144 can include, but is not limited to, any computer-operated hardware suitable for storing and / or retrieving processor-executable instructions and / or data. The memory area 144 can include random access memory (RAM) (e.g., dynamic RAM (DRAM) or static RAM (SRAM)), read only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), and non-volatile RAM (NVRAM). Furthermore, the memory area 144 can include multiple storage units, such as hard disks or solid state disks in a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) configuration. The memory area 144 can include storage area networks (SANs) and / or network attached storage (NAS) systems. In some embodiments, the memory area 144 includes memory that is integrated in the controller 140. For example, the controller 140 can include one or more hard disk drives as the memory area 144. The memory area 144 can also include memory that is external to the controller 140 and can be accessed by multiple computing devices. The above memory types are examples and therefore do not limit the type of memory that can be used to store processor-executable instructions and / or data.

[0033] The controller 140 also includes a user input device or user interface 146 for receiving input from an operator. The information can be one or more selected process parameters or control actions for the ingot growth process. The input device 146 can include, for example, a keyboard, a pointing device, a mouse, a stylus, a touch-sensitive panel (e.g., a touchpad or touchscreen), an audio input device, etc. A single component, such as a touchscreen, can serve as both an output device (e.g., a media output component) and the input device 146 of the controller 140. For example, the memory region 144 can store computer-readable instructions for providing the user interface 146 to the user via the media output component and for receiving and processing input from the user interface 146. The user interface 146 can include a web browser and applications, among other possibilities. The web browser enables the user to display and interact with media and other information typically embedded in web pages or websites from a web server. The applications allow the user to interact with server applications. The user interface facilitates the display of information related to the puller 100 and the ingot growth process via one or both of the web browser and the applications.

[0034] The controller 140 can also include a communication interface 148 that can be communicatively connected to one or more remote devices. The communication interface 148 can include, for example, a wired or wireless network adapter or a wireless data transceiver for use with a mobile telephone network (e.g., Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), 3G, 4G, or Bluetooth) or other mobile data network (e.g., Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX)).

[0035] During operation of the puller 100 to grow an ingot, the first container end 166 of the ingot receiving container 160 is connected to the second valve end 156 of the isolation valve 150 and secured to the second valve end 156 using the clamp 176. The isolation valve 150 is opened in this stage to provide communication between the growth chamber 108, the valve passage 158, and the ingot receiving chamber 162. The crucible 104 is charged with polysilicon material using the feed assembly 200, as will be described in greater detail below. The polysilicon material charged in the crucible 104 is heated by the heating system 122 to produce the silicon melt 102. Process gas is introduced into the growth chamber 108 through the inlet port 114, the ingot receiving chamber 162, and the valve passage 158. The winch 132 lowers the seed 130 through the ingot receiving chamber 162 and the valve passage 158 and into the growth chamber 108 until the seed 130 contacts the surface of the silicon melt 102.

[0036] Once the seed 130 begins to melt, the winch 132 slowly raises the seed 130 in the direction of the longitudinal axis X through the growth chamber 108 to grow a single crystal ingot. The speed at which the winch 132 rotates the seed 130 and the speed at which the winch 132 raises the seed (i.e., the pull rate v) are controlled by the controller 140. As the seed 130 is slowly raised from the melt 102, silicon atoms from the melt 102 align themselves with and attach to the seed 130 to form an ingot. The winch 132 continues to raise the seed 130 and grow the ingot in the direction of the longitudinal axis X, out of the growth chamber 108 through the growth chamber outlet 110 and into the ingot receiving chamber 162 through the valve passage 158. After the ingot grows a suitable length, the growth process is terminated and the fully grown ingot is positioned within the receiving chamber 162. The isolation valve 150 is then closed (either manually or via the controller 140) and the clamp 176 is opened to release the ingot receiving vessel 160 from the isolation valve 150. The ingot receiving vessel 160 is removed from the isolation valve 150 and the ingot is then removed from the receiving chamber 162 via the door 170.

[0037] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-section of the puller 100 fitted with a feed assembly 200 for charging the crucible 104 with polycrystalline silicon material. The feed assembly 200 includes a discharger 202 and a split pin assembly 204. Each of the split pin assemblies 204 is connected to the sidewall 172 of the ingot receiving vessel 160 and includes a split pin 206 that is selectively extendable into and retractable from the ingot receiving chamber 162 through a corresponding opening 180 in the sidewall. The discharger 202 is positioned in the ingot receiving chamber 162 and is lowered and raised along the longitudinal axis X toward and away from the valve passage 158 and the growth chamber outlet 110. The discharger 202 is axially aligned with the ingot receiving chamber 162, the valve passage 158 and the growth chamber outlet 110 along the axis X.

[0038] The split pin 206 selectively extends into the ingot receiving chamber 162 in a direction perpendicular to the axis X when the discharger 202 is lowered and engages the discharger 202 to cause the discharger 202 to open. The discharger 202 contains polycrystalline semiconductor material (e.g., solid polycrystalline silicon) that exits the discharger 202 and flows through the growth chamber outlet 110 and into the crucible 104 when the discharger 202 is open. The polycrystalline semiconductor material exiting the discharger 202 is indicated by the arrow 208 in Figure 2

[0039] ​In the example ingot puller 100, the discharger 202 can be connected with the pull wire 124 (e.g., via the pull assembly 126), and the winch 132 is operable to raise and lower the discharger 202 in the ingot receiving chamber 162. The ingot receiving vessel 160 includes an end cap 178 that is integral with or connected to the sidewall 172 at the first end 168 (e.g., using fasteners). The winch 132 is located on the end cap 178 and the pull wire 124 extends through the end cap 178. The winch 132 is used to lower and raise the discharger 202 during a charging operation and to lower the seed 130 and raise the seed 130 and growing ingot during an ingot growth process. In other examples, different pulling mechanisms (e.g., different pull winches) can be used between the charging operation and the ingot growth process.

[0040] The discharger 202 includes a sidewall 210 (also referred to as a discharger sidewall 210) and a bottom 212 (also referred to as a discharger bottom 212). The sidewall 210 and the bottom 212 define an interior volume 230 of the discharger 202 that is sized to hold a suitable amount of polycrystalline semiconductor material for charging into the crucible 104 and subsequently forming the melt 102. The sidewall 210 defines the circumferential and longitudinal size and the cross-sectional shape of the discharger 202. The sidewall 210 has any suitable cross-sectional shape, for example, the sidewall 210 can be cylindrical, prismatic, frustoconical, or can have any other suitable shape. In the example discharger 202, the sidewall 210 is cylindrical. The cross-sectional size of the sidewall 210 (e.g., the outer diameter D3 shown in Figure 3 The cross-sectional size of the ingot receiving vessel 160 (e.g., the inner diameter D4 shown in Figure 3 The cross-sectional size of the ingot receiving vessel 160 (e.g., the inner diameter D4 shown in

[0041] The discharger sidewall 210 is releasable from the bottom 212 to define a charging slot 214 therebetween through which the polycrystalline semiconductor material 208 exits the discharger 202. The bottom 212 is attached to the pull wire 124 (e.g., via the pull assembly 126) and the sidewall 210 is located on the bottom 212 when the discharger 202 is raised and lowered in the ingot receiving chamber 162. The discharger sidewall 210 includes an annular stop 216 that extends outwardly therefrom. The annular stop 216 engages the opening pin 206 that extends into the ingot receiving chamber 162. When the discharger 202 is lowered and the opening pin 206 extends into the ingot receiving chamber 162, the annular stop 216 engages the opening pin 206 causing the sidewall 210 to release from the bottom 212. After the sidewall 210 releases from the bottom 212, the bottom 212 continues to lower along the axis X beneath the sidewall 210, thereby opening the charging slot 214 for the polycrystalline semiconductor material 208 to exit through the charging slot 214.

[0042] Each open pin assembly 204 includes an open pin 206 and an actuator 218 operably connected to the open pin 206. The actuator 218 can be controlled to extend the open pin 206 into the spindle receiving chamber 162 and to retract the open pin 206 from the spindle receiving chamber 162. In the example draw spindle 100, the actuators 218 are connected to the controller 140, which controls each actuator 218 to extend the respective open pin 206 into the spindle receiving chamber 162 and to retract the open pin 206 from the spindle receiving chamber 162. In other examples, a separate controller can be included for controlling each open pin assembly 204. The open pin assembly 204 can additionally and / or alternatively be manually operated to cause the open pin 206 to extend into the spindle receiving chamber 162 and to retract from the spindle receiving chamber 162. Any suitable number of open pin assemblies 204 and / or open pins 206 can be included to enable the feed assembly 200 to function as described herein. In the example feed assembly 200, three open pin assemblies 204 are included. In some examples, more or fewer open pin assemblies 204 can be included in the example feed assembly 200, such as 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or more than 8 open pin assemblies 204. The open pins 206 suitably engage the annular stop 216 along a common plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X simultaneously to maintain the axial alignment of the unloader 202 with the axis X when the unloader 202 is open.

[0043] Figures 3 to 6 is a view illustrating the feed assembly 200 in more detail. Figure 3 is a partial cross-section of the draw spindle 100 showing the feed assembly 200 when the unloader 202 is open. Figure 4 is an isolated bottom section view of the spindle receiving vessel 160 and the unloader 202 positioned therein, taken along a line extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X through each of the open pin assemblies 204. Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the open pin assemblies 204. Figure 6 is Figure 5 is a cross-section of the open pin assembly shown in

[0044] Figure 3The discharge 202 is depicted lowered in the ingot receiving chamber 162 and the annular stop 216 engages the open pin 206 extending into the ingot receiving chamber 162 to open the discharge 202. The first end 220 of the sidewall 210 is released from the bottom 212 to define a loading trough 214 therebetween. The sidewall 210 includes a second end 222 opposite the first end 220. The second end 222 is open to receive the polycrystalline semiconductor material into an interior volume 230 of the discharge 202. The sidewall 210 extends a height Hl between the first end 220 and the second end 222 measured in the direction of the longitudinal axis X. The annular stop 216 is located on the sidewall 210 proximate the first end 220 and at a height H2 (measured in the direction of the axis X) above the second end 222. The open pin assemblies 204 are each located at a height H3 above the first vessel end 166. The height H3 of each open pin assembly 204 is suitably substantially the same such that the open pins 206 engage the annular stop 216 at the same longitudinal position within the ingot receiving chamber 162 (i.e., along a common plane perpendicular to the axis X) to maintain axial alignment of the discharge 202 with the axis X when the discharge 202 is open. The valve body 152 extends a height H4 between the first valve end 154 and the second valve end 156.

[0045] The height H2 of the annular stop 216 is suitably substantially equal to or greater than the sum of the height H3 at which the open pin assemblies 204 are located above the first vessel end 166 and the height H4 of the valve body 152. Thus, when the open pins 206 engage the annular stop 216 to release the sidewall 210 from the bottom 212 and open the discharge 202, the first end 220 of the sidewall 210 and the bottom 212 extend through the receiving chamber inlet 164 and the valve passage 158, and the loading trough 214 is positioned adjacent to and / or at least partially extends through the growth chamber outlet 110 and into the growth chamber 108. The loading trough 214 is suitably positioned adjacent to and / or partially within the growth chamber 108 to provide a relatively short vertical distance for the polycrystalline silicon material 208 to exit the discharge 202 to flow into the crucible 104 when the discharge 202 is open. In other examples, the height H2 of the annular stop 216 can be less than the sum of the height H3 and the height H4 such that the loading trough 214 is positioned within the valve passage 158 and / or the ingot receiving chamber 162 when the discharge 202 is open.

[0046] Still referring to Figure 3 The discharge bottom 212 is conical and tapers inwardly from a base 224 toward an apex portion 226. The bottom 212 has an outer diameter Dl at the base 224 that is substantially equal to or slightly greater than an inner diameter D2 of the cylindrical sidewall 210. The outer diameter Dl at the base 224 enables the bottom 212 to seal the discharge 202 and prevent the polycrystalline semiconductor material 208 from exiting the discharge 202 when the first end 220 of the sidewall 210 is positioned on the bottom 212.

[0047] The bottom apex portion 226 is attached to the opening plate 228 (e.g., using a fastener extending through the apex portion 226). The opening plate 228 extends along the longitudinal axis X through the internal volume 230 of the unloader 202 and is compatible with... Figure 2 The pull wire 124 connection shown in the figure (e.g., via) Figure 1 (The lifting assembly 126 shown in the figure). The opening plate 228 is movable relative to the sidewall 210 along the longitudinal axis X, such that when the annular stop 216 engages the cotter pin 206 to release the sidewall 210 from the bottom 212, the bottom 212 continues to lower below the sidewall 210, thereby opening the loading channel 214 to allow the polycrystalline semiconductor material 208 to exit through it. The conical shape of the bottom 212 provides an inclined surface between the apex portion 226 of the bottom 212 and the substrate 224 to further facilitate the flow of the polycrystalline semiconductor material 208 through the loading channel 214.

[0048] The cylindrical sidewall 210 of the bottom 212 also defines an outer diameter D3. The outer diameter D1 of the base 224 of the bottom 212 is suitably approximately equal to or slightly smaller than the outer diameter D3 of the sidewall 210. For example, the outer diameter D1 of the base 224 may be larger than the inner diameter D2 of the sidewall 210 to seal the internal volume 230 when the sidewall 210 is on the bottom 212, and approximately equal to or smaller than the outer diameter D3 of the sidewall 210 such that the base 224 does not extend outward beyond the sidewall 210. The outer diameters D1 and D3 of the base 224 of the bottom 212 and the sidewall 210 are each smaller than the inner diameter D4 of the ingot receiving container 160 and the inner diameter D5 of the isolation valve 150, respectively. Thus, the unloader 202 can be raised and lowered in the ingot receiving chamber 162 and the valve passage 158 without contacting the ingot receiving container 160 or the isolation valve 150. The outer diameters D1 and D3 of the base 224 of the bottom 212 and the sidewall 210 can also be smaller than the inner diameter (not marked) of the growth chamber outlet 110, so that the unloader 202 can be lowered into the growth chamber 108 and raised from the growth chamber 108 without contacting the outer casing 106.

[0049] The annular stop 216 extends outward beyond the outer diameter D3 of the unloader sidewall 210 to define a stop diameter D6. The stop diameter D6 is smaller than the inner diameter D4 of the ingot receiving container 160. Therefore, when the unloader 202 is lowered, the annular stop 216 can engage the cotter pin 206, which extends beyond the outer diameter D3 of the sidewall 210, and the annular stop 216 does not contact the ingot receiving container 160.

[0050] like Figure 4 As shown, the example feed assembly 200 includes three cotter pin assemblies 204. As described above, the example feed assembly 200 may contain more or fewer cotter pin assemblies 204. The cotter pin assemblies 204 are located at approximately the same height H3 (e.g., Figure 3The open pin assemblies 204 are configured such that the open pins 206 extend into the spindle receiving chamber 162 generally along a common plane that intersects the longitudinal axis X (as shown in FIG. 2). The open pin assemblies 204 are connected to the sidewall 172 of the spindle receiving vessel 160 at suitable angular positions to balance the engagement of the open pins 206 with the annular stop 216 and cause the unloader 202 to open while maintaining axial alignment of the unloader 202 with the longitudinal axis X. In the example infeed assembly 200, adjacent open pin assemblies 204 are located at equally spaced angular positions. That is, each open pin assembly 204 is spaced apart from each adjacent open pin assembly 204 by an arc distance Θ, and the arc distance Θ between adjacent open pin assemblies 204 is approximately equal. For example, where three open pin assemblies 204 are included in the infeed assembly, each open pin assembly 204 is spaced apart from each adjacent open pin assembly 204 by an arc distance of approximately 120°. In other examples, where two open pin assemblies 204 are included, the open pin assemblies 204 can be spaced apart from each other by an arc distance of approximately 180°; where four open pin assemblies 204 are included, the open pin assemblies 204 can be spaced apart from each adjacent open pin assembly 204 by an arc distance of approximately 90°; and so on.

[0051] Referring to Figure 5 and 6 , the configuration of the open pin assemblies 204 is similar and will be described with reference to the single open pin assembly 204 shown in Figure 5 and 6 . The open pin assembly 204 includes the open pin 206 and an actuator 218 that is operably connected to the open pin 206 and is controllable to extend the open pin 206 into the spindle receiving chamber 162 and retract the open pin 206 from the spindle receiving chamber 162. The open pin assembly 204 includes a guide cylinder 232 that is connected to the sidewall 172 of the spindle receiving vessel 160 at a height H3 Figure 3 above the first vessel end 166. The guide cylinder 232 includes an end flange 234 at a first end 240. The end flange 234 is attached to a corresponding vessel flange 184 formed on the outer surface 182 of the sidewall 172 of the spindle receiving vessel 160. The vessel flange 184 encloses a corresponding opening 180 in the sidewall 172 through which the open pin 206 extends into and retracts from the spindle receiving chamber 162. When attached to the vessel flange 184, the guide cylinder 232 is axially aligned with the corresponding opening 180. The end flange 234 of the guide cylinder 232 is attached to the vessel flange 184 by fasteners 186 (e.g., screws) that extend through the flanges 184, 234.

[0052] The open pin assembly 204 includes a piston head 238 that is movable within the guide cylinder 232 along a transverse axis Al. The axis Al extends generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X (as shown in FIG. 2). The piston head 238 is connected to the open pin 206 such that movement of the piston head 238 along the transverse axis Al causes the open pin 206 to extend into and retract from the spindle receiving chamber 162. Figures 1 to 3(As shown in the diagram). Cotter pin 206 extends outward from piston head 238 and enters opening 180. Cotter pin 206 can be described herein as including piston head 238, encompassing both configurations where cotter pin 206 is integral with piston head 238 and configurations where cotter pin 206 is connected to piston head 238. Piston head 238 moves within guide tube 232 along axis A1, causing cotter pin 206 to extend through opening 180 into and retract from spindle receiving chamber 162. Specifically, piston head 238 is in a first position (e.g., Figure 3 and 4 (as shown in the image) (also known as the extended position, where the cotter pin 206 extends into the spindle receiving chamber 162) and the second position (as shown in the image) Figure 5 and 6 (As shown in the figure) (also known as the retracted position, where the cotter pin 206 retracts from the spindle receiving chamber 162) reciprocates between.

[0053] When the piston head 238 is in the retracted position, such as Figure 5 and 6 As shown, the piston head 238 is positioned adjacent to the second end 242 of the guide tube 232, opposite the end flange 234, and the cotter pin 206 retracts from the spindle receiving chamber 162. Figure 6 As shown, when pin 206 retracts, a portion of cotter pin 206 remains in opening 180 to allow the piston head 238 to move toward the extended position (as shown in the diagram). Figure 3 and 4 (As shown in the diagram) the cotter pin 206 and the opening 180 are aligned along axis A1. When moving toward the extended position, the piston head 238 moves along axis A1 toward the first end 240 of the guide tube 232. When the piston head 238 is in the extended position, it is positioned between the first end 240 and the second end 242 of the guide tube 232, and the cotter pin 206 extends into the spindle receiving chamber 162. Alternatively, when in the extended position, the piston head 238 may be positioned adjacent to the first end 240 of the guide tube.

[0054] The term "retracted" and its derivatives, used to describe the positioning of the cotter pin 206 within the spindle receiving chamber 162, refer to a distance by which the pin 206 extends into the spindle receiving chamber 162 less than the distance it extends into the spindle receiving chamber 162. In some instances, when the piston head 238 is in the retracted position and the pin 206 is retracted from the spindle receiving chamber 162, a portion of the cotter pin 206 may remain inside the spindle receiving chamber 162. The term "extended" and its derivatives, used to describe the positioning of the cotter pin 206 within the spindle receiving chamber 162, refer to a distance by which the pin 206 extends into the spindle receiving chamber 162 greater than the distance it extends from the spindle receiving chamber 162. In some instances, when the piston head 238 is in the extended position and the pin 206 extends into the spindle receiving chamber 162, a portion of the cotter pin 206 may remain outside the spindle receiving chamber 162 (e.g., within the opening 180 or within the guide tube 232).

[0055] like Figure 6 As shown, the cotter pin assembly 204 further includes a bellows 246 positioned within the guide tube 232, between the first end 240 and the piston head 238. The bellows 246 surrounds the cotter pin 206 and defines an internal volume 244 therebetween. The bellows 246 is operatively connected to the piston head 238 via a first support flange 250 (e.g., using fasteners). The bellows 246 also includes a second support flange 252 opposite to the first support flange 250, and the second support flange 252 is connected to a container flange 184 (e.g., using fasteners). The bellows 246 may be made of any suitable flexible metal material (e.g., stainless steel).

[0056] The metal bellows 246 includes a diaphragm 248 located between the first and second support flanges 250, 252. The diaphragm 248 surrounds a cotter pin 206 within the guide tube 232. The diaphragm 248 selectively expands and contracts as the piston head 238 reciprocates between a retracted position and an extended position. Figure 6 The diagram shows the diaphragm 248 in an expanded state when the piston head 238 is in the retracted position adjacent to the second end 242 of the guide tube 232. As the piston head 238 moves toward the extended position, the diaphragm 248 contracts within the guide tube 232. The pressure in the volume 244 between the diaphragm 248 and the cotter pin 206 is substantially the same as the pressure within the ingot receiving chamber 162. An O-ring 254 is positioned between the first support flange 250 and the piston head 238, and between the second support flange 252 and the container flange 184, to create a seal therebetween and maintain pressure between the diaphragm 248 and the cotter pin 206. The diaphragm 248 allows the piston head 238 to move, thereby allowing the cotter pin 206 to move within the guide tube 232 under vacuum in the volume 244.

[0057] The split pins 206 can be exposed to relatively high temperatures due to their proximity to the ingot receiving chamber 162 and / or the growing ingot during the ingot growth process. A cooling fluid, such as chilled water, can be supplied to the split pins 206 to provide cooling to the split pins 206. Fluid inlet and outlet ports 256 and 258 extend through the piston head 238 and outwardly from the piston head 238 to connect a cooling fluid supply (not shown), such as a chilled water supply, with the split pins 206. The fluid inlet port 256 enables cooling fluid to be supplied to the split pins 206, and the fluid outlet port 258 enables cooling fluid to exit the split pins 206. The cooling fluid supplied to the split pins 206 can be circulated around and / or through the split pins 206 to provide cooling. For example, cooling channels (not shown) can be formed in the split pins 206 to enable cooling fluid supplied via the inlet port 256 to be circulated through the split pins 206 and exit via the outlet port 258. Additionally and / or alternatively, the split pins 206 can include cooling jackets for receiving and circulating cooling fluid around the pins 206. A controller, such as the controller 140 shown in Figures 1 to 3 may selectively control the supply of cooling fluid to the split pins 206.

[0058] The piston head 238 can be moved between an extended position and a retracted position by operating the actuators 218. In the example feed assembly 200, the actuators 218 are pneumatic cylinders. In other examples, any suitable actuator can be used as the actuators 218 in one or more of the split pin assemblies 204 to enable the feed assembly 200 to function as described. For example, the actuators 218 can include linear actuators, rotary actuators, hydraulic cylinders, electric actuators, etc. The actuators 218 of each split pin assembly 204 are connected to a controller, such as the controller 140 shown in Figures 1 to 3 The controller 140 controls the actuators 218 to extend and retract the respective split pins 206 into and out of the ingot receiving chamber 162. The actuators 218 can be referred to as pneumatic cylinders 218, but this description does not limit the actuators 218 to any type of actuator.

[0059] The pneumatic cylinders 218 are mounted to the guide cylinder 232 using a mounting plate 260. The mounting plate 260 is connected to a first cylinder end 270 of the pneumatic cylinders 218 and a second end 242 of the guide cylinder 232 (e.g., using fasteners). The pneumatic cylinders 218 include a gas inlet port 262 and a gas outlet port 264 for connecting the pneumatic cylinders 218 with a pressurized gas supply (not shown), such as a pressurized air supply. The pneumatic cylinders 218 also include a piston 266 that reciprocates in a cylinder passage 268 in response to pressurized gas, such as pressurized air, being supplied to or removed from the pneumatic cylinders 218. A controller, such as the controller 140 shown in Figures 1 to 3The controller 140, shown in FIG. 1 1, can selectively control the supply and removal of pressurized gas to the pneumatic cylinder 218 to thereby selectively control the movement of the piston 266 in the cylinder passage 268. The piston 266 reciprocates in the cylinder passage 268 along a transverse axis A2 between a first cylinder end 270 and a second cylinder end 272. The transverse axis A2 extends generally parallel to the transverse axis Al along which the piston head 238 reciprocates in the guide barrel 232.

[0060] The piston 266 includes a piston rod 274 extending from the piston 266 along the transverse axis A2. When the piston 266 is positioned adjacent the first cylinder end 270 (as shown in FIG. 1 1 ), the piston rod 274 extends outwardly from the pneumatic cylinder 218. As the piston 266 moves toward the second cylinder end 272, the piston rod 274 retracts into the cylinder passage 268. Figure 6

[0061] The piston rod 274 is connected to the piston head 238 of the clevis assembly 204 by a connector arm 276. The connector arm 276 is connected to the piston rod 274 by a hand knob 278 and to the piston head 238 using a fastener 280. The connector arm 276 translates movement of the piston 266 along axis A2 to movement of the piston head 238 along axis Al. For example, the connector arm 276 translates movement of the piston 266 toward the second cylinder end 272 (which can be caused by pressurized gas supplied to the cylinder passage 268) to movement of the piston head 238 toward the extended position. The connector arm 276 also translates movement of the piston 266 toward the first cylinder end 270 (which can be caused by pressurized gas exiting the cylinder passage 268) to movement of the piston head 238 toward the retracted position. In addition to or in lieu of the controller, the hand knob 278 can be used by an operator to manually reciprocate the piston 266 in the cylinder passage 268 and thereby reciprocate the piston head 238 in the guide barrel 232.

[0062] Referring to Figures 1 to 6 and with further reference to Figures 7 to 9 the operation of the feed assembly 200 for charging a polycrystalline semiconductor material, such as polysilicon, into the crucible 104 of the ingot puller 100 will now be described. Figures 7 to 9 are partial cross-sections of the ingot puller 100 and illustrate steps in a sequence of moving the unloader 202 of the feed assembly 200 from a raised position (FIG. 1 1 ) in the ingot receiving chamber 162 to a lowered position (FIG. 12) in the ingot receiving chamber 162. Figure 7 Figure 8 and 9

[0063] ​​​In operation, the unloader 202 initially moves to an elevated position within the ingot receiving chamber 162. This can be performed before the ingot receiving container 160 is positioned on the isolation valve 150. An opening plate 228 is connected to a pull cable 124 (e.g., via a lifting assembly 126) or another suitable lifting member to raise and lower the unloader 202 within the ingot receiving chamber 162. A winch 132 or other suitable lifting member can then raise the unloader 202 to the elevated position within the ingot receiving chamber 162 through the receiving chamber inlet 164. During this stage, the unloader 202 contains a suitable amount of polycrystalline semiconductor material for loading into the crucible. The unloader sidewall 210 is located on the unloader bottom 212 to seal the polycrystalline semiconductor material within the unloader 202.

[0064] The cotter pin 206 of each cotter pin assembly 204 retracts from the spindle receiving chamber 162 (e.g.) Figure 5 (As shown in the image) so that the unloader 202 can be raised to Figure 7 The raised position is shown in the diagram. That is, the cotter pin 206 is retracted such that it does not engage the annular stop 216 of the unloader sidewall 210 during the upward movement of the unloader 202 to the raised position. The retraction of the cotter pin 206 is caused by the piston head 238 moving to the retracted position. The pneumatic cylinder 218 of the cotter pin assembly 204 can move the piston head 238 toward the retracted position. For example, the controller 140 can control the supply of pressurized gas to the pneumatic cylinder 218, thereby moving the piston 266 toward the first cylinder end 270, which is converted by the connector arm 276 into the movement of the piston head 238 to the retracted position. Additionally and / or alternatively, the operator can manually retract the cotter pin 206 by applying a pulling force to the manual knob 278, thereby moving the piston 266 toward the first cylinder end 270, which is converted by the connector arm 276 into the movement of the piston head 238 to the retracted position. The diaphragm 248 of the metal bellows 246 expands to allow the piston head 238 to move to the retracted position.

[0065] When the unloader 202 moves to Figure 7 In the raised position shown, the unloader 202 is housed within the ingot receiving chamber 162, so that the bottom 212 does not extend downward beyond the first container end 166. The first container end 166 of the ingot receiving container 160 is connected to the second valve end 156 of the isolation valve 150 and secured to the second valve end 156 using a clamp 176. The isolation valve 150 is open at this stage to provide communication between the growth chamber 108, the valve passage 158, and the ingot receiving chamber 162. The unloader 202 is aligned with the growth chamber 108, the valve passage 158, and the ingot receiving chamber 162 along the X-axis. When the unloader 202 is in the raised position in the ingot receiving chamber 162, the ingot receiving container 160 is connected to the isolation valve 150, and the isolation valve 150 is open, polysilicon material is loaded into the crucible 104 using the feed assembly 200.

[0066] Figure 7 between the sequences depicted in 8 between the sequences depicted in Figure 8 and 9 The sequence between the sequences depicted in

[0067] Figure 8 between the sequences depicted in 9 between the sequences depicted in Figure 9 The sequence between the sequences depicted in

[0068] The sequence between the sequences depicted in Figure 7The ingot receiving vessel 160 is then removed from the isolation valve 150 to enable removal of the unloader 202 from the ingot receiving chamber 162. When the ingot receiving vessel 160 is removed from the isolation valve 150, the unloader 202 is lowered from the ingot receiving chamber 162. The opening pin 206 remains retracted to not interfere with the annular stop 216 and enable the unloader 202 to be lowered from the ingot receiving chamber 162. The pull tab 228 is removed from the pull wire 124 and the unloader 202 is removed from the ingot receiving vessel 160.

[0069] Next, the puller assembly 126 can be configured with a seed 130 for an ingot growth process and the ingot receiving vessel 160 is again connected to the isolation valve 150. Next, as described above, the ingot growth process continues with the polycrystalline silicon material loaded in the crucible 104 being heated by the heating system 122 to create the silicon melt 102. Process gas is introduced into the growth chamber 108 through the inlet port 114, the ingot receiving chamber 162, and the valve passage 158. The winch 132 lowers the seed 130 through the ingot receiving chamber 162 and the valve passage 158 and into the growth chamber 108 until the seed 130 contacts the surface of the silicon melt 102. The growing ingot can be pulled through the growth chamber 108, the valve passage 158, and finally into the ingot receiving chamber 162 in the direction of the longitudinal axis X. As the ingot is pulled into the ingot receiving chamber 162, the opening pin 206 remains retracted from the ingot receiving chamber 162 to not interfere with the growing ingot.

[0070] Advantageously, examples described in this disclosure include an automated feed assembly for loading semiconductor material into a crucible of an apparatus for producing a single crystal semiconductor ingot. The example feed assembly is equipped with an unloader that houses the semiconductor material for loading into the crucible and an automated opening pin assembly for opening the unloader to allow the semiconductor material to exit the unloader. Automated control of the feed assembly facilitates reducing or eliminating operator error in installing a manual feed assembly and / or creating opportunities for fully automated ingot growth processes using the apparatus. The opening pin assembly also includes components that can be manually operated in the event of a controller error or power outage.

[0071] The terms“about,”“substantially,”“essentially,” and“approximately” when used in connection with ranges of dimensions, concentrations, temperatures, or other physical or chemical properties or characteristics, are intended to cover variations that can exist in the upper and / or lower limits of the ranges, including, for example, variations that result from round-off, measurement methodology, or other statistical variations.

[0072] When elements of this disclosure or embodiments thereof are introduced, the articles “a,” “an,” and “described” are intended to mean that one or more elements are present. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that additional elements may be present in addition to those listed. The use of terms indicating a particular orientation (e.g., “top,” “bottom,” “side,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “lateral,” etc.) is for ease of description and does not require any particular orientation of the described item.

[0073] Because various changes can be made to the above construction and methods without departing from the scope of this disclosure, all content contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting.

Claims

1. A puller for producing a single crystal semiconductor ingot, the puller comprising: a housing defining a growth chamber; a crucible positioned within the growth chamber; an ingot receiving vessel defining an ingot receiving chamber connected with the growth chamber; and a feed assembly for charging a semiconductor material to the crucible, the feed assembly comprising: a dump for containing the semiconductor material, the dump being movable in the ingot receiving chamber between a raised position and a lowered position, the dump including a dump bottom and a dump sidewall extending from the dump bottom, the dump sidewall being releasable from the dump bottom to allow the semiconductor material to exit the dump; and an open pin selectively extendable into and retractable from the ingot receiving chamber, wherein the open pin, when extended into the ingot receiving chamber, engages the dump to release the dump sidewall from the dump bottom as the dump is moved toward the lowered position.

2. The puller of claim 1, wherein each open pin is operatively connected to a respective actuator that selectively extends and retracts the open pin into and from the ingot receiving chamber.

3. The puller of claim 2, further comprising a controller for controlling each actuator to selectively extend and retract the respective open pin into and from the ingot receiving chamber.

4. The puller of claim 2, wherein each actuator comprises a pneumatic cylinder.

5. The puller of claim 4, wherein each open pin includes a piston head connected to a piston rod of the pneumatic cylinder by a connector arm, each piston head being reciprocally movable within a respective guide cylinder attached to the ingot receiving vessel between a first position in which the open pin is extended into the ingot receiving chamber and a second position in which the open pin is retracted from the ingot receiving chamber.

6. The puller of claim 5, wherein a metal bellow is positioned in each guide cylinder, the metal bellow being operatively connected to the respective piston head to enable reciprocation of the piston head between the first and second positions.

7. The puller of claim 5, wherein each piston head includes a cooling fluid inlet and outlet port for connecting the respective open pin with a cooling fluid supply.

8. The puller of claim 1, wherein each open pin is manually operable to selectively extend into and retract from the ingot receiving chamber.

9. The puller of claim 1, wherein the dump includes an annular stop extending outwardly from the dump sidewall, wherein the open pin, when extended into the ingot receiving chamber, engages the annular stop to release the dump sidewall from the dump bottom as the dump is moved toward the lowered position.

10. A puller for producing a single crystal semiconductor ingot, the puller comprising: a housing defining a growth chamber and a growth chamber outlet; a crucible positioned within the growth chamber; an ingot receiving vessel defining an ingot receiving chamber connected with the growth chamber; and a feed assembly for charging a semiconductor material to the crucible, the feed assembly comprising: a dump for containing the semiconductor material, the dump being movable in the ingot receiving chamber between a raised position and a lowered position, the dump including a dump bottom and a dump sidewall extending from the dump bottom, the dump sidewall being releasable from the dump bottom to allow the semiconductor material to exit the dump; and an open pin selectively extendable into and retractable from the ingot receiving chamber, wherein the open pin, when extended into the ingot receiving chamber, engages the dump to release the dump sidewall from the dump bottom as the dump is moved toward the lowered position. a feed assembly for loading semiconductor material into the crucible, the feed assembly comprising: a discharge vessel for containing semiconductor material and comprising a discharge vessel bottom and a discharge vessel sidewall releasable from the discharge vessel bottom to define a loading slot for the semiconductor material to exit the discharge vessel, the discharge vessel movable between a raised position and a lowered position; and a split pin assembly each comprising: a split pin selectively extendable into engagement with the discharge vessel to release the discharge vessel sidewall from the discharge vessel bottom when the discharge vessel is moved toward the lowered position, the loading slot defined and positioned adjacent to the growth chamber outlet or within the growth chamber when the discharge vessel is in the lowered position; and an actuator to extend the split pin into engagement with the discharge vessel; and a controller to control each actuator to extend the respective split pin into engagement with the discharge vessel.

11. The puller of claim 10, further comprising an ingot receiving vessel defining an ingot receiving chamber connected with the growth chamber outlet, the discharge vessel movable in the ingot receiving chamber, the split pin assembly connected to the ingot receiving vessel, and the split pin selectively extendable into the ingot receiving chamber.

12. The puller of claim 11, wherein the feed assembly comprises three split pin assemblies connected to the ingot receiving vessel.

13. The puller of claim 10, wherein each split pin assembly is manually operable to selectively extend the split pin into engagement with the discharge vessel.

14. The puller of claim 10, wherein each split pin includes a piston head connected to the respective actuator, the actuator reciprocating the piston head within a guide cylinder of the respective split pin assembly between a first position in which the split pin is extended into engagement with the discharge vessel and a second position in which the split pin is retracted out of engagement with the discharge vessel.

15. The puller of claim 14, wherein each actuator is a pneumatic cylinder including a piston rod connected to the piston head of the respective split pin by a connector arm, the connector arm translating movement of the piston rod to movement of the piston head within the guide cylinder.

16. The puller of claim 14, wherein a metal bellow is positioned in each guide cylinder, the metal bellow operably connected to the respective piston head to enable reciprocation of the piston head between the first position and the second position.

17. The puller of claim 10, wherein each split pin assembly includes fluid inlet and outlet ports for connecting the split pin with a supply of cooling fluid.

18. A method of producing a single crystal semiconductor ingot from a semiconductor melt using a puller, the method comprising: positioning a crucible within a growth chamber defined by an enclosure of the puller; connecting an ingot receiving vessel defining an ingot receiving chamber to the enclosure; lowering a discharger in the ingot receiving chamber, the discharger containing a semiconductor material; controlling, using a controller, an open pin to extend into the ingot receiving chamber to cause the discharger to open and allow the semiconductor material to exit the discharger and flow into the crucible; heating the semiconductor material to cause a semiconductor melt to form in the crucible; and pulling a single crystal semiconductor ingot from the semiconductor melt.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: controlling, using the controller, the open pin to retract from the ingot receiving chamber; and removing the discharger from the ingot receiving chamber when the open pin is retracted.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising, after removing the discharger, pulling the single crystal semiconductor ingot into the ingot receiving chamber.

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