Continuous ingot growth apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a continuous ingot growing apparatus, and more particularly, to a continuous ingot growing apparatus that supplies molten silicon to a main crucible by melting solid silicon material supplied to a preliminary crucible and can adjust the supply amount of the molten silicon while blocking in a manner that does not supply floaters floating on the upper portion of the molten silicon.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a continuous ingot growth apparatus, and more specifically, to a continuous ingot growth apparatus that supplies silicon to a main crucible by melting solid silicon material supplied to a pre-cruise crucible, and that can regulate the supply of molten silicon while preventing the supply of floating matter that floats on top of the molten silicon. Background Technology

[0002] The Czochralski crystal growth method is commonly used as a manufacturing method for ingots used in the manufacture of single-crystal silicon wafers for semiconductors.

[0003] In the Chukraski crystal growth method, silicon is melted by heating a crucible after it is placed in the crucible. Then, with a single crystal seed in contact with this molten silicon, an ingot of a specified diameter is grown by rotation and upward pulling. In this Chukraski method, the method of continuously feeding solid silicon material (polycrystalline silicon) into the crucible to replenish the consumed molten silicon and continue ingot growth is called the continuous growth Chukraski method (CCz).

[0004] In the existing continuous growth Chuklaski process, a dual-type crucible is used to directly melt solid silicon material in the crucible. However, this dual-type crucible increases the manufacturing cost of the ingot forming device.

[0005] Furthermore, although silicon was supplied by directly and quantitatively adding solid silicon material into the crucible, there was a problem of molten silicon splashing inside the main crucible when solid silicon material was supplied in this way.

[0006] On the other hand, an attempt was made to solve the problem of molten silicon splashing by reducing the height of the liquid silicon material being poured in. However, as the portion of the liquid silicon material being poured in becomes adjacent to the main crucible, deformation occurs, making it difficult to use for extended periods. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a continuous ingot growth apparatus in which solid silicon material supplied to a pre-feeding crucible is melted to supply the main crucible and the supply amount of molten silicon can be adjusted without interrupting the supply of floating matter that floats on top of the molten silicon.

[0008] A continuous ingot growth apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention may include: a growth furnace having a main crucible therein for containing molten silicon in order to form an ingot; a material supply unit for supplying solid silicon material before the molten silicon is melted; and a pre-melting unit including a pre-melting crucible and a pre-melting crucible heating module, wherein the pre-melting crucible is used to melt the solid silicon material supplied from the material supply unit to supply the molten silicon to the main crucible, and the pre-melting crucible heating module is used to heat the pre-melting crucible. The pre-melting crucible may include: a body for containing the solid silicon material; and a tip disposed on one side of the body such that molten silicon in the body is supplied to the main crucible, for moving the molten silicon, and an opening is formed in the body for moving the molten silicon toward the tip.

[0009] In this case, the aforementioned body may include: a body plate, which is formed into a container shape that opens upward along the height direction in a manner capable of accommodating the aforementioned solid silicon material; a first partition wall, disposed on one side of the aforementioned body plate, having the aforementioned opening; and a second partition wall, disposed on the other side of the aforementioned body plate.

[0010] In this case, the opening can be formed along the height direction at the lowest end of the first partition wall.

[0011] In this case, the aforementioned preparatory crucible can move between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the solid silicon material is contained. In the second position, molten silicon is supplied to the main crucible. If the height of the molten silicon is the same as the height of the uppermost end of the opening or the height of the molten silicon is greater than the height of the uppermost end of the opening, the preparatory crucible can move from the first position to the second position.

[0012] In this case, the aforementioned tip may include: a movable surface that is formed into a container shape that opens upward in the height direction in such a way as to accommodate the molten silicon supplied to the main crucible; and an inclined surface formed on one side of the movable surface that is inclined downward in the height direction in such a way as to be adjacent to the main crucible.

[0013] In this case, the aforementioned movable surface is formed in such a way that the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged facing each other is reduced to a predetermined degree.

[0014] In this case, the aforementioned body plate is formed in such a way that the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged facing each other is reduced to a predetermined degree.

[0015] In this case, the molten silicon contained in the main crucible can rotate in one direction, and the tip can be configured to supply the molten silicon in a tangential direction along the rotation direction of the molten silicon.

[0016] In this case, a curved surface can be formed at the tip to change the direction of movement of the molten silicon, so that after the molten silicon moves along a first supply direction toward the center of the main crucible, it moves along a second supply direction that is the tangential direction of the rotation direction of the main crucible.

[0017] In this case, the thickness of the second partition wall can be greater than the thickness of the tip.

[0018] In this case, the thickness of the body plate and the thickness of the first partition wall can be greater than the thickness of the tip, and the opening can be tilted at an angle in a way that allows the molten silicon moving downward from the body plate to the tip to move downward.

[0019] Another embodiment of the continuous ingot growth apparatus of the present invention may include: a growth furnace having a main crucible therein for containing molten silicon in order to form an ingot; a material supply unit for supplying solid silicon material before the molten silicon is melted; and a pre-melting unit including a pre-melting crucible and a pre-melting crucible heating module, the pre-melting crucible being used to melt the solid silicon material supplied from the material supply unit to supply the molten silicon to the main crucible, the pre-melting crucible heating module being used to heat the pre-melting crucible, the pre-melting crucible including: a body for containing the solid silicon material; and a tip disposed on one side of the body to supply the molten silicon in the body to the main crucible for moving the molten silicon, a body plate formed in a container shape that opens upward in the height direction in order to contain the solid silicon material may be provided on the body, the body plate being formed in a shape such that the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged facing each other decreases.

[0020] In this case, the aforementioned body plate can be formed in such a way that the gap between the inner surfaces arranged facing each other gradually decreases.

[0021] In this case, the aforementioned body plate can be formed in such a way that the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged facing each other is reduced to a specified degree.

[0022] In this case, an opening for moving the molten silicon toward the tip can be formed in the body. The body may include: a first partition wall disposed on one side of the body plate and having the opening thereon; and a second partition wall disposed on the other side of the body plate.

[0023] In this case, a movable surface in the shape of a container that opens upward along the height direction can be formed at the tip in such a way that it can accommodate the molten silicon supplied to the main crucible.

[0024] In this case, the aforementioned movable surface can be formed in such a way that the interval between the inner surfaces arranged facing each other decreases.

[0025] In this case, the aforementioned movable surface can be formed in such a way that the interval between the inner surfaces arranged facing each other is reduced to a predetermined degree.

[0026] According to the above structure, the continuous ingot growth apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention can supply molten silicon to the main crucible after the solid silicon material is melted in the preparatory crucible, thus simplifying the structure of the main crucible and preventing splashing of molten silicon. In particular, since an opening for moving molten silicon is formed in the body of the preparatory crucible, the supply amount of molten silicon can be adjusted while blocking it in a way that prevents the supply of floating matter floating on the top of the molten silicon.

[0027] Furthermore, in the continuous ingot growth apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, an inclined surface with an inclined angle that slopes downward along the height direction is formed on one side of the tip that moves the molten silicon, adjacent to the main crucible, thereby reducing the drop and enabling slow supply of molten silicon without splashing.

[0028] Furthermore, according to a continuous ingot growth apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention, the tip of the molten silicon can be formed in such a way that the spacing between the inner surfaces is reduced to a predetermined degree, thereby making it easy to control the quantitative supply of a small amount of molten silicon.

[0029] Furthermore, according to an embodiment of the continuous ingot growth apparatus of the present invention, the supplied molten silicon is supplied along the tangential direction of the rotation direction of the molten silicon rotating in the main crucible, thereby stably maintaining the temperature distribution of the molten silicon contained in the main crucible. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a continuous ingot growth apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0031] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view showing the pre-melting section according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 3 A perspective view of a preparatory crucible according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided.

[0033] Figure 4To illustrate a cross-sectional view of the pre-melting section according to an embodiment of the present invention, part (a) shows the state in which the pre-melting crucible is located in a first position, and part (b) shows the state in which the pre-melting crucible is located in a second position.

[0034] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of a preparatory crucible according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0035] Figure 6 A front view of a preparatory crucible according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0036] Figure 7 A front view of a preparatory crucible according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 8 A front view of a preparatory crucible according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view showing the rotation direction of the main crucible and ingot in a growth furnace according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view showing the direction in which molten silicon is supplied with a pre-molten section in a growth furnace, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 11 A top view of a preparatory crucible according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0041] Figure 12 This is a cross-sectional view of a preparatory crucible according to another embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the thickness of the second partition wall is greater than the thickness of the tip.

[0042] Figure 13 This is a cross-sectional view of a preparatory crucible according to another embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the thickness of the body plate, the first partition wall, and the second partition wall is greater than the thickness of the tip.

[0043] Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional view of a preparatory crucible to illustrate another embodiment of the present invention, showing a state where both the body and the tip are thick.

[0044] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0045] 10: Growth furnace 11: Main crucible

[0046] 12: Molten silicon 12a: Floating matter

[0047] 20: Bottom surface heater; 30: Ingot

[0048] 31: Shoulders 40: Lifting Metal Wire

[0049] 41: Seed Crystal 100: Materials Supply Department

[0050] 200: Preparatory melting section; 210: Preparatory crucible

[0051] 211: Body 211a: Body board

[0052] 211b: First partition wall; 211c: Second partition wall

[0053] 212: Tip 212a: Moving surface

[0054] 212b: Inclined surface; 212c: Curved surface

[0055] 213: Front support rod 214: Rear support rod

[0056] 220: Preparatory crucible heating module; 221: Induction coil

[0057] 222: Heated space 223: Outer cover

[0058] 224: Base; 225: Heating element

[0059] θ1: First tilt angle; θ2: Second tilt angle

[0060] θ3: Inclination angle of the inclined surface; θ4: Inclination angle of the inner circumferential surface of the opening.

[0061] t0: Thickness of the tip; t1: Thickness of the first partition wall

[0062] t2: Thickness of the second partition wall; tb: Thickness of the main body plate

[0063] A: First position B: Second position

[0064] L: Height of molten silicon; L0: Height of the top of the opening.

[0065] H: Opening; I: Direction of supply for molten silicon.

[0066] I1: First supply direction; I2: Second supply direction

[0067] R1: One direction; R2: The other direction

[0068] T: Investment direction for solid silicon Detailed Implementation

[0069] The words and terms used in this specification and the scope of the invention claims should not be limited to their commonly understood or dictionary meanings. Based on the principle that inventors may define terms and concepts in order to best illustrate their invention, they should be interpreted as meanings and concepts that conform to the technical ideas of this invention.

[0070] Therefore, the structures described in the embodiments and accompanying drawings are preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not fully represent the technical concept of the present invention. At the time of application of the present invention, there may be various equivalents and modifications that can be substituted for the corresponding structures.

[0071] In this specification, terms such as “comprising” or “having” should be understood as indicating only the presence of features, figures, steps, actions, structural elements, components or combinations thereof described in the specification, and not as excluding in advance the presence or additional possibilities of one or more other features, figures, steps, actions, structural elements, components or combinations thereof.

[0072] Unless there are special circumstances, the description of a structural element being "in front of," "behind," "above," or "below" other structural elements includes not only cases where it is located in direct contact with other structural elements, but also cases where other structural elements are placed in between. Furthermore, unless there are special circumstances, the description of a structural element being "connected" to other structural elements includes not only direct connections, but also indirect connections.

[0073] The continuous ingot growth apparatus of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 To illustrate a cross-sectional view of a continuous ingot growth apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view showing the pre-melting section according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this specification, to simplify the drawings, structures unrelated to the content of the present invention will not be shown in detail during the description of the ingot growth apparatus of the embodiments of the present invention; instead, the description will focus on content related to the spirit of the present invention.

[0074] like Figure 1 As shown, a continuous ingot growth apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a growth furnace 10, wherein the growth furnace 10 is provided with a main crucible 11 for containing molten silicon 12 in order to form an ingot 30.

[0075] The present invention may include a bottom heater 20 for maintaining an appropriate temperature of the molten silicon 12 contained in the main crucible 11. This bottom heater 20 can generate circulating convection in the molten silicon 12 by providing a magnetic field, thereby regulating the oxygen concentration. The temperature and magnetic field of this bottom heater 20 will be maintained at a constant level according to the temperature and magnetic field distribution determined during the growth of the ingot 30.

[0076] In the state described above, the separate lifting device (not shown) rotates and lifts the lifting metal wire 40 while it is lowering the wire in such a way that the seed crystal 41 at the lower end of the lifting metal wire 40 comes into contact with the molten silicon 12.

[0077] In this case, the rotational speed and lifting speed of the metal wire 40 will be maintained at a constant level based on the rotational speed and lifting speed distribution determined throughout the process.

[0078] If the pulling metal wire 40 is moved upward, crystallization occurs on the upper side of the ingot 30 that is tilted downward from the seed crystal 41. If it continues to move upward, after the upper side of the ingot 30, which is usually called the shoulder 31, is formed, the height of the crystallized ingot 30 gradually increases and the ingot 30 grows.

[0079] The present invention may include a material supply unit 100 for supplying solid silicon material before the silicon 12 in the above-mentioned molten state is melted. This material supply unit 100 can achieve quantitative supply by measuring the amount of solid silicon material.

[0080] This material supply unit 100 may include: a storage unit (not shown) for storing solid silicon material; a transfer module (not shown) for transferring solid silicon material from the storage unit; and a bucket (not shown) formed into an open container shape to accommodate solid silicon material transferred from the transfer module, the bucket (not shown) being configured to rotate about a horizontal axis inside the pre-melting section 200.

[0081] Furthermore, the material supply unit 100 can be spatially connected to one side of the pre-melting unit 200, and a separate bucket transfer module (not shown) can be provided in the material supply unit 100 to allow the bucket to move between the material supply unit 100 and the pre-melting unit 200.

[0082] Furthermore, an openable and closable baffle plate (not shown) can be provided between the material supply section 100 and the pre-melting section 200 to prevent heat loss.

[0083] The pre-melting section 200 described above may include: a pre-melting crucible 210 for melting solid silicon material supplied from the material supply section 100 to supply molten silicon 12 to the main crucible 11; and a pre-melting crucible heating module 220 for heating the pre-melting crucible 210.

[0084] This pre-melting crucible 210 may include: a body 211 for containing solid silicon material; and a tip 212 disposed on one side of the body 211 to supply molten silicon 12 molten within the body 211 to the main crucible 11, for moving the molten silicon. That is, the tip 212 means an extension protruding from the pre-melting section 200 into the main crucible 11.

[0085] like Figure 2 As shown, a front support rod 213 and a rear support rod 214 are provided on the preparatory crucible 210 to support one side and the other side respectively. The rear support rod 214 can be moved upward while the height of the front support rod 213 is fixed in such a way as to supply molten silicon 12 to the main crucible 11.

[0086] The preparatory crucible 210 can be disposed within the heating space 222 inside the preparatory crucible heating module 220, and the preparatory crucible heating module 220 can heat the preparatory crucible 210 in various ways. As an example, the preparatory crucible heating module 220 can heat the preparatory crucible 210 by induction heating.

[0087] Therefore, the preparatory crucible heating module 220 may include an induction coil 221, which is configured to surround the heating space 222 and uses induced current to heat the preparatory crucible 210.

[0088] If power is supplied to this induction coil 221, a magnetic field will be generated. The magnetic field generated by the induction coil 221 will induce a current in the base 224 (MP Susceptor) through electromagnetic induction, and the induced current in the base 224 can be converted into heat energy.

[0089] In this case, a separate heating tube 225 (MP Tube) surrounding the preparation crucible 210 can also be added inside the heating space 222. The magnetic field generated by the induction coil 221 will generate a current in the heating tube 225 through electromagnetic induction, and the induced current generated in the heating tube 225 can be converted into heat energy.

[0090] For this purpose, the base 224 or heating tube 225 can be made of a material capable of generating induced current. The preparation crucible 210 can be made of quartz, and can be constructed by welding fused quartz and plate-shaped quartz. Alternatively, it can be used by welding plate-shaped quartz and tube-shaped quartz. Furthermore, the preparation crucible 210 can also be constructed of materials such as silicon nitride, alumina, zirconium oxide, silicon dioxide, and their compounds.

[0091] As described above, when using heating element 225, heating element 225 may include graphite material. In this case, to prevent carbon contamination, a silicon carbide (SiC) coating may be added to the graphite surface, or a silicon carbide material with a resistor capable of generating an induced current may be used.

[0092] Furthermore, the heating element 225 is not limited to graphite material and can be formed from a variety of materials with high heat resistance and conductive properties.

[0093] That is, as described above, the induction coil 221 can heat the base 224 or the heating tube 225 by induction heating. In particular, since the induction coil 221 can be configured to surround the heating space 222, the heating efficiency can be maximized.

[0094] like Figure 2 As shown, the preparatory crucible heating module 220 may further include an outer cover 223 surrounding the outer peripheral surface of the induction coil 221. This outer cover 223 can be formed to surround the outer peripheral surface of the induction coil 221 and can be supported in a manner that maintains the spiral shape of the induction coil 221. Furthermore, the outer cover 223 not only prevents the induction coil 221 from being exposed to the outside, but also prevents the induction coil 221 from being exposed to the heating space 222.

[0095] Therefore, by blocking the induction coil 221 from being exposed to the heating space 222 by the outer cover 223, arc discharge due to plasma phenomenon or arc discharge due to contact between the induction coil 221 and inactive gases such as argon present inside the heating space 222 can be prevented when current flows in the induction coil 221 and a magnetic field is formed.

[0096] This outer casing 223 can be formed of a ceramic material with high heat resistance. For example, the ceramic material may include at least one of alumina (Al2O3), silicon dioxide (SiO2), zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), and silicon nitride (Si3N4).

[0097] As described above, if molten silicon 12 is supplied to the main crucible 11 after the solid silicon material has been melted in the pre-melting section 200, the structure of the main crucible 11 is simplified, splashing of the molten silicon 12 contained in the main crucible 11 can be prevented, and compared with the case of directly supplying solid silicon material to the main crucible 11, a quantitative supply can be achieved in proportion to the weight of the ingot 30 being grown. Furthermore, since the solid silicon material is supplied after the pre-melting section 200 has been melted, even if a large-sized solid silicon material is used, the durability of the main crucible 11 will not decrease, thus allowing for long-term use. As an example, the size of the solid silicon material that can be used is approximately 10 to 30 mm, but sizes of 30 mm or larger can also be used.

[0098] Furthermore, the large-size solid silicon material results in relatively low contamination, thus leading to excellent quality of the grown ingot 30. In addition, since the pre-melting section 200 heats the pre-crucible 210 by induction heating, the overall structure of the apparatus can be simplified.

[0099] In this case, such as Figure 2 As shown, an opening H can be formed in the body 211 for moving the molten silicon 12 toward the tip 212. During the process of melting the solid silicon contained in the body 211, floating matter 12a will be generated, which will float on the top of the molten silicon 12 by means of buoyancy.

[0100] The floating matter 12a includes not only foreign matter such as impurities, but also unmelted solid silicon. If such floating matter 12a moves toward the main crucible 11, it will act as particles that hinder the growth of ingot 30. Therefore, it is necessary to block it to prevent the floating matter 12a from moving toward the main crucible 11.

[0101] Therefore, as described above, if an opening H is formed in the body 211, it will block the floating matter 12a floating on the top of the molten silicon 12, allowing only the molten silicon 12 to move, thus making the quality of the ingot 30 excellent and preventing the yield from decreasing due to particles.

[0102] Furthermore, the opening H will limit the movable area of ​​the molten silicon 12, thus preventing the supply of too much molten silicon 12 at once by adjusting the supply amount of molten silicon 12.

[0103] As an example, the diameter of the opening H can reach about 10 mm, but it is not limited to this. Various sizes can be formed depending on the amount of molten silicon 12 that needs to be supplied.

[0104] Figure 3 A perspective view of a preparatory crucible according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided.

[0105] like Figure 3As shown, the body 211 may include: a body plate 211a, which is formed into a container shape that opens upward along the height direction in a manner capable of accommodating solid silicon material; a first partition wall 211b, which is disposed on one side of the body plate 211a and has an opening H; and a second partition wall 211c, which is disposed on the other side of the body plate 211a.

[0106] That is, the solid silicon material will melt in the state of being contained in the internal space surrounded by the body plate 211a, the first partition wall 211b and the second partition wall 211c, and an opening H will be formed in the first partition wall 211b. The molten silicon 12 will move toward the tip 212 through this opening H.

[0107] Figure 4 To illustrate a cross-sectional view of the pre-melting section according to an embodiment of the present invention, part (a) shows the state in which the pre-melting crucible is located in a first position, and part (b) shows the state in which the pre-melting crucible is located in a second position.

[0108] like Figure 4 As shown, the opening H can be formed at the lowest end of the first partition wall 211b along the height direction. That is, if the opening H is formed at the lowest end of the first partition wall 211b, only the molten silicon 12 will pass through. The floating matter 12a floating on the upper part of the molten silicon 12 will be restricted in its movement due to the part of the first partition wall 211b where the opening H is not formed (the part whose height is higher than the highest end of the opening H), and thus cannot move toward the tip 212.

[0109] Furthermore, the preparation crucible 210 can move between the first position A and the second position B, such as... Figure 4 As shown in part (a), a solid silicon material is contained at the first location A, such as Figure 4 As shown in part (b), molten silicon 12 is supplied to the main crucible 11 at the second position B.

[0110] In this case, such as Figure 4 As shown, at the first position A, a first tilt angle θ1 can be formed in the preparation crucible 210 to tilt upward. That is, by forming the first tilt angle θ1 on the lower surface of the preparation crucible 210, molten silicon 12 can be stably contained, thereby preventing arbitrary supply to the main crucible 11.

[0111] Furthermore, at the second position B, a second tilt angle θ2 that tilts downwards can be formed in the preparation crucible 210. That is, since molten silicon will have a viscosity similar to water, it can be supplied to the main crucible 11 through the tip 212 by forming the second tilt angle θ2 on the lower surface of the preparation crucible 210.

[0112] As an example, the first tilt angle θ1 can reach about 7° and the second tilt angle θ2 can reach about 1° to 2°, but it is not limited to these and can be flexibly varied according to the size of the prepared crucible 210 or the amount of molten silicon 12 supplied.

[0113] As described above, if the preparation crucible 210 is configured to rotate within a specified angle range and supply molten silicon 12, the time required for the preparation crucible 210 to be positioned adjacent to the molten silicon 12 contained in the main crucible 11 will be reduced, thus preventing thermal deformation and enabling long-term use.

[0114] Furthermore, as described above, since the supply amount of molten silicon 12 can be adjusted by adjusting the time when the preparation crucible 210 moves to the second position B or the angle of the preparation crucible 210 at the second position B, a quantitative supply of molten silicon 12 can be achieved.

[0115] As an example, the angle of the preparation crucible 210 and the duration of maintaining the preparation crucible 210 in an inclined state can be adjusted based on the weight of the ingot 30 growth, thereby adjusting the supply of molten silicon 12.

[0116] As described above, a front support rod 213 and a rear support rod 214 are respectively provided on one side and the other side of the preparation crucible 210. When this preparation crucible 210 is moved from... Figure 4 The first position A shown in part (a) is towards Figure 4 When the second position B shown in part (b) moves, the rear support rod 214 can move upward while the height of the front support rod 213 is fixed.

[0117] That is, the preparation crucible 210 can be configured such that the other side is rotated with one side as the center, thereby allowing molten silicon 12 to be supplied in a simple manner. The rear support rod 214 can be connected to a separate lifting module (not shown) in such a way that the rear support rod 214 can move upward.

[0118] In this case, if the height L of the molten silicon 12 is the same as the height L0 of the uppermost end of the opening H, or if the height L of the molten silicon 12 is greater than the height L0 of the uppermost end of the opening H, then the preparatory crucible 210 can be... Figure 4 The first position A shown in part (a) is towards Figure 4 The second position B shown in part (b) moves.

[0119] This is because if the solid silicon material is melted at the first position A and the height L of the molten silicon 12 after melting is at least above the uppermost height L0 of the opening H, then the floating objects 12a floating on the upper part of the molten silicon 12 will not be able to move through the opening H.

[0120] Figure 5 To illustrate a cross-sectional view of a preparatory crucible according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 6 A front view of a preparatory crucible according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0121] like Figure 5 As shown, the tip 212 may include: a movable surface 212a, which is formed into a container shape that opens upward along the height direction in such a way that it can accommodate molten silicon 12 supplied to the main crucible 11; and an inclined surface 212b, which is formed on one side of the movable surface 212a and forms a downward inclined angle θ3 along the height direction in such a way that it is adjacent to the main crucible 11.

[0122] Because this moving surface 212a forms a container shape that opens upwards along the height direction, the molten silicon 12 supplied to the main crucible 11 will not flow in other directions, but can move stably towards the main crucible 11.

[0123] Furthermore, the molten silicon 12, which has moved to one side of the moving surface 212a, will be supplied to the main crucible 11 while moving downward along the inclined surface 212b. Therefore, the molten silicon 12 can be supplied slowly by reducing the drop height. Figure 6 As shown, molten silicon 12 is gathered and supplied through the moving surface 212a, thus preventing it from flowing along the tip 212, thereby mitigating the effects caused by the temperature difference between the main crucible 11 and the preparatory crucible 210.

[0124] Figure 7 To illustrate a front view of the preparatory crucible according to another embodiment of the present invention, Figure 8 A front view of a preparatory crucible according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0125] like Figure 7 As shown, the movable surface 212a can be formed in such a way that the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged facing each other is reduced to a predetermined degree.

[0126] That is, the shape in which the spacing between the inner surfaces of the tip 212 decreases can be roughly divided into three types. Compared with the arc shape in which the spacing between the inner surfaces of the tip 212 decreases slowly, the shape that decreases to a certain extent (for example, a V-shaped cross-section shape) or the shape that decreases abruptly (for example, a shape in which the inner surface extends downward with the V-shaped cross-section as a reference and is further recessed inward) will reduce the cross-sectional area of ​​the molten silicon 12, thus making it easier to control the quantitative supply of a small amount of molten silicon 12.

[0127] In this case, such as Figure 7As shown, the body plate 211a can also be formed in such a way that the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged facing each other is reduced to a predetermined degree.

[0128] That is, as described above, the tip 212 can be formed in a shape that reduces the spacing between the inner surfaces to a predetermined degree or in a shape that reduces the spacing between the inner surfaces abruptly, and the body plate 211a can also be formed in a manner that reduces the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged opposite to each other to a predetermined degree.

[0129] If the body plate 211a is formed in a shape that reduces the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged opposite each other to a predetermined degree (for example, a V-shaped cross-section shape), it can be easily manufactured by using raw materials in the shape of thick plates, and the first partition wall 211b and the second partition wall 211c can be set by means of welding or the like.

[0130] Or, such as Figure 8 As shown, the tip 212 can also be shaped such that the spacing between the inner surfaces decreases to a predetermined degree, and the body plate 211a can be shaped such that the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged opposite each other decreases slowly.

[0131] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view showing the rotation direction of the main crucible and ingot within a growth furnace according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view showing the direction in which molten silicon is supplied with a pre-molten section in a growth furnace, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 11 A top view of a preparatory crucible according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0132] like Figure 9 As shown, as the main crucible 11 rotates along one direction R1, the molten silicon 12 contained in the main crucible 11 also rotates along one direction R1. In this case, the rotational speed of the main crucible 11 can reach about 5 to 10 rpm. Conversely, the pulling wire 40 rotates along another direction R2 and is pulled upward, so the grown ingot 30 also rotates along another direction R2.

[0133] In this case, preferably, the direction I of supplying molten silicon 12 is the tangential direction of molten silicon 12 that rotates together with the main crucible 11 along a direction R1. If formed in the manner described above, the temperature distribution of molten silicon 12 contained in the main crucible 11 can be stably maintained.

[0134] Therefore, such as Figure 10 As shown, the tip 212 is configured to supply molten silicon 12 in a tangential direction along the rotation direction of the molten silicon 12 in the main crucible 11.

[0135] As described above, preferably, the molten silicon 12 supplied through the tip 212 should be supplied toward the outermost periphery of the molten silicon 12 contained in the main crucible 11 in the radial direction. For this purpose, it is also possible to supply the molten silicon 12 in such a way that the supplied molten silicon 12 flows along the inner wall of the main crucible 11.

[0136] This is because if the main crucible 11 rotates along one direction R1, the molten silicon 12 contained in the main crucible 11 will move outward along the radial direction during the flow due to centrifugal force. If molten silicon 12 is supplied to the outermost part in the radial direction while the molten silicon 12 contained in the main crucible 11 is in this flow pattern, the supplied molten silicon 12 will not be able to move quickly inward in the radial direction of the main crucible 11 due to the aforementioned flow pattern formed in the main crucible.

[0137] As an example, in order to melt solid silicon, it is necessary to heat it to a temperature of at least 1420°C, which is the melting temperature. Therefore, in order to smoothly supply molten silicon 12, the temperature of molten silicon 12 supplied through the preparation crucible 210 must also reach 1420°C or higher. However, the central part of the main crucible 11, which is the part where the ingot 30 is grown, will have a temperature lower than 1420°C.

[0138] That is, since the temperature distribution between the supplied molten silicon 12 and the molten silicon 12 located in the center of the main crucible can reach a similar level as the supplied molten silicon 12 slowly moves towards the inner side of the main crucible in the radial direction, the quality and yield of the ingot 30 will become excellent.

[0139] like Figure 10 As shown, when the material supply section 100 and the pre-melting section 200 are arranged on one side of the growth furnace 10, the material supply section 100 and the pre-melting section 200 are arranged such that the direction T of feeding solid silicon through the material supply section 100 and the direction of supplying molten silicon 12 to the main crucible 11 through the pre-melting section 200 are oriented toward the center C of the growth furnace 10. If the material supply section 100 and the pre-melting section 200 are arranged in the manner described above, the growth furnace 10 can achieve structural stability. Not only is the movement path of solid silicon minimized, but the movement path of molten silicon 12 is also minimized, thereby enabling a smooth supply of molten silicon 12.

[0140] However, as described above, when molten silicon 12 is supplied to the main crucible 11 that rotates in one direction R1, if the supply is made along the tangential direction of the molten silicon 12 contained in the main crucible 11 and rotating together, the temperature distribution of the molten silicon 12 contained in the main crucible 11 can be stably maintained, which is therefore preferable. However, if the material supply section 100 and the pre-melting section 200 are arranged in a direction toward the center C of the growth furnace 10, it is difficult to supply molten silicon 12 along the tangential direction of the molten silicon 12 contained in the main crucible 11 and rotating together.

[0141] To solve this problem, such as Figure 11 As shown, a curved surface 212c can be formed at the tip 212 to change the direction of movement of the molten silicon 12, so that the molten silicon 12 moves first along a first supply direction I1 toward the center C of the main crucible 11, and then along a second supply direction I2 which is the tangential direction of the rotation direction of the main crucible 11.

[0142] That is, since the material supply section 100 and the pre-melting section 200 are arranged along the direction toward the center C of the growth furnace 10, the movement path of the molten silicon 12 can be minimized. Moreover, by changing the movement direction of the molten silicon 12 moving along the tip 212, the molten silicon 12 can be supplied along the tangential direction of the rotation direction of the molten silicon 12 rotating in the main crucible 11, thereby stably maintaining the temperature distribution of the molten silicon 12 contained in the main crucible 11.

[0143] Figure 12 This is a cross-sectional view of a pre-formed crucible according to another embodiment of the present invention, showing a configuration in which the thickness of the second partition wall is greater than the thickness of the tip. Figure 13 This is a cross-sectional view of a pre-formed crucible according to another embodiment of the present invention, showing a configuration in which the thicknesses of the body plate, the first partition wall, and the second partition wall are greater than the thickness of the tip. Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional view of a preparatory crucible to illustrate another embodiment of the present invention, showing a state where both the body and the tip are thick.

[0144] like Figure 12 As shown, the thickness t2 of the second partition wall 211c can be greater than the thickness t0 of the tip 212. That is, when the interior of the pre-melting section 200 is heated, the second partition wall 211c may deform due to heat concentration in the second partition wall 211c portion. However, if the thickness of the second partition wall 211c is increased in the manner described above, such deformation can be prevented.

[0145] As an example, if the thickness t0 of the tip 212 reaches about 5 mm, then the thickness t2 of the second partition wall 211c can reach about 10 mm.

[0146] Or, such as Figure 13 As shown, the thickness tb of the body plate 211a and the thickness t1 of the first partition wall 211b can be greater than the thickness t0 of the tip 212, and an inclination angle θ4 can be formed in the opening H in such a way that the molten silicon 12 moving from the body plate 211a to the tip 212 can move downward.

[0147] If the thickness of the body plate 211a is made greater than the thickness of the tip 212 in the manner described above, a downward tilt angle θ4 will be formed based on this thickness difference. This tilt angle θ4 allows the molten silicon 12 to move smoothly. If the thickness of the first partition wall 211b is sufficiently thick, thermal deformation can be prevented. Moreover, the tilt length formed by the downward tilt angle θ4 described above can be sufficiently lengthened to stably guide the downward-moving molten silicon 12.

[0148] As described above, for example, the thickness tb of the body plate 211a and the thickness t1 of the first partition wall 211b can also reach about 10 mm.

[0149] In this case, since solid silicon undergoes an etching reaction when it melts inside the body 211, the thickness of the body 211 may gradually decrease over time, so it is preferable to form a sufficiently thick body.

[0150] On the other hand, such as Figure 14 As shown, the thickness t0 of the tip 212 can be made the same as the thickness of the body plate 211a, the first partition wall 211b and the second partition wall 211c provided on the body 211. If it is constructed in the manner described above, thermal deformation of the tip 212 can be prevented even after long-term use.

[0151] As described above, the continuous ingot growth apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention can supply molten silicon 12 to the main crucible 11 after the solid silicon material is melted in the preparatory crucible 210, thus simplifying the structure of the main crucible 11 and preventing splashing of molten silicon 12. In particular, since an opening H for moving molten silicon 12 is formed in the body 211 of the preparatory crucible 210, the supply amount of molten silicon 12 can be adjusted while blocking the flow of floating matter 12a on the top of the molten silicon 12.

[0152] A continuous ingot growth apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention may include: a growth furnace 10, which has a main crucible 11 inside which contains molten silicon 12 for forming an ingot 30; and a material supply unit 100 for supplying solid silicon material before the molten silicon 12 is melted. The material supply unit 100 can quantitatively supply the solid silicon material to the pre-melting unit 200 by measuring the amount of solid silicon material.

[0153] The pre-melting section 200 described above may include: a pre-melting crucible 210 for melting solid silicon material supplied from the material supply section 100 to supply molten silicon 12 to the main crucible 11; and a pre-melting crucible heating module 220 for heating the pre-melting crucible 210.

[0154] This preparatory crucible 210 may include: a body 211 for containing solid silicon material; and a tip 212 disposed on one side of the body 211 to supply molten silicon 12 molten within the body 211 to the main crucible 11 for moving the molten silicon. A body plate 211a may be provided on this body 211 in a container shape that opens upward along the height direction in a manner capable of containing solid silicon material. This body plate 211a may be formed in a shape such that the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged facing each other decreases.

[0155] In this case, such as Figure 6 As shown, this body plate 211a can be formed in such a way that the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged facing each other gradually decreases. For example, the body plate 211a can be formed into an arc shape.

[0156] Or, such as Figure 7 As shown, this body plate 211a can be formed in such a way that the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged facing each other is reduced to a predetermined degree.

[0157] That is, as described above, the tip 212 can be formed in a shape that reduces the spacing between the inner surfaces to a predetermined degree or in a shape that reduces the spacing between the inner surfaces abruptly, and the body plate 211a can also be formed in a manner that reduces the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged opposite to each other to a predetermined degree.

[0158] If the body plate 211a is formed in a shape that reduces the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged opposite each other to a predetermined degree (for example, a V-shaped cross-section shape), it can be easily manufactured by using raw materials in the shape of thick plates, and the first partition wall 211b and the second partition wall 211c can be set by means of welding or the like.

[0159] An opening H can be formed in the body 211 to allow the molten silicon 12 to move toward the tip 212. If the opening H is formed in the body 211 as described above, it will block the floating matter 12a floating on the top of the molten silicon 12, allowing only the molten silicon 12 to move. This will result in excellent quality of the ingot 30 and prevent a decrease in yield due to particles.

[0160] Furthermore, the body 211 may include: a first partition wall 211b, disposed on one side of the body plate 211a, having an opening H; and a second partition wall 211c, disposed on the other side of the body plate 211a.

[0161] A moving surface 212a can be provided at the tip 212 in a container shape that is open upward along the height direction so as to be able to accommodate molten silicon 12 supplied to the main crucible 11. Since the moving surface 212a is formed into a container shape that is open upward along the height direction, the molten silicon 12 supplied to the main crucible 11 will not flow in other directions, but can move stably towards the main crucible 11.

[0162] Furthermore, the molten silicon 12, which has moved to one side of the moving surface 212a, will be supplied to the main crucible 11 while moving downward along the inclined surface 212b. Therefore, the molten silicon 12 can be supplied slowly by reducing the drop height. Figure 6 As shown, molten silicon 12 is gathered and supplied through the moving surface 212a, thus preventing it from flowing along the tip 212, thereby mitigating the effects caused by the temperature difference between the main crucible 11 and the preparatory crucible 210.

[0163] This movable surface 212a can be formed in such a way that the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged facing each other decreases.

[0164] In this case, the moving surface 212a can be formed in such a way that the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged opposite each other is reduced to a predetermined degree. That is, the shape in which the spacing between the inner surfaces of the moving surface 212a is reduced can be roughly divided into three types. Compared with the arc shape in which the spacing between the inner surfaces of the moving surface 212a is reduced to a predetermined degree (for example, a V-shaped cross-section shape) or the shape that is reduced abruptly (for example, a shape in which the inner surfaces are further recessed inward based on the V-shaped cross-section) will reduce the cross-sectional area of ​​the molten silicon 12 moving, thus making it easier to control the quantitative supply of a small amount of molten silicon 12.

[0165] As described above, in another embodiment of the continuous ingot growth apparatus of the present invention, molten silicon 12 is supplied to the main crucible 11 after the solid silicon material is melted in the preparatory crucible 210. This simplifies the structure of the main crucible 11 and prevents splashing of the molten silicon 12. In particular, since an opening H for the movement of the molten silicon 12 is formed in the body 211 of the preparatory crucible 210, the supply amount of the molten silicon 12 can be adjusted while blocking the flow of floating matter 12a on the top of the molten silicon 12.

[0166] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the concept of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented in this specification. Those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains can easily propose other embodiments by adding, changing, deleting, or adding structural elements within the same conceptual scope. However, this also falls within the conceptual scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A continuous ingot growth apparatus, characterized in that, include: The growth furnace contains a main crucible inside which holds molten silicon to form an ingot; The material supply unit is used to supply solid silicon material before the aforementioned molten silicon is melted; and The pre-melting section includes a pre-melting crucible and a pre-melting crucible heating module. The pre-melting crucible is used to melt the solid silicon material supplied from the material supply section to supply molten silicon to the main crucible. The pre-melting crucible heating module is used to heat the pre-melting crucible. The aforementioned preparatory crucible includes: The body, used to house the aforementioned solid silicon material; and A pointed portion is provided on one side of the main body to supply molten silicon, which is molten within the main body, to the main crucible, and is used to move the molten silicon. An opening is formed in the aforementioned body to allow the molten silicon to move toward the aforementioned tip. The aforementioned body includes: a body plate, shaped into a container that opens upwards along its height direction to accommodate the aforementioned solid silicon material; a first partition wall disposed on one side of the body plate, having the aforementioned opening; and a second partition wall disposed on the other side of the body plate. The aforementioned preparatory crucible is movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, it contains the solid silicon material, and in the second position, it supplies the molten silicon to the main crucible. The aforementioned preparatory crucible is tilted upward at a first tilt angle at the first position, and tilted downward at a second tilt angle at the second position. If the height of the molten silicon is the same as the height of the uppermost part of the opening, or if the height of the molten silicon is greater than the height of the uppermost part of the opening, then the preparatory crucible moves from the first position to the second position. The molten silicon contained in the main crucible rotates in one direction. The aforementioned tip is configured to supply the molten silicon in a tangential direction along the rotational direction of the molten silicon. A curved surface is formed at the tip to change the direction of movement of the molten silicon, so that after the molten silicon moves along a first supply direction toward the center of the main crucible, it moves along a second supply direction that is the tangential direction of the rotation direction of the main crucible.

2. The continuous ingot growth apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The opening is formed along the height direction at the lowest end of the first partition wall.

3. The continuous ingot growth apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aforementioned tip includes: The movable surface is formed into a container shape that opens upwards along the height direction, capable of accommodating the molten silicon supplied to the main crucible; and An inclined surface is formed on one side of the aforementioned moving surface, and is inclined at a downward angle along the height direction in a manner adjacent to the aforementioned main crucible.

4. The continuous ingot growth apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The aforementioned movable surfaces are formed in such a way that the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged facing each other is reduced to a predetermined degree.

5. The continuous ingot growth apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The aforementioned body plate is formed in such a way that the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged facing each other is reduced to a specified degree.

6. The continuous ingot growth apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the second partition wall is greater than the thickness of the tip.

7. The continuous ingot growth apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The thickness of the aforementioned body plate and the thickness of the aforementioned first partition wall are greater than the thickness of the aforementioned tip. The opening is tilted at an angle such that the molten silicon moving downwards from the body plate toward the tip can be moved downwards.

8. A continuous ingot growth apparatus, characterized in that, include: The growth furnace contains a main crucible inside which holds molten silicon to form an ingot; The material supply unit is used to supply solid silicon material before the aforementioned molten silicon is melted; and The pre-melting section includes a pre-melting crucible and a pre-melting crucible heating module. The pre-melting crucible is used to melt the solid silicon material supplied from the material supply section to supply molten silicon to the main crucible. The pre-melting crucible heating module is used to heat the pre-melting crucible. The aforementioned preparatory crucible includes: The body, used to house the aforementioned solid silicon material; and A pointed portion is provided on one side of the main body to supply molten silicon, which is molten within the main body, to the main crucible, and is used to move the molten silicon. The aforementioned body includes: a body plate, shaped into a container that opens upwards along its height direction to accommodate the aforementioned solid silicon material; a first partition wall disposed on one side of the body plate and having an opening therein; and a second partition wall disposed on the other side of the body plate. The aforementioned body plate is formed in a shape such that the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged facing each other decreases. The aforementioned preparatory crucible is movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, it contains the solid silicon material, and in the second position, it supplies the molten silicon to the main crucible. If the height of the molten silicon is the same as the height of the uppermost part of the opening, or if the height of the molten silicon is greater than the height of the uppermost part of the opening, then the preparatory crucible moves from the first position to the second position. The molten silicon contained in the main crucible rotates in one direction. The aforementioned tip is configured to supply the molten silicon in a tangential direction along the rotational direction of the molten silicon. A curved surface is formed at the tip to change the direction of movement of the molten silicon, so that after the molten silicon moves along a first supply direction toward the center of the main crucible, it moves along a second supply direction that is the tangential direction of the rotation direction of the main crucible.

9. The continuous ingot growth apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, The aforementioned body plate is formed in such a way that the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged facing each other gradually decreases.

10. The continuous ingot growth apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, The aforementioned body plate is formed in such a way that the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged facing each other is reduced to a specified degree.

11. The continuous ingot growth apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that, A movable surface in the height direction is provided at the tip so as to be able to contain the molten silicon supplied to the main crucible and form a container shape that opens upward.

12. The continuous ingot growth apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, The aforementioned movable surfaces are formed such that the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged facing each other decreases.

13. The continuous ingot growth apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that, The aforementioned movable surfaces are formed in such a way that the spacing between the inner surfaces arranged facing each other is reduced to a predetermined degree.

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