Method for manufacturing monocrystalline silicon ingot using boric acid as dopant, and ingot puller apparatus using solid phase dopant

Abstract

The invention discloses a method for manufacturing a monocrystalline silicon ingot using boric acid as a dopant and an ingot puller apparatus using a solid phase dopant. The ingot is doped with boron using a solid boric acid as a boron source. Boric acid may be used to counter-dope an ingot during ingot growth. An ingot puller apparatus using the solid phase dopant is also disclosed. The solid phase dopant may be disposed in a vessel that is moved closer to the surface of the melt, or an evaporation unit may be used to produce a dopant gas from the solid phase dopant.

Description

[0001] Information about divisional applications

[0002] This application is a divisional application of the Chinese invention patent application with the invention name "Method for manufacturing single crystal silicon ingot using boric acid as a dopant and ingot pulling device using solid phase dopant", application number 202080053269.X and application date May 18, 2020.

[0003] CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0004] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 868,573, filed on June 28, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0005] The field of the disclosure relates to methods for making single crystal silicon ingots, wherein the ingots are doped with boron using solid phase boric acid as a boron source. The field of the disclosure also relates to ingot pullers using solid phase dopants. Background Art

[0006] In high resistivity silicon wafer applications, the resistivity of the single crystal silicon ingot from which the wafers are cut can be controlled by adding various dopants to the melt. The dopants can be used to compensate for various impurities (e.g., boron or phosphorus) in the polycrystalline silicon source used to form the melt from which the silicon ingot is drawn.

[0007] When one or more dopants are added to achieve a target resistivity in an ingot, specific dopants and / or impurities may accumulate in the melt due to differences in the segregation coefficients of the compounds. For example, boron has a segregation coefficient of about 0.8, which allows boron to be easily absorbed by the growing ingot. Phosphorus has a segregation coefficient of about 0.35, which causes phosphorus to accumulate in the melt relative to the more easily absorbed boron. Accordingly, as the ingot grows and the melt is depleted, phosphorus accumulates in the melt thereby altering the resistivity of the growing ingot. This may result in a reduction in resistivity and failure to meet customer specifications and / or type changes in the ingot.

[0008] There is a need for methods for back doping silicon melts during ingot growth to increase the length of the ingot while still within customer requirements. There is a need for doping methods that allow the use of readily available and / or relatively inexpensive dopant source materials and that allow the melt to be doped relatively easily. There is a need for ingot puller apparatus that allows solid phase dopants to be used as dopant sources.

[0009] This paragraph is intended to introduce the reader to various technical aspects that may be relevant to various aspects of the present disclosure described and / or claimed below. It is believed that this discussion helps to provide the reader with background information to promote a better understanding of various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are read in this light and they are not intended as admissions of prior art. Summary of the invention

[0010] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method for producing a single crystal silicon ingot from a silicon melt held in a crucible. Polycrystalline silicon is added to the crucible. The crucible is disposed in an inner chamber of an ingot puller. The polycrystalline silicon is heated so that a silicon melt is formed in the crucible. A single crystal silicon ingot is extracted from the silicon melt. A solid phase boric acid source is provided. A boron-containing gas is produced from the solid phase boric acid. The boron-containing gas is contacted with a surface of the melt so that boron enters the melt as a dopant while the single crystal silicon ingot is extracted from the melt.

[0011] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure relates to an ingot puller apparatus for manufacturing a doped single crystal silicon ingot. The ingot puller apparatus includes an ingot puller outer shell and an ingot puller inner chamber formed within the ingot puller outer shell. A crucible is disposed within the ingot puller inner chamber. An outer feed tube is at least partially disposed outside the ingot puller outer shell. The outer feed tube defines an outer feed tube chamber. The outer feed tube has a distal end, a proximal end, and an outer feed tube axis extending through the distal end and the proximal end. An elongated member is movable within the outer feed tube chamber along the outer feed tube axis. A dopant container is coupled to the elongated member. The dopant container is movable between a loading position (wherein the dopant container is disposed outside the ingot puller outer shell) and a feeding position (wherein the dopant container is disposed within the ingot puller inner chamber).

[0012] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure relates to an ingot puller device for manufacturing a doped single crystal silicon ingot. The ingot puller device includes an ingot puller outer shell and an ingot puller inner chamber formed in the ingot puller outer shell. A crucible is disposed in the ingot puller inner chamber. A dopant conduit having a gas inlet is disposed outside the ingot puller inner chamber and a gas outlet is disposed in the ingot puller inner chamber. A dopant evaporation unit is disposed outside the ingot puller inner chamber. The dopant evaporation unit includes a dopant chamber for holding a solid-phase dopant. The dopant evaporation unit includes a heating device for heating the solid-phase dopant and producing a dopant gas. The dopant evaporation unit includes an outlet through which the dopant gas passes. The outlet is fluidically connected to the dopant conduit.

[0013] There are various improvements to the features described with respect to the above-mentioned aspects of the present disclosure. Further features may also be incorporated into the above-mentioned aspects of the present disclosure. These improvements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. For example, various features discussed below with respect to any of the embodiments described in the present disclosure may be incorporated into any of the above-mentioned aspects of the present disclosure, individually or in any combination. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1is a schematic diagram of an example method for growing a silicon ingot using boric acid as a dopant source;

[0015] Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of an ingot puller apparatus having a dopant container in a dopant loading position;

[0016] Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional side view of an ingot puller apparatus with a dopant container in a dopant feeding position;

[0017] Figure 4 is a detailed cross-sectional side view of an ingot puller apparatus with a dopant container in a dopant feeding position;

[0018] Figure 5 is a side view of an elongated member comprising a dopant container for holding a solid phase dopant and a translation unit for moving the elongated member;

[0019] Figure 6 is a side view of the translation unit;

[0020] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional side view of a junction between the elongated member and the translation unit;

[0021] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the elongated member within the outer tube with the container in a dopant loading position;

[0022] Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional side view of the container;

[0023] Fig.10 is a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of an ingot puller apparatus;

[0024] Fig.11 is a cross-sectional side view of an evaporation unit of an ingot puller apparatus;

[0025] Fig.12 is a perspective view of the evaporation unit; and

[0026] Fig.13 is a detailed cross-sectional side view of the evaporation unit.

[0027] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Provisions of the present disclosure relate to methods involving boric acid for doping silicon melts (eg, counter doping). Additional provision relates to ingot puller apparatus configured to dope silicon melts, and in particular doping with a solid phase dopant (eg, boric acid).

[0029] Method for doping using boric acid

[0030] The example method of the present disclosure is Figure 1 The method may be implemented by using an ingot puller apparatus configured to produce a boron-containing gas from solid-phase boric acid. An example ingot puller apparatus that may be used according to the method for doping with boric acid is shown in FIG. Figures 2 to 13 Although the method described can refer to Figures 2 to 9 The ingot puller device 100 shown in Figures 10 to 13 The ingot puller 400 shown in the description is used to simplify the method, but the method should not be limited to the ingot puller apparatus 100, 400 unless otherwise stated.

[0031] refer to Figure 2 According to an embodiment of the method for preparing a silicon ingot, a silicon melt is prepared in a crucible 104 disposed in an inner chamber 102 of an ingot puller apparatus 100. The crucible 104 may be supported by a susceptor (not shown). The ingot puller apparatus 100 may be configured to rotate the crucible 104 and / or to move the crucible 104 vertically within the ingot puller apparatus 100.

[0032] To prepare the silicon melt, polycrystalline silicon is added to the crucible 104. The polycrystalline silicon is heated to a temperature above the melting temperature of silicon (about 1414° C.) so that the polycrystalline silicon is liquefied into the silicon melt 108. The heating system is operated to melt the polycrystalline silicon. For example, one or more heaters below or to the side of the crucible 104 are operated to melt the silicon.

[0033] Before or after the melt 108 is produced, the melt may be doped with a dopant, typically an n-type dopant, to compensate for p-type impurities (e.g., boron) in the melt. The n-type dopant may be added before the ingot 112 begins to grow. By compensating the melt, the resistivity of the resulting ingot 112 may be increased. For example, the seed end of the ingot (i.e., the portion of the ingot closest to the ingot crown) may have a resistivity of at least about 1,500 Ω-cm, or as in other embodiments, at least about 2,000 Ω-cm, at least about 4,000 Ω-cm, at least about 6,000 Ω-cm, at least about 8,000 Ω-cm, at least about 10,000 Ω-cm, or from about 1,500 Ω-cm to about 50,000 ohm-cm or from about 8,000 Ω-cm to about 50,000 Ω-cm. Suitable n-type dopants include phosphorus and arsenic.

[0034] Once the melt 108 is prepared, a single crystal silicon ingot 112 is extracted from the melt 108. A seed crystal 118 is secured to a seed chuck 114. The seed chuck 114 and crystal 118 are lowered until the seed crystal 118 contacts the surface of the silicon melt 108. Once the seed crystal 118 begins to melt, a pulling mechanism slowly lifts the seed crystal 118 upward to grow the single crystal ingot 112.

[0035] A process gas (eg, argon) is caused to circulate through the inner chamber 102 of the ingot puller apparatus 100. The process gas creates a gas atmosphere within the chamber 102.

[0036] like Figure 1 , embodiments of the methods of the present disclosure include providing a solid phase boric acid source (H3BO3). The boric acid may be relatively pure, such as about 99% pure or greater, 99.9% pure or greater, or 99.99% pure or greater. In some embodiments, the boric acid may be relatively isotopically pure (i.e., boron-11). For example, the boric acid may be provided within the inner chamber 102 of the ingot puller 100 (i.e., within the housing 116), such as at Figures 2 to 9 The container 156 of the ingot puller device 100 ( Figure 4 Alternatively, the solid phase boric acid may be disposed outside the puller housing 416, for example, Figures 10 to 13 The ingot puller apparatus 400 is housed within the dopant chamber 424 of the evaporation unit 414 .

[0037] Boron-containing gas is produced from solid boric acid. The produced gas is generally boric acid (H3BO3) or its derivatives (B x O y H z + complex) rather than other compounds (e.g., diborane (B2H6) or diborane (BH2). However, it should be understood that other boron compounds may be added to the boron-containing gas.

[0038] The solid phase boric acid can be heated to a temperature above its melting point (about 171°C) to liquefy the solid phase boric acid and produce a boric acid liquid. Then, the boric acid liquid is heated to a temperature above its evaporation temperature (about 300°C) to produce a boron-containing gas. For example, the solid phase boric acid can be obtained by Figures 2 to 9 The silicon melt 108 in the ingot puller device is heated by the heat radiated from the silicon melt 108 or by Figures 10 to 13 The heating device 428 ( Fig.12 )heating.

[0039] Once the boron-containing gas is produced, the boron-containing gas contacts the surface of the melt 108 to allow the boron to diffuse into the melt. Figure 4 ) can be constrained so that the boron-containing gas can move as much as possible through the tube outlet 170, such as in Figures 2 to 9 In the ingot puller apparatus 100, the boron-containing gas may be carried by the process gas, such as in Figures 10 to 13 In the ingot puller device 400.

[0040] Once the boron enters the melt, the boron compensates for phosphorus that has been concentrated in the melt due to the relatively small segregation factor of phosphorus, thereby increasing the resistivity of the remainder of the ingot 112 formed in the ingot puller apparatus.

[0041] Ingot puller equipment for doping by using solid dopants

[0042] The example ingot puller apparatus 100 is generally Figures 2 to 9 In the embodiment shown, another example of the ingot puller apparatus 400 is Figures 10 to 13 Displayed in. Figures 2 to 9 Equipment and Figures 10 to 13 The apparatus 400 can be used to dope an ingot with boron using solid phase boric acid, as in the method described above, or can be used in combination with other solid phase dopants that can be evaporated below the melting point of silicon (approximately 1414° C.) in native or hydrated form or in the form of compounds that will not contaminate the crystal growth process (e.g., doped glass or heavily doped Si—B alloy having a relatively high concentration of B 2 O 3 intermixed with SiO 2 ).

[0043] Reference Figure 2 , the ingot puller apparatus 100 includes an ingot puller outer shell 116 defining an ingot puller inner chamber 102 within the shell 116. A crucible 104 is disposed within the ingot puller inner chamber 102. The crucible 104 contains a silicon melt 108 from which a silicon ingot 112 is extracted. The ingot 112 is shielded by a heat shield 120.

[0044] The ingot puller apparatus 100 includes a dopant feed system 126. The dopant feed system 126 includes an outer feed tube 130 disposed at least partially outside the ingot puller housing 116. The outer feed tube 130 defines an outer feed tube chamber 136 therein. The outer tube 130 has a distal end 140 farthest from the outer housing 116 and a proximal end 144 closest to the housing 116. The outer feed tube axis A 130 Extending through the distal end 140 and the proximal end 144 of the outer feeding tube 130. The outer feeding tube 130 may be made of stainless steel or other suitable material.

[0045] The elongated member 150 is arranged in the outer feeding tube 130 along the outer feeding tube axis A. 130 The elongated member 150 can be lowered into the inner chamber 102 of the ingot puller, such as Figure 4 . In the illustrated embodiment, the elongated member 150 is a tube. In other embodiments, a rod or shaft may be used. The elongated member 150 may be made of any material that withstands the environment within the ingot puller chamber 102, such as quartz.

[0046] The dopant container 156 is coupled to the elongated member 150 ( Figure 4 ) (e.g., the nest is enclosed in it). Figure 8 , the container 156 may be adjacent to the flange 160 of the elongated member 150. The container 156 may include a shoulder 162 ( Fig. 9By moving the elongated member 150, the dopant container 156 is in the raised position ( Figure 2 , which may also be referred to as a "dopant loading position") where the dopant container 156 is disposed outside the puller housing 116 and a lowered position ( Figure 3 and 4 , which may also be referred to as a "dopant feeding position") where the container 156 is disposed within the puller chamber 102 proximate to the surface of the melt 108. The heat shield 120 may include a channel 124 ( Figure 2 ).

[0047] The container 156 is separable from the elongated member 150. The elongated member 150 includes a notch 164 ( Figure 5 ). In the loading position ( Figure 2 ), the container 156 can be removed from the elongated member 150 to load the container 156 with dopant. When the container 156 is in the loading position to allow access to the container 156, the notch 164 is aligned with the access port 166. The container 156 can be grasped by the connection loop 172 of the container 156 to pull the container 156 through the notch 164 and the access port 166. In other configurations, dopant can be added to the container 156 when the container 156 is disposed in the elongated member 150.

[0048] In the feeding position of the container ( Figure 3 and 4 ), producing a dopant gas from a solid phase dopant. The dopant gas travels down to an exit tube 168 and through an outlet 170 where it is directed to the surface of the melt 108.

[0049] In the illustrated embodiment, the container 156 is a capsule 158 ( Fig. 9 ). The capsule chamber 158 includes an outer capsule shell 180. A weir 182 is disposed within the outer capsule shell 180. The weir 182 forms a channel 184 therein. The weir 182 has an upper end 188 and a lower end 190 that are each open so that gas can pass through the channel 184. An annular chamber 194 is disposed between the weir 182 and the outer capsule shell 180. A solid dopant 174 (e.g., boric acid) is disposed within the annular chamber 194 and is nested on the capsule floor 198. When the container 156 is in its lowered position ( Figure 3 and 4), the solid phase dopant 174 is heated, which causes the dopant to sublime or melt and evaporate. The dopant gas rises in the annular chamber 194 and enters the weir channel 184 through the upper end 188 of the weir 182. The gas continues to pass downward through the channel 184 and exits through the open lower end 190 of the weir 182. The dopant gas continues to advance through the exit tube 168 ( Figure 4 ), through tube outlet 170 and toward the surface of the melt.

[0050] The elongated member 150 includes a gas barrier 240 ( Figure 8 ). Alternatively, the elongate member may be a rod or shaft that does not include a passage for gas recirculation.

[0051] Reference Figure 4 , the ingot puller apparatus 100 includes an isolation valve 200 within the outer feed tube 130. When the elongated member 150 is withdrawn from the ingot puller inner chamber 102, the isolation valve 200 seals the ingot puller inner chamber 102. This allows access to the dopant container 156 through the access port 166 when the port 166 is isolated from the inner chamber 102. When the elongated member 150 is lowered, the access port 166 can be closed or connected to a process gas source (e.g., argon). The isolation valve 200 is connected to a valve controller 202 that actuates the valve 200.

[0052] The ingot puller apparatus 100 includes a puller for pulling the ingot at a dopant loading position ( Figure 2 ) and dopant feed position ( Figure 3 and 4 ) between the translation device 208 ( Figure 2 The translation device 208 moves the elongated member 150 and dopant container 156 into and out of the inner chamber 102 of the ingot puller apparatus 100 and within the outer feed tube chamber 136 (ie, along the outer feed tube axis A). 130 ). Generally speaking, any translation device 208 that allows the container 156 to be moved between a dopant loading position and a dopant feeding position of the container 156 may be used, unless otherwise stated.

[0053] In the illustrated embodiment, the translation device 208 is a magnetically coupled through-wall translation unit. The translation device 208 includes an outer tube 212 and an inner member 214 that moves within the outer tube 212. The inner member 214 is magnetically coupled to a translation device handle 216. The outer tube 212 may be made of stainless steel (non-magnetic) or other suitable material. The translation device handle 216 and the inner member 214 may have magnets embedded therein to achieve magnetic coupling between the handle 216 and the inner member 214.

[0054] The inner member 214 is also connected to the elongated member 150 at the joint 220 ( Figure 7). The example joint 220 includes a threaded member 224 that engages threads on a sleeve 218 that surrounds and is hinged to the lower portion of the inner member 214. The joint 220 includes a first o-ring 228 and a second o-ring 232 and a bushing 236 disposed between the o-rings 228, 232. The threaded member 224 compresses the o-rings 228, 232, causing them to move radially outward to facilitate a friction connection between the translating device inner member 214 and the elongated member 150.

[0055] The handle 216 of the translation device 208 can be moved along the axis A. 130 Move up and down ( Figure 2 ). As the handle 216 moves, the inner member 214 moves within the outer tube 212. Because the inner member 214 is coupled to the elongated member 150, the elongated member 150 and the container 256 are caused to move into and out of the inner chamber 102 of the ingot puller apparatus 100. In some embodiments, when the container 156 is in a lowered position for feeding dopants, the distance between the container 156 and the melt 108 can be changed (e.g., by an operator) to change the heat applied to the container 156 and the solid phase dopant therein to control the rate at which the dopant gas is produced. In other embodiments, the container 156 can be moved in its loading position ( Figure 2 ) and dopant feed position ( Figure 3 and 4 )

[0056] As described above, the translation device 208 may have other configurations. Other example translation devices may include a bellows system or an externally operated linear translation device (e.g., a rod attached to an externally isolated linear rail or pneumatic cylinder). Any external actuator should be isolated from the heat and vacuum inside the inner chamber 102.

[0057] Another example of a puller device 400 is Figures 10 to 11 4. The ingot puller apparatus 400 may operate similarly to the ingot puller apparatus 100 described above, and the operation of the apparatus 100 should be considered applicable to the apparatus 400 (i.e., in aspects not related to the use of solid phase dopants). For example, the ingot puller apparatus 400 includes an outer housing 416 forming an inner chamber 402 within the housing 416. A crucible 404 for holding a silicon melt 408 therein is disposed in the chamber 402. The apparatus 400 includes a heat shield (not shown) that shields an ingot drawn from the melt.

[0058] The ingot puller apparatus 400 includes a dopant evaporation unit 414 that feeds a doped gas to a dopant conduit 430. The doped gas passes through the dopant conduit 430 to contact the melt 408 so that the melt 408 is doped. The dopant conduit 430 includes a gas inlet 422 ( Fig.11 ) and a gas outlet 426 disposed in the ingot puller chamber 402 and positioned relatively close to the surface of the melt 408.

[0059] The dopant evaporation unit 414 is disposed outside the ingot puller inner chamber 402. The dopant evaporation unit 414 includes a dopant chamber 424 ( Fig.13 ). A process gas (eg, argon) may be circulated through the evaporation unit 414 via the first process gas inlet 436 and the second process gas inlet 440. The doped gas outlet 452 of the evaporation unit 414 is connected to the dopant conduit 430 ( Fig.11 ) fluid is connected to move the doped gas to the surface of the melt 408.

[0060] Surrounding the dopant chamber 424 is a heating chamber 472 ( Fig.13 ). The heating device 428 (e.g., a resistive heating element) heats the gas circulating in the evaporation unit 414. The heated gas contacts the solid phase dopant in the dopant chamber 242, thereby causing the dopant gas to be produced (e.g., by sublimation or by liquefaction and evaporation of the solid phase dopant). The dopant gas is selected by the process gas to produce the dopant gas that is released through the dopant gas outlet 452 and released into the dopant conduit 430 ( Fig.11 ) of the doped process gas. The evaporation unit 414 includes a heat shield 476 that reduces heat loss through the walls of the heating chamber 472. The heat chamber 472 can be made of quartz to reduce contamination.

[0061] An isolation valve 460 is in the process gas path downstream of the heating chamber 472 and the dopant chamber 424. The isolation valve 460 isolates the evaporation unit 414 from the inner chamber 402 of the ingot puller apparatus 400 to seal the chamber 402 when dopants are not added to the melt 408. A valve controller 464 may be used to actuate the valve 460.

[0062] The evaporation unit 414 includes a measuring heating chamber 472 ( Fig.13 ) of the temperature sensor 448 ( Fig.12 ). The temperature sensor 448 can send a signal to the control unit to change the output of the heating device 428 based on the sensed temperature. The evaporation unit 414 includes a vacuum port 456 for evacuation, leak testing and for balancing the pressure with the ingot puller apparatus inner chamber 402 before opening the isolation valve 460 for doping.

[0063] The methods of embodiments of the present disclosure have several advantages over conventional methods for making single crystal silicon ingots from silicon melts. In embodiments where the melt is back doped using boric acid, a larger portion of the ingot can be within customer specifications (e.g., high resistivity), and / or type variations in the ingot can be prevented. Solid phase boric acid has relatively low melting and evaporation temperatures, which allows for relatively easy production of dopant gases.

[0064] Compared with conventional ingot puller apparatus, the ingot puller apparatus of the embodiments of the present disclosure has several advantages. In embodiments in which a dopant container is used to hold solid dopants, the container can be placed relatively close to the surface of the melt, which allows the melt to be heated to melt and evaporate the dopant. Positioning the container close to the melt also reduces or prevents the formation of precipitation or condensation of elemental boron or boron compounds that causes loss of crystal structure or integrity. The use of a dopant container including a weir allows dopant particles to move within the container without being pushed out of the container and propelled into the melt. Direct entry of dopant particles into the melt can cause zero dislocations in the ingot to be lost. The use of an isolation valve allows the inner chamber of the ingot puller to be isolated from the solid phase dopant system, which prevents contamination of the melt and enables reloading of solid phase dopants. The use of a magnetically coupled through-wall translation unit simplifies sealing and allows the system to be more robust (e.g., without a separate seal) to maintain an airtight environment.

[0065] In embodiments where the solid phase dopant is converted to a gas by an evaporation unit external to the puller housing, a heating device may be used to heat the dopant, which allows improved control of the rate at which the dopant is added to the melt. The rate at which the process gas is circulated through the evaporation unit may also be used to control the rate at which the melt is doped. In embodiments where the feed tube or conduit is movable within the puller apparatus, the distance from the melt may be controlled, which allows control of the rate at which the dopant is added to the melt.

[0066] As used herein, the terms "about," "substantially," "substantially," and "approximately" when used in conjunction with a range of size, concentration, temperature, or other physical or chemical property or characteristic, are meant to encompass variations that may exist in the upper and / or lower limits of the range of the property or characteristic, including (for example) variations caused by rounding, measurement methodology or other statistical variations.

[0067] When introducing elements of the present disclosure or embodiment(s) thereof, the articles "a," "an," "the," and "said" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms "comprising," "including," "containing," and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements in addition to the listed elements. The use of terms indicating a particular orientation (e.g., "top," "bottom," "side," etc.) is for the purpose of description and does not require any particular orientation of the items described.

[0068] As various changes could be made in the above constructions and methods without departing from the scope of the disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings(s) shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

1. An ingot puller device for manufacturing a doped single crystal silicon ingot, the ingot puller device comprising: Ingot puller outer shell; An inner chamber of the ingot puller, which is formed in the outer shell of the ingot puller; A crucible, which is placed in the inner chamber of the ingot puller; an outer feed tube disposed at least partially outside the puller outer housing, the outer feed tube defining an outer feed tube chamber and having a distal end, a proximal end, and an outer feed tube axis extending through the distal end and the proximal end; an elongated member movable within the outer feeding tube chamber along the outer feeding tube axis, the elongated member being a tube, a rod or a shaft; and An impurity container is coupled to the slender member so that movement of the slender member along the axis of the outer feeding tube causes the impurity container to move along the axis of the outer feeding tube, and the impurity container is capable of moving between a loading position and a feeding position, in which the impurity container is placed outside the outer shell of the ingot puller and in which the impurity container is placed in the inner chamber of the ingot puller.

2. The ingot puller apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dopant container is a capsule chamber that can be separated from the slender member.

3. The ingot puller according to claim 2, wherein the capsule chamber comprises: Exocyst housing; and A weir is disposed in the outer capsule chamber shell, the weir forms a channel for the dopant gas to pass through, the weir has an upper end and a lower end, the upper end and the lower end are open, and an annular chamber is disposed between the weir and the outer shell of the ingot puller for holding solid-phase dopants.

4. The ingot puller apparatus of claim 1, comprising a tube disposed below the dopant container to direct dopant gas to the surface of the melt.

5. The ingot puller apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elongated member is a tube.

6. The ingot puller apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a valve for sealing the ingot puller inner chamber when the elongated member is withdrawn from the ingot puller inner chamber.

7. The ingot puller apparatus of claim 1, comprising a translation device for moving the dopant container between the loading position and the feeding position.

8. The ingot puller apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the translation device is a magnetically coupled through-wall translation unit.

9. The ingot puller apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the translation device is a bellows system.

10. An ingot puller apparatus for manufacturing a doped single crystal silicon ingot, the ingot puller apparatus comprising: Ingot puller outer shell; An inner chamber of the ingot puller, which is formed in the outer shell of the ingot puller; A crucible, which is placed in the inner chamber of the ingot puller; a dopant conduit having a gas inlet disposed outside the inner chamber of the ingot puller and a gas outlet disposed in the inner chamber of the ingot puller; and A dopant evaporation unit is disposed outside the inner chamber of the ingot puller and comprises: a dopant chamber for holding solid-phase dopants; A heating device for heating the solid-phase dopant and producing a dopant gas; an outlet through which the dopant gas passes, the outlet being in fluid communication with the dopant conduit; and An inlet is used to introduce a process gas, the inlet is outside the ingot puller housing, the inlet is in fluid communication with the dopant chamber, and the process gas passes through the dopant chamber and through the outlet.

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