Crystal growth equipment and cooling device thereof

Abstract

The utility model discloses crystal growth equipment and a cooling device thereof, the cooling device is configured on a furnace base plate of the crystal growth equipment, the furnace base plate is provided with a plurality of hole sites for mounting a plurality of base plate assemblies, and the cooling device comprises a liquid inlet pipeline for receiving a cooling medium; the at least one cooling branch is provided with an inlet end and an outlet end which are communicated with the liquid inlet pipeline, and at least two cooling loops surrounding the hole site are communicated between the inlet end and the outlet end in series; all the cooling loops are communicated through communicating pipelines embedded or attached to the furnace chassis, so that the cooling medium sequentially passes through all the cooling loops from the inlet end to cool the chassis assemblies at the corresponding hole positions; and the liquid outlet pipeline is communicated with the outlet end so as to output the cooling medium.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of crystal manufacturing, and more particularly to a crystal growth apparatus and its cooling device. Background Technology

[0002] Crystal growth equipment, as a key piece of equipment for manufacturing single-crystal materials, is widely used in semiconductors, optoelectronics, and solar cells. By precisely controlling temperature, stretching rate, and atmosphere conditions, crystal growth equipment can transform raw materials such as silicon, sapphire, and silicon carbide into single-crystal materials with specific crystal structures to meet specific application requirements, based on growth methods such as Czochralski, zone melting, and vapor deposition.

[0003] Taking the Czochralski method as an example, the internal temperature of crystal growth equipment during the silicon rod pulling process can exceed 1400℃. Therefore, a cooling layer with cooling water is usually installed in the furnace bottom to cool the multiple components arranged on the furnace bottom. At this time, if the molten material leaks, it will inevitably melt through the furnace bottom and enter the cooling layer, coming into contact with the cooling water, which may cause a steam explosion.

[0004] Some manufacturers suspend multiple cooling pipes near these components, but this causes uneven flow of cooling water within the pipes, resulting in poor cooling performance. Furthermore, this suspended installation method leads to excessive space occupied by the pipes, which can become entangled around the components, interfering with their operation.

[0005] Therefore, how to provide a cooling device that can reduce the risk of contact between high-temperature raw materials and cooling medium while ensuring the normal operation of each chassis component is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the shortcomings of the above-mentioned related technologies, the purpose of this application is to provide a crystal growth equipment and its cooling device to solve the technical problems that high-temperature raw material leakage and contact with cooling medium will cause water vapor explosion, and that suspended cooling pipes will interfere with the normal operation of chassis components.

[0007] To achieve the above and other related objectives, the first aspect of this application provides a cooling device disposed on the furnace chassis of a crystal growth apparatus. The furnace chassis has multiple holes for mounting multiple chassis assemblies. The cooling device includes: a liquid inlet pipe for receiving a cooling medium; at least one cooling branch having an inlet end and an outlet end connected to the liquid inlet pipe, wherein at least two cooling loops surrounding the holes are connected in series between the inlet end and the outlet end, and the cooling loops are connected to each other through a connecting pipe embedded in or attached to the furnace chassis, so that the cooling medium passes sequentially from the inlet end through each cooling loop to cool the chassis assembly at the corresponding hole.

[0008] In some embodiments disclosed in the first aspect of this application, the first cooling branch is configured to include three cooling loops surrounding three holes.

[0009] In some embodiments disclosed in the first aspect of this application, the three holes are configured to be distributed sequentially at intervals along the centerline of the furnace chassis such that the first cooling branch extends along the centerline of the furnace chassis.

[0010] In some embodiments disclosed in the first aspect of this application, the chassis assembly installed at the middle hole is configured to include a lifting element connected to the crucible in the crystal growth apparatus, and the chassis assemblies installed at the other two holes are configured to include suction pipes communicating with the inner cavity of the furnace body of the crystal growth apparatus.

[0011] In some embodiments disclosed in the first aspect of this application, the second cooling branch is configured to include at least four cooling loops surrounding at least four apertures.

[0012] In some embodiments disclosed in the first aspect of this application, the second cooling branch is configured to include four cooling loops surrounding four holes for mounting chassis assemblies and two cooling loops surrounding two holes for mounting chassis assemblies.

[0013] In some embodiments disclosed in the first aspect of this application, the chassis assembly is configured to include electrodes for heating the crucible in the crystal growth apparatus.

[0014] In some embodiments disclosed in the first aspect of this application, the at least four holes are centrally symmetrically distributed on the furnace bottom plate such that the second cooling branch on the furnace bottom plate is presented as an arc conforming to the at least four holes.

[0015] In some embodiments disclosed in the first aspect of this application, the cooling loop is configured to include an outer loop surrounding the periphery of the respective aperture.

[0016] In some embodiments disclosed in the first aspect of this application, each of the chassis components is mounted to a corresponding hole via a mounting member, and the cooling loop further includes an inner loop built into the mounting member that communicates with the outer loop.

[0017] In some embodiments disclosed in the first aspect of this application, at least one mounting element is configured as a flange, the flange being configured as a hollow structure to form the inner loop.

[0018] In some embodiments disclosed in the first aspect of this application, the outer loop is embedded in or attached to the furnace bottom plate.

[0019] In some embodiments disclosed in the first aspect of this application, a circulation processing device is further included, which is connected to the outlet end to recycle the cooling medium output from the outlet end and output it to the inlet end.

[0020] In some embodiments disclosed in the first aspect of this application, the circulating processing apparatus includes a temperature detector for detecting the temperature of the cooling medium at the outlet end, and a heat exchanger electrically connected to the temperature detector to adjust the temperature of the cooling medium based on the detected temperature.

[0021] In some embodiments disclosed in the first aspect of this application, the liquid inlet line is equipped with a flow control valve for adjusting the flow rate of the cooling medium.

[0022] A second aspect of this application provides a crystal growth apparatus, comprising: a furnace body having a furnace chassis, the furnace body being configured with a crucible assembly for heating solid silicon to form liquid silicon material; a cooling device as described in any embodiment of the first aspect of this application, configured on the furnace chassis to cool the chassis assembly; a crystal stretching assembly configured above the furnace body for stretching and growing single-crystal silicon rods; an atmosphere control device for supplying gas into the furnace body and drawing gas from the furnace body to control the atmosphere within the furnace body; and a fluid control device for connecting the liquid inlet pipe of the cooling device to supply a cooling medium to the cooling device.

[0023] In some embodiments disclosed in the second aspect of this application, a leakage detection device is also included for outputting a leakage signal of the liquid silicon material.

[0024] In summary, the crystal growth equipment and cooling device provided in this application reduce the flow area of ​​the cooling medium by providing at least one cooling branch on the cooling device for cooling each chassis component on the furnace chassis, thereby reducing the risk of explosion caused by leakage of high-temperature raw materials coming into contact with the cooling medium. By configuring the cooling branch as a cooling loop surrounding each chassis component and a connecting pipe embedded or attached to the furnace chassis to connect each cooling loop, the cooling effect is ensured while minimizing the occupation of external space on the furnace chassis, thus avoiding interference with each chassis component. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The specific features involved in this application are shown in the appended claims. The features and advantages of the invention can be better understood by referring to the exemplary embodiments and accompanying drawings described in detail below. A brief description of the drawings is as follows:

[0026] Figure 1 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the external structure of the furnace body in one embodiment of this application.

[0027] Figure 2 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the internal structure of the furnace body in one embodiment of this application.

[0028] Figure 3 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the furnace chassis in one embodiment of this application.

[0029] Figure 4 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the structure of the first cooling branch in one embodiment of this application.

[0030] Figure 5 This application is displayed. Figure 4 An enlarged schematic diagram of the first cooling branch in the illustrated embodiment.

[0031] Figure 6 This application is displayed. Figure 5 A schematic cross-sectional view of the first cooling branch in the embodiment shown.

[0032] Figure 7 This application is displayed. Figure 6 A magnified view of a portion of point A in the illustrated embodiment.

[0033] Figure 8 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the first cooling branch in another embodiment of this application.

[0034] Figure 9 and Figure 10 The diagrams shown are schematic diagrams of the second cooling branch in different embodiments of this application.

[0035] Figure 11 This application is displayed. Figure 10 A schematic cross-sectional view of the second cooling branch in the embodiment shown.

[0036] Figure 12 This application is displayed. Figure 11 A magnified view of a portion of point A in the illustrated embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of this application. Those skilled in the art can easily understand the advantages and technical effects of this application from the content disclosed in this specification. In the following description, some embodiments may be referenced to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that other embodiments not shown in the drawings may also be used, and changes in specific structures, parts or mechanisms, components, and operations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. The following detailed description should not be considered limiting, and the scope of the embodiments of this application is limited only by the claims published in this application. The terminology used herein is for describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this application.

[0038] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, or third, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements or parameters in some embodiments, these elements or parameters should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element or parameter from another, and not to define the order, priority, or importance of multiple elements. For example, a first cooling branch may be referred to as a second cooling branch, and similarly, a second cooling branch may be referred to as a first cooling branch, without departing from the scope of the various described embodiments.

[0039] Furthermore, as used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context indicates otherwise. It should be further understood that the terms “comprising,” “including,” and “including” indicate the presence of the stated features, steps, operations, elements, components, items, kinds, and / or groups, but do not exclude the presence, occurrence, or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, items, kinds, and / or groups. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products, or devices. Additionally, the term “and / or,” which may be used hereinafter, describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships may exist; for example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. Furthermore, the character “ / ”, unless otherwise specified, generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an “and / or” relationship. Additionally, in the description of embodiments of this application, “multiple” refers to two or more. Furthermore, the terms “or” and “and / or” as used herein are interpreted as inclusive, or mean either one or any combination thereof. Exceptions to this definition only arise when a combination of elements, functions, steps, or operations is inherently mutually exclusive in some way.

[0040] It should also be understood that when an element, such as a layer, region, or substrate, is referred to as being "on" another element or extending "on" another element, the element may be directly on or directly extending onto the other element, or intermediate elements may be present. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly on" another element or "directly extending onto" another element, no intermediate elements are present. It will also be understood that when an element is referred to as being "connected" or "attached" to another element, it may be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or intermediate elements may be present. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another element, no intermediate elements are present. Furthermore, the term "coupled" generally means physical, mechanical, magnetic, and / or electrical coupling or connection, and in the absence of specific contrasting language, the presence of intermediate elements between coupled or associated items is not excluded.

[0041] Relative terms such as “below,” “above,” “upper,” “lower,” “horizontal,” or “vertical” may be used herein to describe the relationship between one element, layer, or region and another element, layer, or region illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that these terms are intended to cover different device orientations other than those depicted in the figures. In this application, “vertical,” “horizontal,” and “parallel” are defined as including cases within ±10% of the standard definition. For example, vertical typically refers to an angle of 90° relative to a reference line, but in this application, vertical refers to cases including those within 80° to 100°. Unless otherwise expressly stated, comparative quantitative terms (such as “above” and “below”) are intended to cover the concept of equality. As an example, “above” can mean not only “greater than” in a mathematical sense but also “equal to.”

[0042] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application. When used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that, when used herein, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” and / or “comprising” designate the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0043] In view of the technical problems mentioned in the background art, this application discloses a crystal growth apparatus and its cooling device. By setting at least one cooling branch on the cooling device for cooling each chassis component on the furnace chassis, the flow area of ​​the cooling medium is reduced, thereby reducing the risk of explosion caused by leakage of high-temperature raw materials coming into contact with the cooling medium. By setting the cooling branch as a cooling loop surrounding each chassis component and a connecting pipe embedded or attached to the furnace chassis to connect each cooling loop, the cooling effect is ensured while minimizing the occupation of external space on the furnace chassis, thereby avoiding interference with each chassis component.

[0044] The crystal growth equipment provided in some embodiments of this application can be used to arrange atoms or molecules in raw materials in an orderly manner to form a specific crystal structure according to different growth techniques, thereby artificially synthesizing crystal materials with specific properties. For example, the Czochralski method can be used to synthesize single crystal materials such as silicon rods and sapphire from solid silicon raw materials; the zone melting method can be used to synthesize high-purity semiconductor materials such as silicon wafers from silicon raw materials; and the chemical vapor deposition method can be used to synthesize diamond films from gaseous raw materials such as methane. In the example of synthesizing silicon rods using the Czochralski method, the crystal growth equipment can be configured as a single crystal furnace. Specifically, after heating the solid silicon raw material to a molten state to form liquid silicon material, a seed crystal is immersed in the liquid silicon material and rotated and pulled at a certain speed, causing the liquid silicon material to solidify directionally on the seed crystal, gradually growing a cylindrical single crystal silicon rod. The following description of various embodiments using the configuration of the crystal growth equipment as a single crystal furnace as an example should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0045] In one embodiment, the crystal growth apparatus includes a furnace body, a crystal stretching assembly, and an atmosphere control device. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 1 and Figure 2 ,in, Figure 1 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the external structure of the furnace body in one embodiment of this application. Figure 2 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the internal structure of the furnace body in one embodiment of this application. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the furnace body 1 is equipped with a crucible assembly 11 for heating solid silicon to form liquid silicon material. The crystal stretching assembly (not shown) is positioned above the furnace body 1 for stretching and growing single-crystal silicon rods. The atmosphere control device is used to supply gas into the furnace body 1 and to draw gas from the furnace body 1 to control the atmosphere inside the furnace body 1.

[0046] In one embodiment, the furnace body 1 is used to provide a high-temperature environment for melting solid silicon to form liquid silicon material and to maintain the temperature field required for silicon rod growth. In one example, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the furnace body 1 is configured as a cylindrical structure formed by the side walls and the furnace base 12, with an internal groove for accommodating the crucible assembly 11. In this example, the furnace base 12 is circular; however, in other examples, it may be rectangular or polygonal to form other shapes of furnace bodies to accommodate polycrystalline silicon growth. In some examples, both the side walls and the furnace base 12 are provided with insulation layers, such as graphite felt and ceramic fiber, to ensure a high-temperature environment within the furnace. In some examples, the furnace body 1 may be made of materials possessing properties such as high temperature resistance, oxidation resistance, and high mechanical strength, such as stainless steel, alloys, quartz, and refractory ceramics.

[0047] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the crucible assembly 11 can be configured to include a crucible 111, a crucible heating device 112, and a crucible moving device. The crucible 111 is used to hold molten liquid silicon material, and the crucible heating device 112 is used to heat the crucible 111 and maintain the melting temperature of the silicon material in the crucible 111, for example, 1420°C. The crucible moving device is used to move the crucible 111 vertically in accordance with the pulling motion of the crystal stretching assembly on the silicon rod. In one example, the moving speed of the crucible 111 is related to the pulling speed of the silicon rod to compensate for the drop in liquid level height after the liquid silicon material in the crucible 111 is consumed during the pulling process of the silicon rod. In one example, the crucible 111 can be configured as a quartz crucible.

[0048] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the crucible heating device 112 includes a first heating mechanism 1121 for heating the sidewalls of the crucible 111 and a second heating mechanism 1122 for heating the bottom of the crucible 111. In this embodiment, the first heating mechanism 1121 includes a first heating element 11211 disposed around the periphery of the crucible 111, and the second heating mechanism 1122 includes a second heating element 11221 disposed around the bottom of the crucible 111. Further, as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the first heating element 11211 is connected to the first pair of electrodes 1101 to heat the sidewalls, and the second heating element 11221 is connected to the second pair of electrodes 1102 to heat the bottom. The first pair of electrodes 1101 and the second pair of electrodes 1102 can be mounted on the furnace bottom plate 12. In one example, the first heating element 11211 and the second heating element 11221 are configured as serpentine resistance wires. The serpentine resistance wire of the first heating element 11211 is arranged in a ring around the periphery of the crucible 111, and the serpentine resistance wire of the second heating element 11221 is arranged in a plate shape at the bottom of the crucible 111.

[0049] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the crucible moving device can be configured to include a lifting element 113 and a lifting drive mechanism. The lifting element 113 passes through the second heating component 11221 and the furnace bottom plate 12 and is connected to the bottom of the crucible 111. The lifting drive mechanism is associated with the lifting element 113 and drives the lifting element 113 to achieve the lifting and lowering of the crucible 111. In one example, the lifting drive mechanism is configured as a lifting motor. In another example, the lifting element 113 can be configured as a lifting shaft.

[0050] In one embodiment, the crystal stretching assembly may be configured to include a seed crystal clamping mechanism for fixing the seed crystal, a lifting mechanism for stretching the silicon rod from liquid silicon material, and a rotating mechanism for rotating the seed crystal. In one example, as mentioned above, the speed at which the lifting mechanism lifts the silicon rod is related to the moving speed of the crucible 111. It should be noted that the vertical moving speed of the lifting mechanism and the rotation speed at which the rotating mechanism drives the silicon rod to rotate can be determined according to the required silicon rod size parameters. For example, if the required silicon rod diameter is large, the lifting speed of the lifting mechanism can be set relatively slowly, but this is not a limitation; it can be determined according to actual production needs.

[0051] It should be understood that oxygen, water vapor, or other impurities in the atmosphere within furnace 1 may affect the performance of the grown silicon rod. For example, the presence of oxygen may cause the oxygen content in the silicon rod to exceed the standard, thereby affecting the conductivity and mechanical properties of the silicon rod. Therefore, it is necessary to use the atmosphere control device to regulate the gas environment within furnace 1 to ensure that the atmospheric conditions during the silicon rod growth process meet the purity required by the production process and avoid silicon rod quality defects.

[0052] In one embodiment, the atmosphere control device may be configured to include a gas supply mechanism for supplying an inert gas, such as argon or nitrogen, into the furnace body 1, and a suction mechanism for extracting excess or contaminated gas from the furnace body 1 to maintain a pure atmosphere within the furnace body 1. In this embodiment, the gas supply rate of the gas supply mechanism and the gas extraction rate of the suction mechanism are matched to ensure that the atmosphere circulating within the furnace body 1 remains pure, while simultaneously maintaining a dynamic pressure balance within the furnace body 1. In one example, the suction mechanism includes a suction pipe that passes through the furnace chassis 12 and communicates with the inner cavity of the furnace body 1.

[0053] Please see Figure 3 The image shown is a schematic diagram of the furnace chassis structure in one embodiment of this application, as follows: Figure 3As shown, the furnace base 12 is provided with multiple holes 121 for mounting multiple base assemblies. In some examples, the base assembly may be configured as the suction pipe, or the aforementioned first pair of electrodes 1101 and second pair of electrodes 1102 for heating the crucible 111, or a lifting element 113 for moving the crucible 111 in the vertical direction, or a combination of two or three of these. It should be noted that the multiple configurations described in this application are at least two, that is, the furnace base 12 is configured with at least two holes. In some examples, the number of holes 121 is configured to be the same as the number of base assemblies, for example, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, each chassis component is configured as a first pair of electrodes 1101 and a second pair of electrodes 1102, a lifting element 113, and two suction pipes. At this time, the hole position 121 can be configured as seven.

[0054] In one embodiment, the crystal growth apparatus further includes a cooling device 2, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the cooling device 2 is disposed on the furnace chassis 12 and is used to cool the plurality of chassis components.

[0055] In one embodiment, the cooling device 2 includes an inlet pipe, at least one cooling branch, and an outlet pipe. The inlet pipe receives the cooling medium. The at least one cooling branch has an inlet end and an outlet end connected to the inlet pipe, and at least two cooling loops surrounding the orifice 121 are connected between the inlet end and the outlet end. Each cooling loop is connected to the other via a connecting pipe embedded in or attached to the furnace chassis 12, so that the cooling medium passes sequentially from the inlet end through each cooling loop to cool the chassis assembly at the corresponding orifice. The outlet pipe connects to the outlet end to output the cooling medium. In other words, the cooling medium flows from the inlet pipe to the inlet end of the cooling branch, then sequentially through each cooling loop via the connecting pipe, cools the chassis assembly at each orifice, flows to the outlet end of the cooling branch, and finally is output via the outlet pipe.

[0056] The term "embedded" refers to installing the connecting pipe within the furnace base 12 in a reserved space, such as a groove structure, by embedding or embedding it, so that the connecting pipe can be hidden within the furnace base 12 without occupying any external space of the furnace body 1. The term "attached" refers to installing the connecting pipe onto the surface of the furnace base 12 by means of adhesive bonding or other fixed connections, so that the connecting pipe occupies as little external space as possible in the furnace body 1. In one example, the cooling loop can be selectively installed on the furnace base 12 by embedding, attaching, or a combination of both.

[0057] It should be noted that the cooling device provided in this application includes a small width for both the connecting pipes and the cooling loop, which results in a smaller area occupied by the cooling branch on the furnace bottom plate 12. This effectively optimizes the structural layout of the furnace bottom plate and reduces the risk of molten liquid silicon material leaking and coming into contact with the cooling medium, thereby avoiding explosion problems caused by rapid temperature and pressure changes.

[0058] In one embodiment, the inlet pipe and outlet pipe of the cooling device 2 can each be configured as one. In one example, the cooling branch is also configured as one. In this case, the cooling medium can be supplied to the inlet pipe by the fluid supply device described later, and then input into the inlet end of the cooling branch. After cooling each chassis component, it flows to the outlet end of each cooling branch and is finally output to the outlet pipe. In another example, the cooling branch is configured as multiple branches. In this case, the multiple cooling branches are arranged in parallel on the furnace chassis 12. The cooling medium is distributed to the multiple inlet ends of the multiple cooling branches through the single inlet pipe. After cooling each chassis component on each cooling branch, it flows to the corresponding outlet end and is finally output after being collected through the single outlet pipe. Of course, in this example, the number of inlet pipes and outlet pipes can be configured to be the same as the number of cooling branches. In this case, the inlet end of each cooling branch is connected to an inlet pipe to receive the cooling medium, and the outlet end is connected to an outlet pipe to output the cooling medium.

[0059] In one embodiment, the inlet end or the outlet end can be flexibly configured. In one example, the inlet end and the outlet end can be configured as an inlet and an outlet to serve as interfaces for the cooling medium input and output cooling branches, respectively. In another example, the inlet end and the outlet end can also be configured as a section of pipe extending from the connecting pipe or the cooling loop to achieve a transition connection between pipes. In some other examples, it can also be configured as a combination of interface and pipe to meet the cooling medium delivery requirements.

[0060] As mentioned earlier, the cooling device 2, in addition to including the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe, also includes one or more cooling branches. For example, in Figure 1 and Figure 3In the example shown, the cooling device 2 is configured to include a first cooling branch 21 and a second cooling branch 22. In other examples, the cooling device 2 may be configured to include only one cooling branch or to include more than two cooling branches. The following description uses the configuration of the cooling branch as the first cooling branch 21, or as the second cooling branch 22, or both as the first cooling branch 21 and the second cooling branch 22, as examples in the various embodiments. This should not be construed as a limitation of this application. For ease of description and distinction, the inlet end, outlet end, connecting pipe, and cooling loop included in the first cooling branch 21 are referred to as the first inlet end, the first outlet end, the first connecting pipe, and the first cooling loop; the inlet end, outlet end, connecting pipe, and cooling loop included in the second cooling branch 22 are referred to as the second inlet end, the second outlet end, the second connecting pipe, and the second cooling loop. These will not be repeated in subsequent embodiments.

[0061] In one embodiment, the cooling device 2 includes an inlet pipe (not shown), a first cooling branch 21, and an outlet pipe (not shown). Please refer to... Figure 4 and Figure 5 ,in, Figure 4 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the first cooling branch in one embodiment of this application. Figure 5 This application is displayed. Figure 4 An enlarged schematic diagram of the first cooling branch in the illustrated embodiment. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the first cooling branch 21 has a first inlet end 211 and a first outlet end 212 that connect to the liquid inlet pipe. At least two first cooling loops 213 that surround the holes 121 are connected between the first inlet end 211 and the first outlet end 212. Each of the first cooling loops 213 is connected to each other through a first connecting pipe 214 embedded in the furnace chassis 12 so that the cooling medium cools the chassis assembly of the corresponding hole 121 by passing through each of the first cooling loops 213 from the first inlet end 211.

[0062] In this embodiment, the first cooling branch 21, including the first inlet end 211, the first outlet end 212, and the first connecting pipe 214, is configured to be embedded in the furnace bottom platen 12. This ensures that the cooling medium flows uniformly within the first cooling branch 21, reduces the generation of temperature gradients, improves the cooling effect, and avoids occupying the external space of the furnace bottom platen 12, thus avoiding interference with the various platen components. Of course, in some other embodiments, the first inlet end 211, the first outlet end 212, and the first connecting pipe 214 may also be configured to be attached to the furnace bottom platen 12; this application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0063] In one embodiment, such as Figure 5As shown, the first cooling loop 213 is configured to include an outer loop 2131 surrounding the corresponding hole 121. For ease of distinction, the outer loop 2131 included in the first cooling loop 213 is referred to as the first outer loop, and the outer loop 2231 included in the second cooling loop 223 mentioned later is referred to as the second outer loop. Similarly, the inner loop 2132 included in the first cooling loop 213 mentioned later is referred to as the first inner loop, and the inner loop included in the second cooling loop 223 is referred to as the second inner loop. The first outer loop 2131 and the second outer loop 2231, as well as the first inner loop 2132 and the second inner loop, will not be described again when referring to them later.

[0064] In one embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, the first outer loop 2131 is embedded in the furnace bottom plate 12. Further, it communicates with the first connecting pipe 214, allowing the cooling medium to cool the bottom plate assembly at the corresponding aperture 121 as it passes through the first outer loop 2131. Of course, in another embodiment, the first outer loop 2131 may be attached to the furnace bottom plate 12. In one example, the first outer loop 2131 is configured as a closed-loop pipe surrounding the aperture 121, its shape adapted to the shape of the aperture 121. For example, in... Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the example shown, the hole 121 is configured as a perfect circle, and the first outer loop 2131 is configured as a perfect circle surrounding the hole 121. In one example, the first outer loop 2131 is positioned close to the hole 121 to effectively suppress temperature diffusion around the periphery of the hole 121, thereby ensuring the cooling effect. In other examples, a certain distance may be reserved between the first outer loop 2131 and the hole 121 to avoid excessively rapid local cooling, which could affect the temperature gradient control of the furnace body.

[0065] In one embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, each chassis component is mounted to its corresponding hole 121 via mounting bracket 120. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 6 and Figure 7 ,in, Figure 6 This application is displayed. Figure 5 A schematic cross-sectional view of the first cooling branch in the embodiment shown. Figure 7 This application is displayed. Figure 6 A magnified view of a portion at point A in the illustrated embodiment. Figure 7Taking one of the first cooling loops 213 as an example, the first cooling loop 213 also includes a first inner loop 2132 built into the mounting member 120, which communicates with the first outer loop 2131. In this example, the first inner loop 2132 extends further into the interior of the mounting member 120, achieving a deeper cooling effect. Furthermore, the first inner loop 2132 and the first outer loop 2131 form a multi-stage cooling structure surrounding the hole 121, making the temperature gradient around the chassis assembly more uniform and beneficial for overall temperature field control of the furnace chassis.

[0066] In one embodiment, the first inner loop 2132 may be configured as a continuous single-channel structure, along which the cooling medium flows to cool the chassis assembly. In other embodiments, the first inner loop 2132 may be configured as a multi-channel parallel structure to accommodate the dimensions of the mounting member 120, thereby achieving better cooling performance. In one example, when the height of the mounting member 120 is high, the first inner loop 2132 may be configured to include multiple independent loops of the same diameter stacked vertically. In one example, when the diameter of the mounting member 120 is large, the first inner loop 2132 may be configured to include multiple independent concentric loops with increasing or decreasing diameters. Those skilled in the art can set the specific structure of the first inner loop 2132 and adjust the positions of the first inner loop 2132 and the first outer loop 2131 relative to the furnace chassis 12 based on the teachings of this application.

[0067] In one embodiment, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the first outer ring 2131 is embedded in the furnace bottom plate 12. Figure 6 and Figure 7 In the example shown, the first inner loop 2132 is attached to the furnace bottom plate 12 along with the mounting member 120 in the hole 121. Of course, in some other examples, the first inner loop 2132 may also be embedded in the furnace bottom plate 12 along with the mounting member 120. It should be noted here that... Figure 6 and Figure 7 To clearly demonstrate the independent layout features of the first outer loop 2131 and the first inner loop 2132, they are presented separately. In practical applications, the first outer loop 2131 and the first inner loop 2132 can be connected through a hidden channel within the furnace bottom plate 12 to ensure the continuity of the cooling medium flow. In another embodiment, the first outer loop 2131 can be attached to the furnace bottom plate 12, and the first inner loop 2131 can be selectively embedded in or attached to the furnace bottom plate 12 according to the installation of the mounting member 120 in the hole 121.

[0068] In one embodiment, at least one mounting element 120 is configured as a flange, which is configured as a hollow structure to form a first inner loop 2132. The hollow structure refers to a cavity or channel within the flange for the flow of cooling medium. In this embodiment, the hollow structure also reduces the weight of the mounting element 120, thereby reducing the load on the furnace chassis 12. It should be understood that the at least one mounting element 120 can be adaptively configured according to the specific structure of the chassis assembly; for example, in some other embodiments, it may also be configured as a bearing housing, etc.

[0069] In one embodiment, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the first cooling branch 21 is configured to include three first cooling loops 213 surrounding the three holes 121. Of course, the first cooling branch 21 may also be configured to include two or more first cooling loops 213. For example, please refer to... Figure 8 The diagram shows a structural schematic of the first cooling branch in another embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 8 As shown, the first cooling branch 21 is configured to include two first cooling loops 213 surrounding the two holes 121.

[0070] In the embodiment where the first cooling branch 21 includes three first cooling loops 213, please refer to... Figure 4 and Figure 5 The three holes 121 are arranged sequentially and spaced apart along the centerline L of the furnace base 12, so that the first cooling branch 21 extends along the centerline L of the furnace base 12. In this embodiment, the three first cooling loops 213 are equally spaced along the centerline L of the furnace base 12 to maintain the symmetry of the temperature field, thereby forming a stable temperature gradient. In another embodiment, the spacing between any two adjacent first cooling loops 213 can be set according to the temperature of each base component to improve cooling efficiency. For example, the spacing between two adjacent first cooling loops 213 can be reduced in areas with higher temperatures.

[0071] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 5The chassis assembly installed at the middle hole 121 is configured to include a lifting element 113 connected to the crucible 111 in the crystal growth equipment. The chassis assemblies installed at the other two holes are configured to include suction pipes communicating with the inner cavity of the furnace body 1 of the crystal growth equipment. The specific structure and function of the lifting element 113 and the suction pipes can be found in the previous description and will not be repeated here. In this embodiment, the cooling medium is input to the first inlet end 211 of the first cooling branch 21 through the liquid inlet pipe, and sequentially passes through the first outer loop 2131 and the first inner loop 2132 of the three first cooling loops 213 distributed on the center line L of the furnace chassis 12, so as to cool the suction pipes, lifting element 113 and another suction pipe at the three holes 121 from left to right in sequence. After that, the cooling medium flows to the first outlet end 212 and is output by the liquid outlet pipe.

[0072] In one embodiment, the cooling device 2 includes an inlet pipe (not shown), a second cooling branch 22, and an outlet pipe (not shown). Please refer to... Figure 9 and Figure 10 The figures shown are schematic diagrams of the second cooling branch in different embodiments of this application. Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the second cooling branch 22 has a second inlet end 221 and a second outlet end 222 that connects to the liquid inlet pipe. At least two second cooling loops 223 that surround the holes 121 are connected between the second inlet end 221 and the second outlet end 222. Each of the second cooling loops 223 is connected to each other through a second connecting pipe 224 attached to the furnace bottom plate 12 so that the cooling medium cools the bottom plate assembly of the corresponding hole 121 by passing through each of the second cooling loops 223 from the second inlet end 221.

[0073] In this embodiment, the second cooling branch 22, including the second inlet end 221, the second outlet end 222, and the second connecting pipe 224, is configured to be attached to the furnace bottom plate 12. In one example, its protrusion height from the furnace bottom plate 12 is approximately 10 mm to minimize the occupation of the external space of the furnace bottom plate 12, thereby avoiding interference with the bottom plate assemblies installed at each hole 121. Of course, in some other embodiments, the second inlet end 221, the second outlet end 222, and the second connecting pipe 224 may also be configured to be embedded in the furnace bottom plate 12, and this application does not limit this.

[0074] Please see Figure 11 and Figure 12 ,in, Figure 11 This application is displayed. Figure 10 A schematic cross-sectional view of the second cooling branch in the embodiment shown. Figure 12 This application is displayed. Figure 11A magnified view of a portion at point A in the illustrated embodiment. Figure 12 Taking one of the second cooling loops 223 as an example, the second cooling loop 223 is configured to include a second outer loop 2231 surrounding the periphery of the corresponding hole 121. In this embodiment, the second outer loop 2231 is attached to the furnace bottom plate 12. Further, the second outer loop 2231 is connected to the second connecting pipe 224, so that the cooling medium cools the bottom plate assembly at the corresponding hole 121 when passing through the second outer loop 2231. Of course, in another embodiment, the second outer loop 2231 may be embedded in the furnace bottom plate 12. In one example, the second outer loop 2231 is configured as a closed loop surrounding the hole 121, the shape of which is adapted to the shape of the hole 121. For example, in Figure 9 and Figure 10 In the example shown, the aperture 121 is configured as a perfect circle, and the second outer loop 2231 is configured as a perfect circle surrounding the aperture 121. In one example, the second outer loop 2231 is positioned close to the aperture 121 to effectively suppress temperature diffusion around the aperture 121, thereby ensuring the cooling effect. In other examples, a certain distance may be reserved between the second outer loop 2231 and the aperture 121 to avoid excessively rapid local cooling, which could affect the temperature gradient control of the furnace body.

[0075] In one embodiment, each of the chassis components can be mounted to the corresponding hole 121 via a mounting member. The second cooling loop 223 further includes a second inner loop built into the mounting member that communicates with the second cooling loop 223. The structure and function of the second inner loop 2232 can be the same as those of the first inner loop 2132. For details, please refer to the description of the first inner loop 2132 in the foregoing embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0076] In this embodiment, the second outer loop 2231 is attached to the furnace bottom plate 12. In another embodiment, the second outer loop 2231 may also be embedded in the furnace bottom plate 12. In some examples, the second inner loop may be selectively embedded in or attached to the furnace bottom plate 12 as the mounting member is installed in the hole 121. In one example, the mounting member may be configured as a flange, which is configured as a hollow structure to form the second inner loop, as described in the foregoing embodiments.

[0077] In one embodiment, the second cooling branch 22 is configured to include at least four second cooling loops 223 surrounding at least four apertures 121. For example, in one example, as... Figure 9 As shown, the second cooling branch 22 is configured to include four second cooling loops 223 surrounding the four apertures 121. In another example, as... Figure 10As shown, the second cooling branch 22 is configured to include four second cooling loops 223 surrounding four mounting holes 121 for chassis assemblies, and two second cooling loops 223 surrounding two mounting holes 121 for chassis assemblies. In other words, in Figure 10 In the example shown, the second cooling branch 22 is configured to include six second cooling loops 223, two of which surround two spare holes 121. These spare holes 121 can be temporarily left uninstalled with chassis components, for example, they can provide a mounting position for a new chassis component in case of a failure of chassis components at other holes, thus avoiding work interruptions and ensuring production efficiency. In this example, the second and fifth holes can be configured as spare holes; of course, any two holes can be arbitrarily selected as spares. It should be noted that the number of spare holes 121 for installing chassis components can be configured arbitrarily, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0078] In some other embodiments, the second cooling branch may also be configured to include two or more than six second cooling loops 223, depending on the number of chassis components actually configured.

[0079] In one embodiment, the at least four holes 121 are centrally symmetrically distributed on the furnace base 12 so that the second cooling branch 22 is arc-shaped on the furnace base 12, conforming to the at least four holes 121. In this embodiment, the centrally symmetrical distribution of the at least four holes 121 and the arc-shaped design of the second cooling branch 22 surrounding the furnace base ensure both uniform flow of the cooling medium at each base assembly, guaranteeing the cooling effect, and a mechanically balanced system to disperse the stress generated by thermal expansion. In one example, such as... Figure 9 As shown, the four holes 121 are centrally symmetrically distributed on the furnace base 12 so that the second cooling branch 22 presents an arc shape on the furnace base 12 that conforms to the four holes 121. In another example, as... Figure 10 As shown, the six holes 121 are centrally symmetrically distributed on the furnace bottom plate 12 so that the second cooling branch 22 presents an arc shape on the furnace bottom plate 12 that conforms to the six holes 121.

[0080] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 1 ,as well as Figure 9 and Figure 10 The chassis assembly is configured to include electrodes for heating the crucible 111 in the crystal growth apparatus described in the foregoing embodiments. In an example where four holes 121 are configured on the furnace chassis 12, such as... Figure 9As shown, the first pair of electrodes 1101 and the second pair of electrodes 1102 can be installed at the four holes 121 respectively to heat the sidewalls and bottom of the crucible 111. In an example where six holes 121 are arranged on the furnace base 12, such as... Figure 10 As shown, two of the six holes 121 can be used to install the electrodes, and the remaining four holes are used to install the first pair of electrodes 1101 and the second pair of electrodes 1102 to form two electrode groups.

[0081] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the cooling device 2 includes an inlet pipe (not shown), a first cooling branch 21, a second cooling branch 22, and an outlet pipe (not shown). The specific structural details of the first cooling branch 21 and the second cooling branch 22 can be found in the descriptions of the preceding embodiments and will not be repeated here. In this embodiment, the first cooling branch 21 and the second cooling branch 22 are designed in parallel, so that while the cooling medium is input from the inlet pipe to the first cooling branch 21 and then output to the outlet pipe, it can also be input from the inlet pipe to the second cooling branch 22 and then output to the outlet pipe, thereby simultaneously cooling the chassis components at each of the holes 121 on the two cooling branches.

[0082] In one embodiment, each cooling branch can be configured to include a main cooling branch and a secondary cooling branch connected in parallel, so that when one cooling branch is blocked or malfunctions, the other cooling branch can be activated in time to cool down the chassis components, thereby ensuring production efficiency.

[0083] In one embodiment, the cooling device 2 further includes a circulation processing device connected to the outlet end to recover the cooling medium output from the outlet end and output it to the inlet end. Specifically, the cooling medium is input into the inlet end of the cooling branch through the liquid inlet pipe, cools each chassis component, and is then output to the outlet end of the cooling branch. At this time, the circulation processing device recovers the cooling medium and re-inputs it to the inlet end to cool each chassis component again. In this way, the liquid inlet pipe only needs to input the cooling medium once to achieve multiple reuses, thereby reducing production costs.

[0084] In one embodiment, the circulation processing device includes a temperature detector and a heat exchanger. The temperature detector detects the temperature of the cooling medium at the outlet end, and the heat exchanger is electrically connected to the temperature detector to adjust the temperature of the cooling medium based on the detected temperature. It should be understood that after heat exchange between the cooling medium and each chassis assembly, the temperature of the cooling medium at the outlet end will be higher than that at the inlet end. In one example, the temperature detector may be configured, for instance, at the outlet end. When it detects that the temperature of the cooling medium at the outlet end is higher than the theoretically input temperature of the cooling medium and exceeds a certain temperature value or a certain temperature range, the temperature detector may input a heat exchange signal to the heat exchanger, causing the heat exchanger to cool the cooling medium, thereby keeping the temperature of the cooling medium at the inlet end within a controllable range and ensuring a cooling effect.

[0085] In some other embodiments, the circulation processing device may further include a filter to filter the cooling medium after each cooling effect, thereby preventing the cooling branches from becoming clogged due to impurity deposits.

[0086] In one embodiment, to supply cooling medium to the inlet end, the crystal growth apparatus further includes a fluid supply device for connecting to the inlet pipe of the cooling device 2 to supply cooling medium to the cooling device 2. In one implementation, the fluid supply device may be configured to include a storage unit and a supply unit. The storage unit is used to store the cooling medium, and the supply unit is used to transport the cooling medium from the storage unit to the inlet pipe. In one example, the storage unit may be configured as a storage tank, and the supply unit may be configured as a centrifugal pump. In one example, the cooling medium may be configured as water or an ethylene glycol solution, etc.

[0087] In one embodiment, a flow control valve for adjusting the flow rate of the cooling medium is configured on the inlet pipe. By controlling the opening degree of the flow control valve, the flow rate of the cooling medium input to the inlet can be controlled. In one example, the flow control valve can be manually adjusted by an operator. The flow control valve can be configured as a ball valve, needle valve, or butterfly valve, etc. In another example, the flow control valve can be configured as an automatic control valve to achieve automated flow regulation. In this example, a flow sensor can also be configured on the inlet pipe to monitor the flow rate of the cooling medium flowing in the inlet pipe in real time and feed the flow signal back to a control device. The control device adjusts the opening degree of the flow control valve to regulate the flow rate of the cooling medium in the cooling branch.

[0088] It should be understood that the molten liquid silicon material in crucible 111 may leak, thereby burning through the furnace bottom plate 12. Therefore, in one embodiment, the crystal growth apparatus further includes a leakage detection device for outputting a leakage signal of the liquid silicon material. In one example, the leakage detection device may be configured to include a temperature sensor or a pressure sensor and be positioned near each cooling branch. When the liquid silicon material leaks and contacts the furnace bottom plate 12, the temperature sensor and the pressure sensor can quickly detect abnormal changes in temperature and pressure and transmit the leakage signal to the control device. In one example, the leakage detection device may further include an alarm. When the control device receives the leakage signal, it can control the alarm to emit an audible alert to warn the operator to handle the situation promptly.

[0089] In one embodiment, the crystal growth apparatus may further include an emergency response system controlled by the control device to initiate an emergency response procedure. In one example, the emergency response procedure may control the closure of a flow control valve on the liquid inlet line to rapidly stop the input of cooling medium in the event of a liquid silicon material leak. In another example, the emergency response procedure may control the activation of a pressure-reducing device, which may, for example, be used to expel water vapor generated from the contact between the liquid silicon material and the cooling medium from the furnace body to maintain pressure balance within the furnace, thereby preventing an explosion.

[0090] In summary, the crystal growth equipment and cooling device disclosed in this application reduce the flow area of ​​the cooling medium by providing at least one cooling branch on the cooling device for cooling each chassis component on the furnace chassis, thereby reducing the risk of explosion caused by leakage of high-temperature raw materials coming into contact with the cooling medium. By configuring the cooling branch as a cooling loop surrounding each chassis component and a connecting pipe embedded or attached to the furnace chassis to connect each cooling loop, the cooling effect is ensured while minimizing the occupation of external space on the furnace chassis, thus avoiding interference with each chassis component.

[0091] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the inventive essence and beneficial effects of this application, and are not intended to limit this application. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the principles and scope of this application. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations achieved by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in this application should still be covered by the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A cooling device, characterized in that, The cooling device is configured on the furnace bottom plate of a crystal growth apparatus, the furnace bottom plate having multiple holes for mounting multiple bottom plate assemblies, and includes: The inlet pipe is used to receive the cooling medium; At least one cooling branch has an inlet end and an outlet end that connect to the liquid inlet pipe. At least two cooling loops that surround the orifice are connected in series between the inlet end and the outlet end. Each cooling loop is connected to the other through a connecting pipe embedded in or attached to the furnace chassis so that the cooling medium cools the chassis assembly of the corresponding orifice sequentially through each cooling loop from the inlet end. The liquid outlet pipe is connected to the outlet end to output the cooling medium.

2. The cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first cooling branch is configured to include three cooling loops surrounding the three holes.

3. The cooling device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The three holes are arranged at intervals along the center line of the furnace chassis so that the first cooling branch extends along the center line of the furnace chassis.

4. The cooling device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The chassis assembly installed at the middle hole is configured to include a lifting element connected to the crucible in the crystal growth equipment, while the chassis assemblies installed at the other two holes are configured to include suction pipes communicating with the inner cavity of the furnace body of the crystal growth equipment.

5. The cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second cooling branch is configured to include at least four cooling loops surrounding at least four holes.

6. The cooling device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second cooling branch is configured to include four cooling loops surrounding four holes for mounting chassis components and two cooling loops surrounding two holes for mounting chassis components.

7. The cooling device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The chassis assembly is configured to include electrodes for heating the crucible in the crystal growth apparatus.

8. The cooling device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The at least four holes are centrally symmetrically distributed on the furnace bottom plate so that the second cooling branch is in an arc shape that conforms to the at least four holes on the furnace bottom plate.

9. The cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling loop is configured to include an outer loop surrounding the periphery of the corresponding aperture.

10. The cooling device according to claim 9, characterized in that, Each of the chassis components is mounted to the corresponding holes via mounting members, and the cooling loop also includes an inner loop built into the mounting member that communicates with the outer loop.

11. The cooling device according to claim 10, characterized in that, At least one mounting component is configured as a flange, the flange being configured as a hollow structure to form the inner loop.

12. The cooling device according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, The outer loop is embedded in or attached to the furnace bottom plate.

13. The cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a circulation processing device connected to the outlet end to recycle the cooling medium output from the outlet end and output it to the inlet end.

14. The cooling device according to claim 13, characterized in that, The circulating processing device includes a temperature detector for detecting the temperature of the cooling medium at the outlet end, and a heat exchanger electrically connected to the temperature detector to adjust the temperature of the cooling medium based on the detected temperature.

15. The cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inlet pipeline is equipped with a flow control valve for adjusting the flow rate of the cooling medium.

16. A crystal growth apparatus, characterized in that, include: A furnace body having a furnace base plate, the furnace body being equipped with a crucible assembly for heating solid silicon to form liquid silicon material; The cooling device as described in any one of claims 1 to 15 is disposed on the furnace chassis to cool the chassis assembly; A crystal stretching assembly, disposed above the furnace body, is used for stretching and growing single-crystal silicon rods; An atmosphere control device is used to supply gas into the furnace body and to draw gas from the furnace body to control the atmosphere inside the furnace body. A fluid supply device is used to connect the inlet pipe of the cooling device to supply cooling medium to the cooling device.

17. The crystal growth apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that, It also includes a silicon leakage detection device for outputting a leakage signal of the liquid silicon material.

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