Ball Joint Connection for Silicon Crystal Pull-Up Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing silicon single crystal pull-up apparatuses face challenges in achieving high sealing performance at the connection between the sample tube and supply pipe, leading to dopant leakage due to misalignment and the restriction of materials that can withstand high temperatures and contamination.
Innovation Solution
A ball joint structure is used to connect the sample tube and supply pipe, featuring a convex portion on the sample tube and a concave portion on the supply pipe with curved contacting surfaces, forming a flow path and ensuring hermetic sealing even with slight misalignment, utilizing heat-resistant materials like quartz.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a connection means is used to join the sample tube with the supply pipe, then the dopant supply function is achieved, but dopant leakage occurs due to low sealing performance from misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The connection means employs a ball joint structure where the convex portion and concave portion both feature curved contacting surfaces. This curvature allows the joint to accommodate misalignment and maintain sealing performance, as the curved surfaces can adapt to positional deviations while still forming an effective seal that prevents dopant leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the connection interface by using curved surfaces instead of flat or cylindrical surfaces. This parameter change enables the joint to compensate for misalignment through the spherical geometry, maintaining reliable sealing under varying positional conditions.
2Temperature
If highly heat-resistant materials are used for the connection position, then the material can withstand high temperature, but the material selection is restricted and sealing performance is difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The connection means utilizes a composite structure combining heat-resistant materials (such as quartz or graphite) with precise geometric shaping. The heat-resistant material property is combined with the ball joint geometry to achieve both thermal stability and sealing performance, overcoming the limitation of material selection in high-temperature environments.
3Productivity
If the supply pipe is disposed inside the pulling furnace near the melt surface, then the dopant can be supplied efficiently, but the connection position is exposed to high temperature and contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The ball joint connection means acts as an intermediary structure that enables the supply pipe to be positioned inside the pulling furnace while maintaining sealing integrity. The joint structure protects the connection point from direct exposure to harmful factors by creating a sealed interface that isolates the dopant flow path from the harsh thermal and contaminative environment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a silicon single crystal pull-up apparatus with enhanced sealing performance, preventing dopant leakage and ensuring the growth of silicon single crystals with desired quality by maintaining a consistent dopant supply.
Implementation Method 1
the joint means is configured in a ball joint structure in which contacting surfaces of the convex portion and the concave portion are formed to be curved surfaces and the convex portion fits into and is joined with the concave portion
Implementation Method 2
a sample tube that can move up and down between an inside of the sample chamber and an inside of the pulling furnace; and an elevation/descent means that moves the sample tube up and down
Implementation Method 3
a supply pipe that is provided inside the pulling furnace and supplies the sublimable dopant discharged from the sample tube to the melt
Implementation Method 4
a pulling furnace; a sample chamber that is externally attached to the pulling furnace and houses a sublimable dopant; a sample tube that can move up and down between an inside of the sample chamber and an inside of the pulling furnace
Data Source
AI summary
A silicon single crystal pull-up apparatus includes a pull-up furnace, a sample chamber in which a sublimable dopant is housed, a sample tube which can be raised and lowered between the interior of the sample chamber and the interior of the pull-up furnace, a raising and lowering means for raising and lowering the sample tube, a supply pipe which is installed inside the pull-up furnace and supplies the sublimable dopant to a melt, and a connection means for connecting the sample tube and the supply pipe. The connection means is constructed from a ball joint structure comprising a convex member which projects from one end of the sample tube and a concave member which is provided at one end of the supply pipe and is formed to be engageable with the convex member. The contact surfaces of the convex member and the concave member are formed to be curved surfaces.