Crucible Screen Bending Member for Single-Crystal Growth
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing single-crystal growth processes, such as the Kyropoulos process, face challenges with side sticking during transverse growth of single crystals, leading to defects and reduced quality due to uneven heat distribution and alignment issues.
Innovation Solution
A single-crystal growth apparatus is designed with a crucible screen and reflecting member that redirect radiant heat from the melt, preventing side sticking by ensuring consistent temperature distribution within the crucible, using a crucible screen with a bending member and a reflecting member to redirect heat towards the crucible walls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional crucible without heat reflection structure is used, then the equipment structure is simple, but side sticking occurs due to uneven heat distribution during transverse crystal growth
Solution Approach 1:
The crucible structure is segmented into functional zones: the upper end of the crucible wall is separated as a distinct region requiring heat reflection, while the lower end maintains conventional heating. This segmentation allows targeted heat management without redesigning the entire crucible, preventing side sticking in the critical upper growth zone while keeping the overall structure relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
A reflecting member is introduced as an intermediary element between the melt and the crucible wall. This reflecting member redirects radiant heat from the melt toward the upper crucible wall, mediating heat distribution to prevent side sticking. The heater also serves as a dual-function element, both heating the melt and reflecting heat when positioned at the upper end.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the heater is positioned close to the crucible for efficient heating, then heating efficiency is improved, but alignment precision becomes difficult to maintain during crystal growth
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is designed with movable and adjustable characteristics, allowing dynamic repositioning during the crystal growth process. The heater can be tilted and rotated to maintain optimal alignment as the crystal grows, ensuring continuous efficient heating while adapting to changing geometric relationships. This dynamic adjustment capability resolves the contradiction between close positioning for efficiency and alignment maintenance.
3Stability of the object's composition
If radiant heat from the melt is allowed to escape without reflection, then the equipment structure is simple, but temperature distribution uniformity deteriorates causing side sticking
Solution Approach 1:
Heat reflection is applied locally rather than uniformly throughout the entire crucible system. The reflecting member is specifically positioned to address the upper end of the crucible where side sticking occurs, while the lower end maintains conventional heating without additional reflection structures. This localized application of heat reflection achieves temperature uniformity in the critical zone without unnecessarily complicating the overall structure.
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
This solution effectively prevents side sticking, ensuring high-quality single-crystal growth by maintaining a consistent temperature within the crucible, reducing defects and improving the yield of single crystals.
Implementation Method 1
the crucible screen has a bending member reflecting a radiant heat generated from the melt in the crucible to inside wall of the crucible
Implementation Method 2
reflecting a radiant heat generated from the melt in the crucible
Implementation Method 3
a reflecting member disposed on an upper end of the crucible and reflecting a radiant heat generated from the melt in the crucible to inside wall of the crucible
Implementation Method 4
reflecting a radiant heat emitted from a surface of the melt into the melt
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a single-crystal growth apparatus including a chamber, a crucible provided in the chamber and configured to accommodate a melt that is a raw material for single-crystal growth, a heater disposed between the crucible and a side wall of the chamber and heating the crucible, and a crucible screen disposed on an upper end of the crucible, and the crucible screen has a bending member reflecting a radiant heat generated from the melt in the crucible to inside wall of the crucible.