Cylindrical Silicon Ingot Growth With Built-In Inner Diameter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional silicon ingot manufacturing methods require an additional coring process to create an inner diameter for wafer retaining rings, leading to defects, material waste, and increased operational complexity.
Innovation Solution
A method for manufacturing a cylindrical silicon ingot using a ring-shaped seed crystal, where the crucible and seed shaft rotate in opposite directions to grow the ingot with controlled speeds, allowing for the formation of an inner diameter without the need for a coring task.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a columnar ingot is manufactured using conventional silicon ingot manufacturing technology, then the ingot can be used for wafers and showerheads, but an additional coring process is required to manufacture wafer retaining rings with an inner diameter
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by pre-forming the ingot with an inner diameter during the crystal growth process itself, rather than adding the inner diameter later through coring. The seed crystal is designed with a specific geometry that enables the formation of an ingot having an inner diameter, so the structure is prepared in advance during manufacturing rather than requiring subsequent modification.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a coring process is performed to remove an inner core to form an inner diameter, then wafer retaining rings can be manufactured, but additional cutting processes and operations are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies the extraction principle by eliminating the need to remove an inner core through coring. Instead of growing a solid columnar ingot and then extracting material to create the inner diameter, the method grows the ingot directly with the desired hollow inner structure, extracting the unnecessary coring operation from the manufacturing process.
3Ease of operation
If the ingot length is reduced through additional cutting processes before coring, then the ingot becomes suitable for coring tasks, but more process operations are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies merging by combining the functions of length reduction and inner diameter formation into a single crystal growth process. The seed crystal geometry and growth parameters are controlled simultaneously to achieve both the appropriate length and the inner diameter structure in one operation, rather than performing separate cutting and coring operations.
4Ease of manufacture
If the internal material removed during coring is discarded, then the coring process can be completed, but a large amount of raw material is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the potential waste of material into a benefit by designing the crystal growth process to form the ingot with the correct hollow structure from the beginning. The material that would have been removed and discarded during coring is instead never grown in the first place, transforming what would be waste into useful material that defines the desired product geometry.
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
Enables the production of a cylindrical ingot with an inner diameter, reducing material waste, operational costs, and defect rates while enhancing process efficiency and reducing the need for additional processing steps.
Implementation Method 1
growing silicon (Si), gallium arsenide (GaAs), or the like using the Czochralski method
Implementation Method 2
manufactured by growing silicon (Si), gallium arsenide (GaAs), or the like using the Czochralski method
Implementation Method 3
heating the crucible to melt the silicon raw material
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a cylindrical ingot manufacturing method including: an operation of supplying a silicon raw material to an inside of a crucible and heating the crucible to melt the silicon raw material; an operation of supplying a seed crystal having one end fastened to a seed shaft to the inside of the crucible; and an operation of moving the seed crystal from a lower portion of the crucible to an upper portion thereof by the crucible rotating in one direction relative to the seed shaft and the seed shaft rotating in the other direction and moving upward. According to the present disclosure, since a ring-shaped seed crystal is grown, a cylindrical silicon ingot can be manufactured, and since a cylindrical silicon ingot having an inner diameter is formed, a wafer retaining ring can be manufactured from the ingot without a coring task.