Apparatus for growing crystalline bodies from the melt

• US 3,953,174 A
• Filed: 03/17/1975
• Issued: 04/27/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Saphikon, Inc. (Compagnie de Saint-Gobain SA)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Laboratories, Inc.
• Inventors: LaBelle, Harold E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yudkoff, Norman
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ribando, Curtis P.
• Application Number:
  US05/558,768
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 23/273 SP, 156/608, 156/616, 156/617, 164/129, 164/85, 164/274
• US Class Current: 117/210
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 15/00 Single-crystal growth by pulling from a melt, e.g. Czochralski method under a protective fluid C30B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 15/005 Simultaneous pulling of more than one crystal
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 15/02 adding crystallising materials or reactants forming it in situ to the melt
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 15/14 Heating of the melt or the crystallised materials
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 15/34 Edge-defined film-fed crystal-growth using dies or slits
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/66 Crystals of complex geometrical shape, e.g. tubes, cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 117/104 Means for forming a hollow structure [e.g., tube, polygon]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 117/1044 including means forming a flat shape [e.g., ribbon]

Abstract

The invention is an improved apparatus for use in a system for growing crystalline bodies from the melt. The apparatus has a novel crucible die assembly in which the dies are located in cavities in the crucible side wall.

Claims

1. Apparatus for use in a system for growing crystalline bodies from the melt comprising:

a crucible having a side wall and a bottom wall defining an interior space for containing a melt, said side wall having an upper end surface, a plurality of cavities in said side wall extending down from said upper end surface for receiving a like plurality of dies with capillaries, and at least one passageway in said side wall connecting the bottom ends of said cavities with said interior space so that melt can flow from said interior space into said cavities.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further including a cover seated on the upper end of said side wall and covering the interior space of the crucible, an opening in said cover, and a charge tube connected to and extending up from said cover, said charge tube communicating with said interior space through said opening.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said crucible side wall is substantially cylindrical, and said cavities are substantially circumferentially spaced in said side wall.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least one passageway extends radially from said interior space to said cavities.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 further including means exterior of said crucible for heating said crucible and die assembly.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 further including a capillary die assembly disposed in each of said cavities.