Evergreen Solar, Inc.

Max Era, Inc.

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.

1366 Technologies Inc.

David S Harvey

Scott Reitsma

Weidong Huang

Richard Lee Wallace, Jr

Peter Lawrence Kellerman

Dawei Sun

Ralf Jonczyk

Brian T Helenbrook

Christine Richardson

Minh Sy Le

A main crucible of molten semiconductor is replenished from a supply crucible maintained such that there are always two phases of solid and liquid semiconductor within the supply crucible. Heat added to melt the solid material results in the solid material changing phase to liquid, but will not result in any significant elevation in temperature of the liquid within the supply crucible. The temperature excursions are advantageously small, being less than that which would cause problems with the formed product. The solid product material acts as a sort of temperature buffer, to maintain the supply liquid temperature automatically and passively at or very near to the phase transition temperature. For silicon, excursions are kept to less than 90&#xb0; C., and even as small as 50&#xb0; C. The methods also are useful with germanium. Prior art silicon methods that entirely melt the semiconductor experience excursions exceeding 100&#xb0; C.

Method for maintaining contained volume of molten material from which material is depleted and replenished

Embodiments related to sheet production are disclosed. A melt of a material is cooled to form a sheet of the material on the melt. The sheet is formed in a first region at a first sheet height. The sheet is translated to a second region such that it has a second sheet height higher than the first sheet height. The sheet is then separated from the melt. A seed wafer may be used to form the sheet.

Removing a sheet from the surface of a melt using elasticity and buoyancy

A method of growing a ribbon crystal provides a crucible containing molten material and passes string through the molten material to grow the ribbon crystal. The method further directs gas flow around the ribbon crystal such that the gas flows down along the ribbon crystal toward the crucible.

Controlling transport of gas borne contaminants across a ribbon surface

A ribbon crystal pulling furnace has an interior for enclosing at least a portion of one or more ribbon crystals, and an afterheater positioned within the interior. The afterheater has at least one wall with one or more openings that facilitate control of the temperature profile within the furnace.

Ribbon crystal pulling furnace afterheater with at least one opening

A ribbon crystal pulling furnace has a base insulation and a liner insulation removably connected to the base insulation. At least a portion of the liner insulation forms an interior for containing a crucible.

Removable thermal control for ribbon crystal pulling furnaces

A method of growing ribbon crystal provides a crucible containing molten material, and passes at least two strings through the molten material to produce a partially formed ribbon crystal. The method then directs a fluid to a given portion of the partially formed ribbon crystal to convectively cool the given portion.

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Westford, MA, United States of America

David S Harvey