Mobil Tyco Solar Energy Corporation

Gca Corporation

Jeff M Goldsmith

Douglas A Yates

Arthur E Hatch

Disclosed is a vacuum furnace temperature controller for the stable regulation of temperature over a wide range of temperatures. The control loop includes a multiplier responsive to the desired temperature which modifies the overall loop gain and the maximum power which may be applied to the furnace heater as a function of the desired temperature.

Parametric power controller

The growth of a crystalline body of a selected material is controlled so that the body has a selected cross-sectional shape. The apparatus is of the type which includes the structure normally employed in known capillary die devices as well as means for observing at least the portion of the surfaces of the growing crystalline body and the meniscus (of melt material from which the body is being pulled) including the solid/liquid/vapor junction in a direction substantially perpendicular to the meniscus surface formed at the junction when the growth of the crystalline body is under steady state conditions. The cross-sectional size of the growing crystalline body can be controlled by determining which points exhibit a sharp change in the amount of reflected radiation of a preselected wavelength and controlling the speed at which the body is being pulled or the temperature of the growth pool of melt so as to maintain those points exhibiting a sharp change at a preselected spatial position relative to a predetermined reference position. The improvement comprises reference object means positioned near the solid/liquid/vapor junction and capable of being observed by the means for observing so as to define said reference position so that the problems associated with convection current jitter are overcome.

Growing community of inventors

Medford, MA, United States of America

Jeff M Goldsmith