Shin-etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.

Yasushi Nakamura

Seiichiro Otsuka

Eiichi Iino

Michiaki Oda

Masahiko Urano

Koji Mizuishi

Seiichiro Ohtsuka

Masanori Kimura

Hirotoshi Yamagishi

Fumio Yamada

Yoshihiro Hirano

Isamu Harada

Koji Midzuishi

Atsushi Shiozawa

Masahiro Mashimo

Tooru Ohara

Eizi Namiki

Single crystal growing method and apparatus

In a crystal holding apparatus, a corrugated portion between a seed crystal and a straight cylindrical portion of a crystal is held by a lifting jig during a single-crystal growing process wherein the seed crystal is brought into contact with a material melt and is subsequently pulled while being rotated. The tip end portion of the lifting jig includes a swinging portion having a short stroke which swings to hold or release the corrugated portion. A lock mechanism is also provided in order to swing the swinging portion for opening/closing operation and to lock the swinging portion. Accordingly, it is possible to reliably hold the corrugated portion of a crystal while the crystal is pulled in accordance with the CZ method, for example.

Crystal holding apparatus

A method and an apparatus for pulling a single crystal are disclosed. A first neck portion, a convex portion, and a second neck portion are formed in this order under a seed crystal held by a seed chuck, and subsequent to the second neck portion, a single crystal having a diameter-expanding portion and a straight cylindrical portion is formed. Lifting holders are brought around and in proximity to the second neck portion when the second neck portion rises to a predetermined position during the pulling by the seed chuck. The single crystal and the lifting holders are moved relative to each other in the vertical direction to thereby bring the convex portion into contact with the lifting holders in a resting manner, so that part of a load borne by the seed chuck is shifted to the lifting holders. Subsequently, the pulling operation is performed by the lifting holders. Accordingly, a single crystal having a larger weight can be pulled safely while maintaining high quality.

Crystal pulling methods and apparatus

An apparatus for producing a single crystal grown by Czochralski method includes a winding drum disposed in a case for winding up and down a flexible pull wire, a power transmission mechanism for driving the winding drum, and a bearing unit for rotatably supporting the winding drum. The power transmission mechanism and the bearing unit are disposed outside the case and isolated from the furnace atmosphere surrounding the winding drum and the pull wire in the case. With this construction, metallic dust produced by abrasion from the power transmission mechanism and the bearing unit has no influence on the condition of the furnace atmosphere and hence the quality of a single crystal being pulled upwardly by the pull wire.

Apparatus for producing Czochralski-grown single crystals

A single crystal pulling apparatus having a wire which is used to pull a crystal is provided with a novel wire vibration prevention mechanism. The wire vibration prevention mechanism includes wire restriction devices which restrict the movement of the wire to movement in the vertical direction. The wire restriction devices may be mechanically driven in the horizontal direction in order to center the pulled crystal. The wire restriction devices are driven by pneumatic air cylinders. Use of the wire vibration prevention mechanism avoids the formation of deformed growth of the pulled crystal and thus reduces the occurrence of dislocations in the pulled crystal.

Wire vibration prevention mechanism for a single crystal pulling

Growing community of inventors

Tomioka, Japan

Yasushi Nakamura