The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 21, 2026
Filed:
Sep. 22, 2021
Sumco Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Yasunobu Shimizu, Tokyo, JP;
Susumu Tamaoki, Tokyo, JP;
Ippei Shimozaki, Tokyo, JP;
Keiichi Takanashi, Tokyo, JP;
Ken Hamada, Tokyo, JP;
SUMCO CORPORATION, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Provided is a process of measuring a space between a melt surface and a seed crystal provided above a melt, a process of lowering the seed crystal based on the space and bringing the seed crystal into contact with the melt, and a process of growing a single crystal by pulling the seed crystal while maintaining contact with the melt. Images of the seed crystal and the melt surface are captured by a camera installed diagonally above the melt surface, a real-image edge approximation circle is generated by approximating a circle from an edge pattern at a lower end of a straight-trunk portion of a real image of the seed crystal, and a mirror-image edge approximation circle is generated by approximating the circle from an edge pattern at the straight-trunk portion of a mirror image of the seed crystal reflected on the melt surface.