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. 18, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 07, 1998
Richard M Aydelott, Ridgefield, WA (US);
SEH America, Inc., Vancouver, WA (US);
Abstract
A method of growing a crystalline ingot, such as a dislocation free ('DF') crystalline ingot, is provided including the steps of providing a melt having an at least partially solidified surface. Next, a seed crystal is brought into contact with the solidified portion of the surface of the melt and the temperature of the seed crystal is permitted to stabilize. Once the temperature of the seed crystal has stabilized, the temperature of the melt is raised to completely liquify the melt. While the temperature of the melt is being raised, the seed crystal is maintained in contact with the melt thereby reducing thermal shock in the seed crystal by permitting the seed crystal to gradually warm with the liquidation of the melt. Once the melt is completely liquified, the seed crystal is withdrawn from the melt to thereby grow a DF crystalline ingot. Since the seed crystal remains relatively dislocation free due to the reduced temperature gradient between the seed crystal and the solidified portion of the surface of the melt, a DF crystalline ingot can be grown without a neck, or with a neck having a relatively large diameter and relatively short length, thereby enabling the growth of DF crystalline ingots having a larger diameter and a larger mass than grown with conventional CZ methods.