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:
Aug. 25, 2015
Filed:
Dec. 04, 2012
Lingyan Song, Brookfield, CT (US);
Lloyd Anthony Brown, East Amherst, NY (US);
Lingyan Song, Brookfield, CT (US);
Lloyd Anthony Brown, East Amherst, NY (US);
PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC., Danbury, CT (US);
Abstract
This invention is directed to a method for recovering, purifying and recycling an inert gas on a continual basis in connection with a silicon crystal pulling process. Silicon oxide impurities generated during the crystal growth process are completely oxidized by in-situ oxidation with a regulated amount of an oxidizing source gas mixture to form silicon dioxide impurities, which can be removed by a particulate removal device. The particulate-free effluent enters a purification unit to remove the remaining impurities. The inert gas emerging from the purification unit can be fed back into the crystal puller apparatus and/or mixed with the oxidizing source gas mixture. As a result, the ability to increase silicon crystal throughput, quality and at the same time reduce the costs associated with recycling the inert gas can be achieved.