SiC single crystal production method and production apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10081883-B2
Application number	US-201715400456-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2017
Priority date	Jan 12, 2016
Publication date	Sep 25, 2018
Grant date	Sep 25, 2018

Abstract

Provided is a method for producing a SiC single crystal having a concave growth surface and containing no inclusions, even when conducting large diameter crystal growth. This is achieved by a method for producing a SiC single crystal in which a seed crystal substrate held on a seed crystal holding shaft is contacted with a Si—C solution having a temperature gradient such that the temperature decreases from the interior toward the liquid level, to cause crystal growth of a SiC single crystal, wherein the seed crystal holding shaft has a shaft portion and a seed crystal holding portion at the bottom end of the shaft portion, and the ratio of the diameter D 1 of the shaft portion to the diameter D 2 of the seed crystal holding portion (D 1 /D 2 ) is no greater than 0.28.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for producing a SiC single crystal in which a seed crystal substrate held on a seed crystal holding shaft is contacted with a Si—C solution having a temperature gradient such that the temperature decreases from the interior toward the liquid level, to cause crystal growth of a SiC single crystal, wherein
the SiC single crystal is grown to a diameter of 30 mm or more and a thickness of 1 mm or more while maintaining a concave growth surface, and is grown without inclusions across the entire diameter and thickness ranges,
the seed crystal holding shaft has a shaft portion and a seed crystal holding portion at the bottom end of the shaft portion, and
the ratio of the diameter D 1 of the shaft portion to the diameter D 2 of the seed crystal holding portion (D 1 /D 2 ) is no greater than 0.28.

2. The method for producing a SiC single crystal according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness at the perimeter of the seed crystal holding portion is larger than the thickness at the center section of the seed crystal holding portion.

3. An apparatus for producing a SiC single crystal comprising:
a crucible that accommodates a Si—C solution,
a heating device situated on the periphery of the crucible, and
a seed crystal holding shaft situated in a movable manner in the vertical direction,
the apparatus being based on a solution process in which the seed crystal substrate held on the seed crystal holding shaft is contacted with the Si—C solution that has been heated so as to have a temperature gradient such that the temperature decreases from the interior toward the liquid level, to grow a SiC single crystal to a diameter of 30 mm or more with a thickness of 1 mm or more with no inclusions across the entire diameter and thickness ranges, while maintaining a concave growth surface, from the seed crystal substrate, wherein
the seed crystal holding shaft has a shaft portion and a seed crystal holding portion at the bottom end of the shaft portion,
a diameter of the seed crystal holding portion is 30 mm or more, and
the ratio of the diameter D 1 of the shaft portion to the diameter D 2 of the seed crystal holding portion (D 1 /D 2 ) is no greater than 0.28.

4. The apparatus for producing a SiC single crystal according to claim 3 , wherein the thickness at the perimeter of the seed crystal holding portion is larger than the thickness at the center section of the seed crystal holding portion.

5. The method for producing a SiC single crystal according to claim 1 , wherein the diameter to which the SiC single crystal is grown is 40 mm or more.

6. The method for producing a SiC single crystal according to claim 1 , wherein the diameter to which the SiC single crystal is grown is 50 mm or more.

7. The method for producing a SiC single crystal according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio D 1 /D 2 is no less than 0.05.

8. The method for producing a SiC single crystal according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio D 1 /D 2 is no less than 0.10.

9. The method for producing a SiC single crystal according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio D 1 /D 2 is no greater than 0.26.

10. The method for producing a SiC single crystal according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio D 1 /D 2 is no greater than 0.24.

11. The method for producing a SiC single crystal according to claim 1 , wherein a maximum angle θ of an inclination of the concave crystal growth surface with respect to an on-axis surface of crystal growth is a range of from 0<θ≤8°.

12. The method for producing a SiC single crystal according to claim 1 , wherein a maximum angle θ of an inclination of the concave crystal growth surface with respect to an on-axis surface of crystal growth is a range of from 4≤θ≤8°.

13. The apparatus for producing a SiC single crystal according to claim 3 , wherein the diameter of the seed crystal holding portion is 40 mm or more.

14. The apparatus for producing a SiC single crystal according to claim 3 , wherein the diameter of the seed crystal holding portion is 50 mm or more.

15. The apparatus for producing a SiC single crystal according to claim 3 , wherein the ratio D 1 /D 2 is no less than 0.05.

16. The apparatus for producing a SiC single crystal according to claim 3 , wherein the ratio D 1 /D 2 is no less than 0.10.

17. The apparatus for producing a SiC single crystal according to claim 3 , wherein the ratio D 1 /D 2 is no greater than 0.26.

18. The apparatus for producing a SiC single crystal according to claim 3 , wherein the ratio D 1 /D 2 is no greater than 0.24.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd
• Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp

Inventors

• Kado Motohisa
• Daikoku Hironori
• Kusunoki Kazuhiko
• Seki Kazuaki

Classifications

• C30B19/04

  the solvent being a component of the crystal composition · CPC title

• C30B29/36

  Carbides · CPC title

• C30B19/062

  Vertical dipping system · CPC title

• C30B19/068 Primary

  Substrate holders · CPC title

• C30B11/00 Primary

  Single-crystal growth by normal freezing or freezing under temperature gradient, e.g. Bridgman-Stockbarger method (C30B13/00, C30B15/00, C30B17/00, C30B19/00 take precedence; under a protective fluid C30B27/00) · CPC title