System for growing crystal sheets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11274379-B2
Application number	US-202016801204-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2020
Priority date	Feb 26, 2020
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

A die for growing a single crystal by an Edge-defined Film-fed Growth (EFG) technique includes a first outer die plate; a second outer die plate; and at least one central die plate positioned between the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate such that at least two capillaries are formed between the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate. First ends of the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate have a slope extending away from at least one of the at least two capillaries to form a growth interface at a top of the die. Second ends of the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate are immersed in a raw material melt provided in a crucible. The raw material melt is configured to travel to the growth interface by capillary flow of the raw material melt through the at least two capillaries.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A die for growing a single crystal by an Edge-defined Film-fed Growth (EFG) technique, the die comprising:
a first outer die plate having a generally rectangular shape;
a second outer die plate having a generally rectangular shape; and
at least one central die plate positioned between the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate such that at least two capillaries are formed between the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate,
wherein first ends of the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate have a slope extending away from at least one of the at least two capillaries to form a growth interface at a top of the die,
second ends of the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate are immersed in a raw material melt provided in a crucible,
the raw material melt is configured to travel to the growth interface by capillary flow of the raw material melt through the at least two capillaries, and
the at least one central die plate has a first end having a pair of angled surfaces meeting at a point.

2. The die of claim 1 , wherein the pair of angled surfaces meeting at a point forms a knife edge.

3. The die of claim 2 , wherein the knife edge has a radius of curvature of less than 50 microns.

4. The die of claim 2 , wherein the knife edge is configured to provide laminar flow at a point where the at least two capillaries merge at the growth interface.

5. The die of claim 2 , wherein the angled surfaces are provided at an angle of 1 to 30 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the central die plate.

6. A die for growing a single crystal by an Edge-defined Film-fed Growth (EFG) technique, the die comprising:
a first outer die plate having a generally rectangular shape;
a second outer die plate having a generally rectangular shape; and
at least one central die plate positioned between the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate such that at least two capillaries are formed between the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate,
wherein first ends of the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate have a slope extending away from at least one of the at least two capillaries to form a growth interface at a top of the die,
second ends of the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate are immersed in a raw material melt provided in a crucible,
the raw material melt is configured to travel to the growth interface by capillary flow of the raw material melt through the at least two capillaries, and
a plurality of spacers are provided between the first outer die plate and the at least one central die plate and between the second outer die plate and the at least one central die plate.

7. A die for growing a single crystal by an Edge-defined Film-fed Growth (EFG) technique, the die comprising:
a first outer die plate having a generally rectangular shape;
a second outer die plate having a generally rectangular shape; and
at least one central die plate positioned between the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate such that at least two capillaries are formed between the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate,
wherein first ends of the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate have a slope extending away from at least one of the at least two capillaries to form a growth interface at a top of the die,
second ends of the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate are immersed in a raw material melt provided in a crucible,
the raw material melt is configured to travel to the growth interface by capillary flow of the raw material melt through the at least two capillaries, and
the at least one central die plate comprises a first central die plate and a second central die plate.

8. The die of claim 7 , wherein a first end of the first central die plate has a slope that matches the slope of the first end of the first outer die plate and a first end of the second central die plate has a slope that matches the slope of the first end of the second outer die plate.

9. The die of claim 8 , wherein the first end of the first central plate comprises an angled knife edge configured to direct and merge the raw material melt from at least two of the capillaries at the growth interface and the first end of the second central plate comprises an angled knife edge configured to direct and merge the raw material melt from at least two of the capillaries at the growth interface.

10. The die of claim 9 , wherein the first ends of the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate each comprise a chamfered surface prior to the slope.

11. The die of claim 7 , wherein a plurality of spacers are provided between the first outer die plate and the first central die plate, between the first central die plate and the second central die plate, and between the second outer die plate and the second central die plate.

12. An apparatus for growing a crystal, the apparatus comprising:
a crucible configured to contain a liquid melt; and
a die located above the growth crucible, the die comprising: a first outer die plate having a generally rectangular shape; a second outer die plate having a generally rectangular shape; and at least one central die plate positioned between the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate such that at least two capillaries are formed between the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate, wherein first ends of the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate have a slope extending away from at least one of the at least two capillaries to form a growth interface at a top of the die, second ends of the first outer die plate and the second outer die plate are immersed in the liquid melt provided in the crucible, the liquid melt is configured to travel to the growth interface by capillary flow of the raw material melt through the at least two capillaries, and the at least one central die plate has a first end having a pair of angled surfaces meeting at a point.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the pair of angled surfaces meeting at a point forms a knife edge.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the knife edge has a radius of curvature of less than 50 microns.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the knife edge is configured to provide laminar flow at a point where the at least two capillaries merge at the growth interface.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the angled surfaces are provided at an angle of 1 to 30 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the central die plate.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein a plurality of spacers are provided between the first outer die plate and the at least one central die plate and between the second outer die plate and the at least one central die plate.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the at least one central die plate comprises a first central die plate and a second central die plate.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein a first end of the first central die plate has a slope that matches the slope of the first end of the first outer die plate and a first end of the second central die plate has a slope that matches the slope of the first end of the second outer die plate.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the first end of the first central plate comprises an angled knife edge configured to direct and merge the raw material melt from at least two of the capillaries at the growth interface and the first end of the second central plate comprises an ang

Assignees

• Ii Vi Delaware Inc

Inventors

• Stoddard Nathan
• Seitz Melissa

Classifications

• C30B35/007 Primary

  Apparatus for preparing, pre-treating the source material to be used for crystal growth · CPC title

• C30B29/20

  Aluminium oxides · CPC title

• C30B15/34 Primary

  Edge-defined film-fed crystal-growth using dies or slits · CPC title

• C30B35/002

  Crucibles or containers · CPC title