Single crystals of semiconductor material are produced by an FZ method, wherein a molten zone is created between a feed rod and a growing single crystal; the method involving melting feed rod material in a high frequency magnetic field of a first induction coil; crystallizing material of the molten zone on top of the growing single crystal; rotating the growing single crystal about an axis of rotation and changing the direction of rotation and the speed of rotation according to a predetermined pattern; and imposing an alternating magnetic field of a second induction coil on the molten zone, wherein the alternating magnetic field is not axisymmetric with respect to the axis of rotation of the growing single crystal.

Single crystals of semiconductor material are produced by an FZ method, wherein a molten zone is created between a feed rod and a growing single crystal; the method involving melting feed rod material in a high frequency magnetic field of a first induction coil; crystallizing material of the molten zone on top of the growing single crystal; rotating the growing single crystal about an axis of rotation and changing the direction of rotation and the speed of rotation according to a predetermined pattern; and imposing an alternating magnetic field of a second induction coil on the molten zone, wherein the alternating magnetic field is not axisymmetric with respect to the axis of rotation of the growing single crystal.

FZ single crystals are pulled by melting a polycrystal with electromagnetic melting apparatus and then recrystallizing. First, a lower end of the polycrystal is melted; second, a monocrystalline seed is attached to the lower end of the polycrystal and melted beginning from an upper end thereof; third, between a lower section of the seed and the polycrystal, a thin neck is formed whose diameter (d.sub.D) is smaller than that (d.sub.I) of the seed; and fourth, between the thin neck section and the polycrystal, a conical section is formed. Before the conical growth, a switchover position (h′) of the polycrystal, the position at which the rate of polycrystal movement relative to the melting apparatus is to be reduced is determined, and the rate is reduced, in amount when the switchover position (h′) is reached.

To provide a single crystal production apparatus capable of efficiently producing a single crystal of relatively high quality, by cooling a melting zone, the device including: a heating part that forms the melting zone from a raw material by irradiation of light; and a supporting part that supports the melting zone in a non-contact manner.

To provide a single crystal production apparatus capable of efficiently producing a single crystal of relatively high quality, by cooling a melting zone, the device including: a heating part that forms the melting zone from a raw material by irradiation of light; and a supporting part that supports the melting zone in a non-contact manner.

A single crystal is pulled by an FZ method, in which a polycrystal is melted by means of an electromagnetic melting apparatus and then recrystallized, wherein a first phase (P.sub.1) a lower end of the polycrystal, which is moved toward the melting apparatus, is melted by the melting apparatus to form a drop, and in a second phase (P.sub.2) a monocrystalline seed is attached to the lower end of the polycrystal and is melted beginning from an upper end of the seed, where a power (P) of the melting apparatus during the first phase (P.sub.1) and during the second phase (P.sub.2) is predetermined at least temporarily in dependence on a temperature and/or geometrical dimensions of crystal material used which comprises the drop and/or the seed and/or the polycrystal.

A single crystal is pulled by an FZ method, in which a polycrystal is melted by means of an electromagnetic melting apparatus and then recrystallized, wherein a first phase (P.sub.1) a lower end of the polycrystal, which is moved toward the melting apparatus, is melted by the melting apparatus to form a drop, and in a second phase (P.sub.2) a monocrystalline seed is attached to the lower end of the polycrystal and is melted beginning from an upper end of the seed, where a power (P) of the melting apparatus during the first phase (P.sub.1) and during the second phase (P.sub.2) is predetermined at least temporarily in dependence on a temperature and/or geometrical dimensions of crystal material used which comprises the drop and/or the seed and/or the polycrystal.

A single crystal is pulled by the FZ method, in which in a first phase, a lower end of the polycrystal is melted by the melting apparatus, in a second phase, a monocrystalline seed is attached to the lower end of the polycrystal, and in a third phase, between a lower section of the seed and the polycrystal, a thin neck section is formed whose diameter is smaller than that of the seed, where the power of the melting apparatus before the third phase is dynamically adapted in dependence on a position of a lower phase boundary (P.sub.U) between liquid material and solid material on the part of the seed, and where the power of the melting apparatus during the third phase is dynamically adapted in dependence on the position of an upper phase boundary (P.sub.O) between liquid material and solid material on the part of the polycrystal plant.

A single crystal is pulled by the FZ method, in which in a first phase, a lower end of the polycrystal is melted by the melting apparatus, in a second phase, a monocrystalline seed is attached to the lower end of the polycrystal, and in a third phase, between a lower section of the seed and the polycrystal, a thin neck section is formed whose diameter is smaller than that of the seed, where the power of the melting apparatus before the third phase is dynamically adapted in dependence on a position of a lower phase boundary (P.sub.U) between liquid material and solid material on the part of the seed, and where the power of the melting apparatus during the third phase is dynamically adapted in dependence on the position of an upper phase boundary (P.sub.O) between liquid material and solid material on the part of the polycrystal plant.

The process for manufacturing a silicon wafer includes steps for mounting a float zone silicon work piece for exfoliation, energizing a microwave device for generating an energized beam sufficient for penetrating an outer surface layer of the float zone silicon work piece, exfoliating the outer surface layer of the float zone silicon work piece with the energized beam, and removing the exfoliated outer surface layer from the float zone silicon work piece as the silicon wafer having a thickness less than 100 micrometers.