Provided is a cylindrical ingot manufacturing method including: an operation of supplying a silicon raw material to an inside of a crucible and heating the crucible to melt the silicon raw material; an operation of supplying a seed crystal having one end fastened to a seed shaft to the inside of the crucible; and an operation of moving the seed crystal from a lower portion of the crucible to an upper portion thereof by the crucible rotating in one direction relative to the seed shaft and the seed shaft rotating in the other direction and moving upward. According to the present disclosure, since a ring-shaped seed crystal is grown, a cylindrical silicon ingot can be manufactured, and since a cylindrical silicon ingot having an inner diameter is formed, a wafer retaining ring can be manufactured from the ingot without a coring task.

Provided is a cylindrical ingot manufacturing method including: an operation of supplying a silicon raw material to an inside of a crucible and heating the crucible to melt the silicon raw material; an operation of supplying a seed crystal having one end fastened to a seed shaft to the inside of the crucible; and an operation of moving the seed crystal from a lower portion of the crucible to an upper portion thereof by the crucible rotating in one direction relative to the seed shaft and the seed shaft rotating in the other direction and moving upward. According to the present disclosure, since a ring-shaped seed crystal is grown, a cylindrical silicon ingot can be manufactured, and since a cylindrical silicon ingot having an inner diameter is formed, a wafer retaining ring can be manufactured from the ingot without a coring task.

A crystal growing system can include a spool-balanced seed lift assembly for rotating and lifting a seed crystal supported by a cable. The seed crystal is supported along and rotated about a lift axis. The spool-balanced seed lift assembly includes a spool that rotates on, and has a center of gravity along, an axis that intersects the lift axis. As the spool rotates, it moves axially along its axis to avoid displacing the cable from the lift axis. A guide pulley positioned below the spool is used to direct the cable between the lift axis and a spool-tangent axis to minimize displacement of the cable as it is raised and rotated.

A crystal growing system can include a spool-balanced seed lift assembly for rotating and lifting a seed crystal supported by a cable. The seed crystal is supported along and rotated about a lift axis. The spool-balanced seed lift assembly includes a spool that rotates on, and has a center of gravity along, an axis that intersects the lift axis. As the spool rotates, it moves axially along its axis to avoid displacing the cable from the lift axis. A guide pulley positioned below the spool is used to direct the cable between the lift axis and a spool-tangent axis to minimize displacement of the cable as it is raised and rotated.

An apparatus for controlling heat flow within a melt. The apparatus may include a crucible configured to contain the melt where the melt has an exposed surface. The apparatus may also include a heater disposed below a first side of the crucible and configured to supply heat through the melt to the exposed surface, and a heat diffusion barrier assembly comprising at least one heat diffusion barrier disposed within the crucible and defining an isolation region in the melt and an outer region in the melt.

An apparatus for controlling heat flow within a melt. The apparatus may include a crucible configured to contain the melt where the melt has an exposed surface. The apparatus may also include a heater disposed below a first side of the crucible and configured to supply heat through the melt to the exposed surface, and a heat diffusion barrier assembly comprising at least one heat diffusion barrier disposed within the crucible and defining an isolation region in the melt and an outer region in the melt.

An apparatus for controlling heat flow within a melt. The apparatus may include a crucible configured to contain the melt where the melt has an exposed surface. The apparatus may also include a heater disposed below a first side of the crucible and configured to supply heat through the melt to the exposed surface, and a heat diffusion barrier assembly comprising at least one heat diffusion barrier disposed within the crucible and defining an isolation region in the melt and an outer region in the melt.

An apparatus for controlling heat flow within a melt. The apparatus may include a crucible configured to contain the melt where the melt has an exposed surface. The apparatus may also include a heater disposed below a first side of the crucible and configured to supply heat through the melt to the exposed surface, and a heat diffusion barrier assembly comprising at least one heat diffusion barrier disposed within the crucible and defining an isolation region in the melt and an outer region in the melt.

An apparatus for controlling heat flow within a melt. The apparatus may include a crucible configured to contain the melt where the melt has an exposed surface. The apparatus may also include a heater disposed below a first side of the crucible and configured to supply heat through the melt to the exposed surface, and a heat diffusion barrier assembly comprising at least one heat diffusion barrier disposed within the crucible and defining an isolation region in the melt and an outer region in the melt.

A crystal ingot puller includes a crucible for holding a crystal melt, a crystal puller housing that defines a growth chamber, and a polycrystalline feed system for supplying chunk polycrystalline to the crucible. The polycrystalline feed system includes a feed tube having an outer sidewall, an inlet end and an outlet end, and a cooling jacket surrounding the outer sidewall of the feed tube at the outlet end of the feed tube. The cooling jacket cools the outlet end during operation of the ingot puller.