This invention provides a high temperature vacuum furnace including a hot zone designed for improved energy efficiency resulting in lower electrical power usage, lower manufacturing costs and easier replacement of components for lower maintenance costs. The hot zone has an outer supporting wall and an inner insulating wall surrounded by a new HEFVAC high density, high strength, low conductivity and low moisture-sensitive graphite insulation board ring connected in a unique z-shaped arrangement that contains radiant energy within the hot zone during the heat treating cycle. The hot zone further includes heating elements made of high quality graphite for increased thermal efficiency of the furnace. Also included in the hot zone are lower mass, tapered graphite nozzles that can sustain high pressure gas flow and decrease conductive heat losses from the nozzles to the hot zone chamber outer supporting wall during the heat treating cycle.

A micro-hotplate apparatus including a diaphragm carrier device; a diaphragm that at least in part spans at least one cavity embodied in the diaphragm carrier device; and at least one heating conductor disposed on and/or in the diaphragm, the micro-hotplate apparatus additionally encompassing at least one reflector element that is disposed on an inner side, directed toward the cavity, of the diaphragm, in such a way that by way of the at least one reflector element a thermal radiation emitted from the at least one heating conductor and/or from the diaphragm is reflectable at least in part back onto and/or into the diaphragm. A sensor having a micro-hotplate apparatus is also described.

A micro-hotplate apparatus including a diaphragm carrier device; a diaphragm that at least in part spans at least one cavity embodied in the diaphragm carrier device; and at least one heating conductor disposed on and/or in the diaphragm, the micro-hotplate apparatus additionally encompassing at least one reflector element that is disposed on an inner side, directed toward the cavity, of the diaphragm, in such a way that by way of the at least one reflector element a thermal radiation emitted from the at least one heating conductor and/or from the diaphragm is reflectable at least in part back onto and/or into the diaphragm. A sensor having a micro-hotplate apparatus is also described.

Provided is a heater protection tube for use with a molten metal holding furnace with heat dissipation and insulating properties. A heat protection tube 31 has a distal tapered cylindrical portion 35 corresponding to the inside tapered cylindrical portion 21 and a proximal non-tapered cylindrical portion 36 corresponding to the outside non-tapered cylindrical portion 22. The heater protection tube (31) is configured so that it can be mounted in the side wall (13) with the distal tapered cylindrical portion (35) located at the inside tapered cylindrical portion (21) and with the proximal non-tapered cylindrical portion (36) located at the outside non-tapered cylindrical portion (22).

Provided is a heater protection tube for use with a molten metal holding furnace with heat dissipation and insulating properties. A heat protection tube 31 has a distal tapered cylindrical portion 35 corresponding to the inside tapered cylindrical portion 21 and a proximal non-tapered cylindrical portion 36 corresponding to the outside non-tapered cylindrical portion 22. The heater protection tube (31) is configured so that it can be mounted in the side wall (13) with the distal tapered cylindrical portion (35) located at the inside tapered cylindrical portion (21) and with the proximal non-tapered cylindrical portion (36) located at the outside non-tapered cylindrical portion (22).

The present invention relates to an ingot growing device for growing a single crystal silicon ingot. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ingot growing device comprises: a growing chamber having an inner space; a growing container located in the inner space and having a silicon solution accommodated therein; a heating unit encompassing the growing container and located thereat, and generating heat; and a susceptor for supporting the growing container, wherein the heating unit comprises: a first ring heater having a ring shape; a second ring heater having a ring shape and located at the lower part of the first ring heater; a first coupling part for coupling the first ring heater and the second ring heater; and a first ring support unit located between the first ring heater and the second ring heater and supporting the first ring heater.

A molybdenum disilicide-based ceramic heating element holding structure includes a holding member that is attached to a base portion and that holds an elongated support member, for mounting a molybdenum disilicide-based ceramic heating element of an elongated shape at intervals in a long axis direction thereof. The molybdenum disilicide-based ceramic heating element mounted on the support member can be exchanged without breaking the holding structure. A plurality of elongated support members can be provided, and a U-shaped portion of an elongated molybdenum disilicide-based ceramic heating element having a meandering shape can be inserted and extracted from a uniaxial direction in a space partitioned by the base portion. The plurality of support members and the holding member holding the plurality of elongated support members are detachable and the support member is removable from the holding member.

A molybdenum disilicide-based ceramic heating element holding structure includes a holding member that is attached to a base portion and that holds an elongated support member, for mounting a molybdenum disilicide-based ceramic heating element of an elongated shape at intervals in a long axis direction thereof. The molybdenum disilicide-based ceramic heating element mounted on the support member can be exchanged without breaking the holding structure. A plurality of elongated support members can be provided, and a U-shaped portion of an elongated molybdenum disilicide-based ceramic heating element having a meandering shape can be inserted and extracted from a uniaxial direction in a space partitioned by the base portion. The plurality of support members and the holding member holding the plurality of elongated support members are detachable and the support member is removable from the holding member.

The present invention relates to an ingot growing device for growing a single crystal silicon ingot. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ingot growing device comprises: a growing chamber having an inner space; a growing container located in the inner space and having a silicon solution accommodated therein; a heating unit encompassing the growing container and located thereat, and generating heat; and a susceptor for supporting the growing container, wherein the heating unit comprises: a first ring heater having a ring shape; a second ring heater having a ring shape and located at the lower part of the first ring heater; a first coupling part for coupling the first ring heater and the second ring heater; and a first ring support unit located between the first ring heater and the second ring heater and supporting the first ring heater.

A heat radiation device includes a heat source, a meta-material structure layer arranged on a front surface side of the heat source and configured to radiate radiant energy in a specific wavelength range by converting heat energy inputted from the heat source into the radiant energy in the specific wavelength range, and a rear-surface metal layer arranged on a rear surface side of the heat source. An average emissivity of the rear-surface metal layer is smaller than an average emissivity of the meta-material structure layer.