A single crystal growth apparatus to grow a single crystal of a gallium oxide-based semiconductor. The apparatus includes a crucible that includes a seed crystal section to accommodate a seed crystal, and a growing crystal section which is located on the upper side of the seed crystal section and in which the single crystal is grown by crystallizing a raw material melt accommodated therein, a tubular susceptor surrounding the seed crystal section and also supporting the crucible from below, and a molybdenum disilicide heating element to melt a raw material in the growing crystal section to obtain the raw material melt. The susceptor includes a thick portion at a portion in a height direction that is thicker and has a shorter horizontal distance from the seed crystal section than other portions. The thick portion surrounds at least a portion of the seed crystal section in the height direction.

A method of producing a crystalline material is provided that may include providing a crystal growth apparatus comprising a chamber, a hot zone, and a muffle. The hot zone may be disposed within the chamber and include at least one heating system, at least one heat removal system, and a crucible containing feedstock. Additionally, the method may include providing a muffle that surrounds at least two sides of the crucible to ensure uniform temperature distribution through the feedstock during crystal growth to allow the crystalline material to be grown with a square or rectangular shaped cross section.

The present disclosure relates to the field of directional solidification, and in particular, to an apparatus, method, and process for directional solidification by liquid metal spraying enhanced cooling (LMSC). The process has the following beneficial effects: the apparatus of the present disclosure can regulate a solidification structure of a casting, refine a dendrite spacing, and reduce or avoid metallurgical defects, and can be used to prepare high-quality large-sized columnar/single crystal blades or other castings.

A crucible device includes a heating chamber, at least a first crucible in which a first crystal is growable, and at least a second crucible in which a second crystal is growable. The first crucible and the second crucible are arranged within the heating chamber spaced apart from each other along a horizontal and vertical and any orientational direction. The crucible device further comprises a heating system arranged within the heating chamber, wherein the heating system is configured for adjusting a temperature along the horizontal and vertical and any orientational directions.

According to the disclosed embodiments, an advanced crucible support system is described that allows for greater heat flow to and from the bottom of a crucible, preferably while also preventing excessive heat from reaching a heat exchanger. In particular, a support base is described that includes one or more vents enabling improved heat flow throughout the system. Also, according to one or more additional embodiments, the functionality of the crucible support is adapted to be leveraged by a crucible manipulating device. For example, the support plate may have a plurality of slots for insertion of a “lifting arm”, such that the entire support plate assembly, as well as the crucible itself while on the support assembly, may be lifted and transported as a single unit.

Methods and systems for low etch pit density 6 inch semi-insulating gallium arsenide wafers may include a semi-insulating gallium arsenide single crystal wafer having a diameter of 6 inches or greater without intentional dopants for reducing dislocation density, an etch pit density of less than 1000 cm.sup.−2, and a resistivity of 1×10.sup.7 Ω-cm or more. The wafer may have an optical absorption of less than 5 cm.sup.−1 less than 4 cm.sup.−1 or less than 3 cm.sup.−1 at 940 nm wavelength. The wafer may have a carrier mobility of 3000 cm.sup.2/V-sec or higher. The wafer may have a thickness of 500 μm or greater. Electronic devices may be formed on a first surface of the wafer. The wafer may have a carrier concentration of 1.1×10.sup.7 cm.sup.−3 or less.

A crucible for growing a metal oxide single crystal is provided that can facilitate the balance between the thickness and the strength (hardness) of the constant diameter portion of the crucible and is capable of performing growth of a crystal having a large diameter. The crucible according to the present invention is a crucible for growing a metal oxide single crystal, including a reinforcing belt material provided on an outer periphery of a constant diameter portion of the crucible. It is possible that the crucible has an upper portion having a thickness that is smaller than a thickness of a lower portion of the crucible, and the upper portion of the crucible is the constant diameter portion.

A gallium oxide crystal manufacturing device includes a crucible to hold a gallium oxide source material therein, a crucible support that supports the crucible from below, a crucible support shaft that is connected to the crucible support from below and vertically movably supports the crucible and the crucible support, a tubular furnace core tube that surrounds the crucible, the crucible support and the crucible support shaft, a tubular furnace inner tube that surrounds the furnace core tube, and a resistive heating element including a heat-generating portion placed in a space between the furnace core tube and the furnace inner tube. Melting points of the furnace core tube and the furnace inner tube are not less than 1900° C. A thermal conductivity of a portion of the furnace core tube located directly next to the crucible in a radial direction thereof is higher than a thermal conductivity of the furnace inner tube.

A method for producing a solar crucible includes providing a crucible base body of transparent or opaque fused silica having an inner wall, providing a dispersion containing amorphous SiO.sub.2 particles, applying a SiO.sub.2-containing slip layer to at least a part of the inner wall by using the dispersion, drying the slip layer to form a SiO.sub.2-containing grain layer and thermally densifying the SiO.sub.2-containing grain layer to form a diffusion barrier layer. The dispersion contains a dispersion liquid and amorphous SiO.sub.2 particles that form a coarse fraction and a fine fraction with SiO.sub.2 nanoparticles. The weight percentage of the SiO.sub.2 nanoparticles based on the solids content of the dispersion is in the range between 2 and 15% by weight. The SiO.sub.2-containing grain layer is thermally densified into the diffusion barrier layer through the heating up of the silicon in the crystal growing process.

A scintillator, a preparation method therefor, and an application thereof are disclosed wherein the scintillator has a chemical formula of Tl.sub.aA.sub.bB.sub.c:yCe, wherein: A is at least one rare earth element selected from trivalent rare earth elements; B is at least one halogen element selected from halogen elements; a=1, b=2 and c=7, a=2, b=1 and c=5, or a=3, b=1 and c=6; and y is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.5. According to another embodiment, the scintillator has a chemical formula of Tl.sub.aA.sub.bB.sub.c:yEu, wherein: A is an alkaline earth metal element; B is a halogen element; a=1, b=2 and c=5, or a=1, b=1 and c=3; and y is greater than or equal to 0 mol % and less than or equal to 50 mol %.