A casting method includes forming a seed. The seed has a first end and a second end and an inner diameter (ID) surface and an outer diameter (OD) surface. The seed second end is placed in contact or spaced facing relation with a chill plate. The first end is contacted with molten material. The molten material is cooled and solidified so that a crystalline structure of the seed propagates into the solidifying material. At least a portion of the seed contacted with the molten material has a solidus higher than a solidus of at least an initial pour portion of the molten material.

A method for producing a cast component is provided. The method includes attaching a ceramic mold to a seed crystal body, the ceramic mold including a cavity defining the shape of the cast component and a seed crystal body interface having a complementary shape to the seed crystal body such that the seed crystal body may be capable of supporting the ceramic mold in a casting oven. The method also includes pouring a liquid metal into the mold such that the crystal seed portion contributes to controlled crystallization of the cast component.

A method for producing a cast component is provided. The method includes attaching a ceramic mold to a seed crystal body, the ceramic mold including a cavity defining the shape of the cast component and a seed crystal body interface having a complementary shape to the seed crystal body such that the seed crystal body may be capable of supporting the ceramic mold in a casting oven. The method also includes pouring a liquid metal into the mold such that the crystal seed portion contributes to controlled crystallization of the cast component.

A method for casting comprising: providing a seed, the seed characterized by: an arcuate form and a crystalline orientation progressively varying along an arc of the form; providing molten material; and cooling and solidifying the molten material so that a crystalline structure of the seed propagates into the solidifying material.

A method for casting comprising: providing a seed, the seed characterized by: an arcuate form and a crystalline orientation progressively varying along an arc of the form; providing molten material; and cooling and solidifying the molten material so that a crystalline structure of the seed propagates into the solidifying material.

Disclosed is a method for preparing polycrystalline silicon ingot. The preparation method comprises: randomly laying seed crystals with unlimited crystal orientation at the bottom of crucible to form a layer of seed crystals and obtaining disordered crystalline orientations; providing molten silicon above the layer of seed crystals, controlling the temperature at the bottom of the crucible, making the layer of seed crystals not completely melted; controlling the temperature inside the crucible, making the molten silicon growing above the seed crystals, the molten silicon inheriting the structure of the seed crystals, then obtaining polycrystalline silicon ingot. By adopting the preparation method, a desirable initial nucleus can be obtained for a polycrystalline silicon ingot, so as to reduce dislocation multiplication during the growth of the polycrystalline silicon ingot.

Disclosed is a method for preparing polycrystalline silicon ingot. The preparation method comprises: randomly laying seed crystals with unlimited crystal orientation at the bottom of crucible to form a layer of seed crystals and obtaining disordered crystalline orientations; providing molten silicon above the layer of seed crystals, controlling the temperature at the bottom of the crucible, making the layer of seed crystals not completely melted; controlling the temperature inside the crucible, making the molten silicon growing above the seed crystals, the molten silicon inheriting the structure of the seed crystals, then obtaining polycrystalline silicon ingot. By adopting the preparation method, a desirable initial nucleus can be obtained for a polycrystalline silicon ingot, so as to reduce dislocation multiplication during the growth of the polycrystalline silicon ingot.

Disclosed is a method for preparing polycrystalline silicon ingot. The preparation method comprises: coating inner wall of the crucible with a layer of silicon nitride, followed by laying a layer of crushed silicon and feeding silicon in the crucible; the crushed silicon is laid in random order, and the layer of crushed silicon forms a supporting structure having numerous holes; melting the silicon to form molten silicon by heating, when solid-liquid interface reach the surface of the layer of crushed silicon or when the layer of crushed silicon melt partially, regulating thermal field to achieve supercooled state to grow crystals; after the crystallization of molten silicon is completely finished, performing annealing and cooling to obtain polycrystalline silicon ingot. By adopting the preparation method, a desirable initial nucleus can be obtained for a polycrystalline silicon ingot, so as to reduce dislocation multiplication during the growth of the polycrystalline silicon ingot.

Disclosed is a method for preparing polycrystalline silicon ingot. The preparation method comprises: coating inner wall of the crucible with a layer of silicon nitride, followed by laying a layer of crushed silicon and feeding silicon in the crucible; the crushed silicon is laid in random order, and the layer of crushed silicon forms a supporting structure having numerous holes; melting the silicon to form molten silicon by heating, when solid-liquid interface reach the surface of the layer of crushed silicon or when the layer of crushed silicon melt partially, regulating thermal field to achieve supercooled state to grow crystals; after the crystallization of molten silicon is completely finished, performing annealing and cooling to obtain polycrystalline silicon ingot. By adopting the preparation method, a desirable initial nucleus can be obtained for a polycrystalline silicon ingot, so as to reduce dislocation multiplication during the growth of the polycrystalline silicon ingot.

A method and apparatus for growing truly bulk In.sub.2O.sub.3 single crystals from the melt, as well as melt-grown bulk In.sub.2O.sub.3 single crystals are disclosed. The growth method comprises a controlled decomposition of initially non-conducting In.sub.2O.sub.3 starting material (23) during heating-up of a noble metal crucible (4) containing the In.sub.2O.sub.3 starting material (23) and thus increasing electrical conductivity of the In.sub.2O.sub.3 starting material with rising temperature, which is sufficient to couple with an electromagnetic field of an induction coil (6) through the crucible wall (24) around melting point of In.sub.2O.sub.3. Such coupling leads to an electromagnetic levitation of at least a portion (23.1) of the liquid In.sub.2O.sub.3 starting material with a neck (26) formation acting as crystallization seed. During cooling down of the noble metal crucible (4) with the liquid In.sub.2O.sub.3 starting material at least one bulk In.sub.2O.sub.3 single crystal (28.1, 28.2) is formed. We named this novel crystal growth method the Levitation-Assisted Self-Seeding Crystal Growth Method. The apparatus for growing bulk In.sub.2O.sub.3 single crystals from the melt comprises an inductively heated thermal system with a noble metal crucible (4) and evacuation passages (22, 22.1) for gaseous decomposition products of In.sub.2O.sub.3, while keeping very low temperature gradients. Various configurations of the induction coil (6), the noble metal crucible (4) and a lid (12) covering the crucible can be utilized to obtain very low temperature gradients, sufficient evacuation passages and a high levitation force. The electrical properties of the melt grown In.sub.2O.sub.3 single crystals can be modified in a wide range by at least one heat treatment in suitable atmospheres and appropriate temperatures.