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.

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.

Growth of single crystal epitaxial films of the perovskite crystal structure by liquid- or vapor-phase means can be accomplished by providing single-crystal perovskite substrate materials of improved lattice parameter match in the lattice parameter range of interest. Current substrates do not provide as good a lattice match, have inferior properties, or are of limited size and availability because cost of materials and difficulty of growth. This problem is solved by the single-crystal perovskite solid solutions described herein grown from mixtures with an indifferent melting point that occurs at a congruently melting composition at a temperature minimum in the melting curve in the pseudo-binary molar phase diagram. Accordingly, single-crystal perovskite solid solutions, structures, and devices including single-crystal perovskite solid solutions, and methods of making single-crystal perovskite solid solutions are described herein.

Growth of single crystal epitaxial films of the perovskite crystal structure by liquid- or vapor-phase means can be accomplished by providing single-crystal perovskite substrate materials of improved lattice parameter match in the lattice parameter range of interest. Current substrates do not provide as good a lattice match, have inferior properties, or are of limited size and availability because cost of materials and difficulty of growth. This problem is solved by the single-crystal perovskite solid solutions described herein grown from mixtures with an indifferent melting point that occurs at a congruently melting composition at a temperature minimum in the melting curve in the pseudo-binary molar phase diagram. Accordingly, single-crystal perovskite solid solutions, structures, and devices including single-crystal perovskite solid solutions, and methods of making single-crystal perovskite solid solutions are described herein.

Methods and wafers for low etch pit density, low slip line density, and low strain indium phosphide are disclosed and may include an indium phosphide single crystal wafer having a diameter of 4 inches or greater, having a measured etch pit density of less than 500 cm.sup.?2, and having fewer than 5 dislocations or slip lines as measured by x-ray diffraction imaging. The wafer may have a measured etch pit density of 200 cm.sup.?2 or less, or 100 cm.sup.?2 or less, or 10 cm.sup.?2 or less. The wafer may have a diameter of 6 inches or greater. An area of the wafer with a measured etch pit density of zero may at least 80% of the total area of the surface. An area of the wafer with a measured etch pit density of zero may be at least 90% of the total area of the surface.

Methods and wafers for low etch pit density, low slip line density, and low strain indium phosphide are disclosed and may include an indium phosphide single crystal wafer having a diameter of 4 inches or greater, having a measured etch pit density of less than 500 cm.sup.?2, and having fewer than 5 dislocations or slip lines as measured by x-ray diffraction imaging. The wafer may have a measured etch pit density of 200 cm.sup.?2 or less, or 100 cm.sup.?2 or less, or 10 cm.sup.?2 or less. The wafer may have a diameter of 6 inches or greater. An area of the wafer with a measured etch pit density of zero may at least 80% of the total area of the surface. An area of the wafer with a measured etch pit density of zero may be at least 90% of the total area of the surface.

An investment casting apparatus includes a furnace having an opening, a mold support, and a multi-axis actuator connected with the mold support and configured to retract the mold support from the opening with multiple-axis motion. An investment casting method includes withdrawing, with multiple-axis motion, a mold through the opening of the furnace to solidify a molten metal- or metalloid-based material in the mold. The apparatus and method can be used to form a cast article that has a body formed of the metal- or metalloid-based material. The body has a multi-textured, single crystal microstructure.

A crystalline silicon ingot and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed. The crystalline silicon ingot of the invention includes multiple silicon crystal grains growing in a vertical direction of the crystalline silicon ingot. The crystalline silicon ingot has a bottom with a silicon crystal grain having a first average crystal grain size of less than about 12 mm. The crystalline silicon ingot has an upper portion, which is about 250 mm away from said bottom, with a silicon crystal grain having a second average crystal grain size of greater than about 14 mm.

A crystalline silicon ingot and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed. The crystalline silicon ingot of the invention includes multiple silicon crystal grains growing in a vertical direction of the crystalline silicon ingot. The crystalline silicon ingot has a bottom with a silicon crystal grain having a first average crystal grain size of less than about 12 mm. The crystalline silicon ingot has an upper portion, which is about 250 mm away from said bottom, with a silicon crystal grain having a second average crystal grain size of greater than about 14 mm.