A crystal growth method and a crystal growth apparatus are disclosed in the present application. The crystal growth method comprises maintaining rotating of a crucible and meanwhile applying a horizontal magnetic field to silicon melt in the crucible during crystal growth. As and/or after changing magnetic field strength of the horizontal magnetic field, temperature fluctuation may easily occur at a solid-liquid interface of an ingot and the silicon melt. Through changing crucible rotating speed to change forced convection of the silicon melt, the temperature fluctuation at solid-liquid interface, caused by the changing of the magnetic field strength, may be rapidly reduced to stabilize diameter of the ingot.

A crystal growth method and a crystal growth apparatus are disclosed in the present application. The crystal growth method comprises maintaining rotating of a crucible and meanwhile applying a horizontal magnetic field to silicon melt in the crucible during crystal growth. As and/or after changing magnetic field strength of the horizontal magnetic field, temperature fluctuation may easily occur at a solid-liquid interface of an ingot and the silicon melt. Through changing crucible rotating speed to change forced convection of the silicon melt, the temperature fluctuation at solid-liquid interface, caused by the changing of the magnetic field strength, may be rapidly reduced to stabilize diameter of the ingot.

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.

Provided is an evaluation method capable of easily evaluating the inner circumference of a quartz crucible in a short time. The method of evaluating an inner circumference of a quartz crucible includes: a first step of imaging the inner circumference of the quartz crucible, thereby obtaining an image of the inner circumference; a second step of performing image processing on the image to obtain an edge image in which boundaries between cristobalite and glass are defined; a third step of extracting closed regions; a fourth step of performing arithmetic calculations on coordinate information of the boundaries, thereby obtaining calculated values; a fifth step of determining whether the closed regions are the cristobalite or the glass based on the calculated values; and a sixth step of compositing images in which closed regions are determined to be the cristobalite are overlaid, thereby obtaining a full image.

Provided is an evaluation method capable of easily evaluating the inner circumference of a quartz crucible in a short time. The method of evaluating an inner circumference of a quartz crucible includes: a first step of imaging the inner circumference of the quartz crucible, thereby obtaining an image of the inner circumference; a second step of performing image processing on the image to obtain an edge image in which boundaries between cristobalite and glass are defined; a third step of extracting closed regions; a fourth step of performing arithmetic calculations on coordinate information of the boundaries, thereby obtaining calculated values; a fifth step of determining whether the closed regions are the cristobalite or the glass based on the calculated values; and a sixth step of compositing images in which closed regions are determined to be the cristobalite are overlaid, thereby obtaining a full image.

Disclosed a heat shield structure for a single crystal production furnace, which is provided above a melt crucible of a single crystal production furnace and comprises an outer housing and a heat insulation plate disposed within the outer housing. A bottom outer surface of the outer housing faces an interior of the melt crucible, and an angle formed between a plane in which the heat insulation plate is located and a plane in which a bottom of the outer housing is located is an acute angle and faces an outer surface of single crystal silicon. The heat shield design is changed, a heat absorbing plate is additionally provided for transferring heat absorbed to the single crystal silicon, a heat channel is formed in the heat shield, so that a pulling rate is controlled, which improves radial mass uniformity of the single crystal silicon.

Disclosed a heat shield structure for a single crystal production furnace, which is provided above a melt crucible of a single crystal production furnace and comprises an outer housing and a heat insulation plate disposed within the outer housing. A bottom outer surface of the outer housing faces an interior of the melt crucible, and an angle formed between a plane in which the heat insulation plate is located and a plane in which a bottom of the outer housing is located is an acute angle and faces an outer surface of single crystal silicon. The heat shield design is changed, a heat absorbing plate is additionally provided for transferring heat absorbed to the single crystal silicon, a heat channel is formed in the heat shield, so that a pulling rate is controlled, which improves radial mass uniformity of the single crystal silicon.

Ingot puller apparatus for preparing a single crystal silicon ingot by the Czochralski method are disclosed. The ingot puller apparatus includes a heat shield. The heat shield has a leg segment that includes a void (i.e., an open space without insulation) disposed in the leg segment. The heat shield may also include insulation partially within the heat shield.

Ingot puller apparatus for preparing a single crystal silicon ingot by the Czochralski method are disclosed. The ingot puller apparatus includes a heat shield. The heat shield has a leg segment that includes a void (i.e., an open space without insulation) disposed in the leg segment. The heat shield may also include insulation partially within the heat shield.