[Object] To provide a thin plate-shaped single-crystal production equipment and a thin plate-shaped single-crystal production method that can produce a thin plate-shaped single crystal having a uniform dopant concentration at an optimum chemical composition and a thickness of several hundreds of micrometers continuously at low cost with high precision even when the single crystal is a single crystal of an incongruent melting material or a solid solution material or a single crystal of a congruent melting material.

[Solution] Thin plate-shaped single-crystal production equipment includes: an infrared ray irradiation apparatus that irradiates an upper surface of a raw material lump for production of a thin plate-shaped single crystal with an infrared ray to melt the upper surface; and an elevator apparatus that causes a lower surface of a thin plate-shaped seed single crystal to be immersed in a melt melted using the infrared ray irradiation apparatus and formed on the upper surface and then pulls the thin plate-shaped seed single crystal immersed in the melt upward. The thin plate-shaped single-crystal production equipment is configured such that, by using the elevator apparatus to immerse the lower surface of the thin plate-shaped seed single crystal in the melt formed on the upper surface of the raw material lump for the production of the thin plate-shaped single crystal using the infrared ray irradiation apparatus, growth of a single crystal is started from the lower surface of the immersed thin plate-shaped seed single crystal and that, by using the elevator apparatus to pull the thin plate-shaped seed single crystal upward, the thin plate-shaped single crystal is produced continuously.

[Object] To provide a thin plate-shaped single-crystal production equipment and a thin plate-shaped single-crystal production method that can produce a thin plate-shaped single crystal having a uniform dopant concentration at an optimum chemical composition and a thickness of several hundreds of micrometers continuously at low cost with high precision even when the single crystal is a single crystal of an incongruent melting material or a solid solution material or a single crystal of a congruent melting material.

[Solution] Thin plate-shaped single-crystal production equipment includes: an infrared ray irradiation apparatus that irradiates an upper surface of a raw material lump for production of a thin plate-shaped single crystal with an infrared ray to melt the upper surface; and an elevator apparatus that causes a lower surface of a thin plate-shaped seed single crystal to be immersed in a melt melted using the infrared ray irradiation apparatus and formed on the upper surface and then pulls the thin plate-shaped seed single crystal immersed in the melt upward. The thin plate-shaped single-crystal production equipment is configured such that, by using the elevator apparatus to immerse the lower surface of the thin plate-shaped seed single crystal in the melt formed on the upper surface of the raw material lump for the production of the thin plate-shaped single crystal using the infrared ray irradiation apparatus, growth of a single crystal is started from the lower surface of the immersed thin plate-shaped seed single crystal and that, by using the elevator apparatus to pull the thin plate-shaped seed single crystal upward, the thin plate-shaped single crystal is produced continuously.

A silica glass crucible includes a cylindrical side wall portion, a curved bottom portion, and a corner portion that is provided between the side wall portion and the bottom portion and has a higher curvature than a curvature of the bottom portion, in which a first region provided from a crucible inner surface to a middle in a thickness direction, a second region that is provided outside the first region in the thickness direction and has a different strain distribution from the first region, and a third region that is provided outside the second region in the thickness direction and up to the crucible outer surface and has a different strain distribution from the second region, are provided, and internal residual stresses of the first region and the third region are compressive stresses, whereas an internal residual stress of the second region includes a tensile stress.

A silica glass crucible includes a cylindrical side wall portion, a curved bottom portion, and a corner portion that is provided between the side wall portion and the bottom portion and has a higher curvature than a curvature of the bottom portion, in which a first region provided from a crucible inner surface to a middle in a thickness direction, a second region that is provided outside the first region in the thickness direction and has a different strain distribution from the first region, and a third region that is provided outside the second region in the thickness direction and up to the crucible outer surface and has a different strain distribution from the second region, are provided, and internal residual stresses of the first region and the third region are compressive stresses, whereas an internal residual stress of the second region includes a tensile stress.

Methods for producing single crystal silicon ingots by Continuous Czochralski (CCz) are disclosed. One or more plates are added to the outer melt zone of a crucible assembly such that the plates are disposed on the initial charge of solid-state silicon. The silicon is melted and the plates float on the silicon melt. When silicon is added to the outer melt zone to replenish the melt during ingot growth, the silicon contacts the plates rather than falling directly into the melt in the outer melt zone. The silicon melts and falls through openings that extend through the thickness of the plates.

Methods for producing single crystal silicon ingots by Continuous Czochralski (CCz) are disclosed. One or more plates are added to the outer melt zone of a crucible assembly such that the plates are disposed on the initial charge of solid-state silicon. The silicon is melted and the plates float on the silicon melt. When silicon is added to the outer melt zone to replenish the melt during ingot growth, the silicon contacts the plates rather than falling directly into the melt in the outer melt zone. The silicon melts and falls through openings that extend through the thickness of the plates.

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing polycrystalline silicon ingot using a crucible in which an oxygen exhaust passage is formed by single crystal or polycrystalline rods, the method including the steps of: manufacturing the single crystal or polycrystalline silicon rods each having the shape of a quadrilateral pillar; putting the single crystal or polycrystalline quadrilateral pillar-shaped silicon rods into the crucible in such a manner as to be arranged close to one another along the inner peripheral surface of the crucible to thus form a space portion inside the single crystal or polycrystalline silicon rods, into which silicon chunks are put, and the oxygen exhaust passages between the inner peripheral surface of the crucible and the respective surfaces of the single crystal or polycrystalline silicon rods oriented toward the inner peripheral surface of the crucible; putting the silicon chunks into the space portion of the crucible; and melting and crystallizing the silicon chunks.

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing polycrystalline silicon ingot using a crucible in which an oxygen exhaust passage is formed by single crystal or polycrystalline rods, the method including the steps of: manufacturing the single crystal or polycrystalline silicon rods each having the shape of a quadrilateral pillar; putting the single crystal or polycrystalline quadrilateral pillar-shaped silicon rods into the crucible in such a manner as to be arranged close to one another along the inner peripheral surface of the crucible to thus form a space portion inside the single crystal or polycrystalline silicon rods, into which silicon chunks are put, and the oxygen exhaust passages between the inner peripheral surface of the crucible and the respective surfaces of the single crystal or polycrystalline silicon rods oriented toward the inner peripheral surface of the crucible; putting the silicon chunks into the space portion of the crucible; and melting and crystallizing the silicon chunks.

Provided is a raw material supply unit comprising: a main body having a space into which raw material is filled; a barrier for dividing the main body into two or more areas in the longitudinal direction; a rod extending from above the main body into the interior of same; and a valve, connected to the rod, for covering or exposing the lower portion of the main body, wherein the bottom surface of the main body has a step.

Provided is a raw material supply unit comprising: a main body having a space into which raw material is filled; a barrier for dividing the main body into two or more areas in the longitudinal direction; a rod extending from above the main body into the interior of same; and a valve, connected to the rod, for covering or exposing the lower portion of the main body, wherein the bottom surface of the main body has a step.