In this photoelectric conversion element wherein group III-IV compound semiconductor single crystals containing zinc as an impurity are used as a substrate, the substrate is increased in size without lowering conversion efficiency. A heat-resistant crucible is filled with raw material and a sealant, and the raw material and sealant are heated, thereby melting the raw material into a melt, softening the encapsulant, and covering the melt from the top with the encapsulant. The temperature inside the crucible is controlled such that the temperature of the top of the encapsulant relative to the bottom of the encapsulant becomes higher in a range that not equal or exceed the temperature of bottom of the encapsulant, and seed crystal is dipped in the melt and pulled upward with respect to the melt, thereby growing single crystals from the seed crystal. Thus, a large compound semiconductor wafer that is at least two inches in diameter and has a low dislocation density of 5,000 cm.sup.−2 can be obtained, despite having a low average zinc concentration of 5×10.sup.17 cm.sup.−3 to 3×10.sup.18 cm.sup.−3, at which a crystal hardening effect does not manifest.

The present disclosure provides an open Czochralski furnace for single crystal growth. The crystal growth apparatus may include a furnace chamber which includes a furnace body and a furnace cover. The furnace cover may be mounted on a top of the furnace body. The furnace cover may include a first through hole. The first through hole may be configured to place a temperature field. The crystal growth apparatus in the present disclosure can solve a problem that a traditional vacuum furnace needs to firstly pump a high vacuum and secondly recharge a protecting gas, thereby improving the apparatus safety; simplify the structure of the furnace body such that components that need maintenance and repair can be disassembled quickly, thereby reducing manufacturing and maintenance costs; improve the operation accuracy and stability of the apparatus; and reduce the influence of heat convection on the stability of weighing signals in the open furnace.

The present disclosure provides an open Czochralski furnace for single crystal growth. The crystal growth apparatus may include a furnace chamber which includes a furnace body and a furnace cover. The furnace cover may be mounted on a top of the furnace body. The furnace cover may include a first through hole. The first through hole may be configured to place a temperature field. The crystal growth apparatus in the present disclosure can solve a problem that a traditional vacuum furnace needs to firstly pump a high vacuum and secondly recharge a protecting gas, thereby improving the apparatus safety; simplify the structure of the furnace body such that components that need maintenance and repair can be disassembled quickly, thereby reducing manufacturing and maintenance costs; improve the operation accuracy and stability of the apparatus; and reduce the influence of heat convection on the stability of weighing signals in the open furnace.

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.

In this photoelectric conversion element wherein group III-IV compound semiconductor single crystals containing zinc as an impurity are used as a substrate, the substrate is increased in size without lowering conversion efficiency. A heat-resistant crucible is filled with raw material and a sealant, and the raw material and sealant are heated, thereby melting the raw material into a melt, softening the encapsulant, and covering the melt from the top with the encapsulant. The temperature inside the crucible is controlled such that the temperature of the top of the encapsulant relative to the bottom of the encapsulant becomes higher in a range that not equal or exceed the temperature of bottom of the encapsulant, and seed crystal is dipped in the melt and pulled upward with respect to the melt, thereby growing single crystals from the seed crystal. Thus, a large compound semiconductor wafer that is at least two inches in diameter and has a low dislocation density of 5,000 cm.sup.−2 can be obtained, despite having a low average zinc concentration of 5×10.sup.17 cm.sup.−3 to 3×10.sup.18 cm.sup.−3, at which a crystal hardening effect does not manifest.

In this photoelectric conversion element wherein group III-IV compound semiconductor single crystals containing zinc as an impurity are used as a substrate, the substrate is increased in size without lowering conversion efficiency. A heat-resistant crucible is filled with raw material and a sealant, and the raw material and sealant are heated, thereby melting the raw material into a melt, softening the encapsulant, and covering the melt from the top with the encapsulant. The temperature inside the crucible is controlled such that the temperature of the top of the encapsulant relative to the bottom of the encapsulant becomes higher in a range that not equal or exceed the temperature of bottom of the encapsulant, and seed crystal is dipped in the melt and pulled upward with respect to the melt, thereby growing single crystals from the seed crystal. Thus, a large compound semiconductor wafer that is at least two inches in diameter and has a low dislocation density of 5,000 cm.sup.−2 can be obtained, despite having a low average zinc concentration of 5×10.sup.17 cm.sup.−3 to 3×10.sup.18 cm.sup.−3, at which a crystal hardening effect does not manifest.

Provided is an apparatus and a method for continuous crystal pulling. The apparatus includes: a crucible including a first sub-crucible and a second sub-crucible located at inner side of the first sub-crucible; a draft tube located above the crucible; and a delivery duct supplying materials to the crucible. A ratio of inner diameter of the second sub-crucible to outer diameter of the draft tube is ≥1.05. In a first state, a distance between bottom surface of the draft tube and bottom surface of the crucible is a first distance, in a second state, a distance between bottom surface of the draft tube and bottom surface of the crucible is a second distance. The first distance is greater than the second distance. In the first and second states, a distance between a crystal-liquid interface in the crucible and the bottom surface of the draft tube remains substantially unchanged.