A method for manufacturing an ultra small grain-size nanocrystalline diamond film having a SiV photoluminescence, comprises: (1) manufacturing, on a single crystal silicon substrate, a nanocrystalline diamond film having a SiV photoluminescence by using a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition method; (2) performing oxygen plasma etching treatment on the nanocrystalline diamond film obtained in step (1) for 5-30 min by using an oxygen plasma bombardment method in a mixed gas plasma having an oxygen-nitrogen gas volume ratio of 1:4-6 and at an atmospheric pressure of 0.5-6 torr and a microwave power of 600-1000 W, thereby obtaining the ultra small grain-size nanocrystalline diamond film having the SiV photoluminescence.

A method for producing Si ingot single crystal by NOC growth method including a Si ingot single crystal growing step and a continuous growing step is provided. The growing step includes providing a low temperature region in the Si melt where the Si ingot single crystal is grown along the surface of the Si melt or toward the inside of the Si melt, and the Si ingot single crystal has distribution of a vacancy concentration and an interstitial concentration in which respectively a vacancy concentration and an interstitial concentration vary with a distance from the growth interface; and adjusting a temperature gradient and a growth rate in the Si melt, so that along with the increasing of the distance from the growth interface, the vacancy concentration and the interstitial concentration in the Si ingot single crystal respectively decrease come near to each other.

A method for producing an ingot includes loading a raw material comprising a raw material powder having a D.sub.50 of 80 μm or more into a reactor (loading step), controlling the internal temperature of the reactor such that adjacent particles of the raw material powder are interconnected to form a necked raw material (necking step), and sublimating components of the raw material from the necked raw material to grow an ingot (ingot growth step).

A method for manufacturing a single crystal may be by solution growth from a seed crystal, in a unit including a tank and a growth platform having a lower plate. The method may include: fastening the seed to the lower plate; introducing a crystallization solution of density d.sub.S into the tank; treating the solution in order to render it supersaturated; bringing the seed into contact with the supersaturated solution; rotating the platform until the single crystal is obtained. Before bringing the seed into contact with the supersaturated solution, the method may include forming, in the tank, of a zone for trapping parasitic crystals of density d.sub.C by introducing, into the tank, a liquid, immiscible with the growth solution, of density d>d.sub.S and d<d.sub.c, which forms with the growth solution an interface located below the lower plate.

One variation of a method includes: ingesting an air sample captured during an air capture period at a target location for collection of a first mixture including carbon dioxide and a first concentration of impurities; conveying the first mixture through a liquefaction unit to generate a second mixture including carbon dioxide and a second concentration of impurities less than the first concentration of impurities; in a methanation reactor, mixing the second mixture with hydrogen to generate a first hydrocarbon mixture comprising a third concentration of impurities comprising nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen; conveying the first hydrocarbon mixture through a separation unit configured to remove impurities from the first hydrocarbon mixture to generate a second hydrocarbon a fourth concentration of impurities less than the third concentration of impurities; and depositing the second hydrocarbon mixture in a diamond reactor containing a set of diamond seeds to generate a first set of diamonds.

For evaluating a polycrystalline silicon rod to be used as a raw material for production of FZ Si single crystals, novel evaluation values (values of characteristics×amount of crystals) including the amount of crystals grown in the growth direction (radial direction) are defined and the homogeneity in crystal characteristics in the growth direction (radial direction) is evaluated. Specifically, the homogeneity of the polycrystalline rod is evaluated by sampling a plurality of specimen plates each having, as a principal plane thereof, a cross-section perpendicular to a radial direction of the polycrystalline rod grown by a Siemens method at equal intervals in the radial direction, determining values of characteristics of the crystals of the specimen plates by measurements, and by using evaluation values obtained by multiplying amounts of the crystals (relative amounts of the crystals) at sites where the specimen plates have been sampled by the values of the crystal characteristics.

A pneumatic chisel includes a housing having a double-acting pneumatic cylinder in which a piston including a chisel is movably arranged along a longitudinal axis. The cylinder has a work-side section and a return-side section. The return-side section includes a damping portion and a pressure-equalization opening. The work-side section includes an end-position damping member and a compressed air connection. A compressed air reservoir is connected to the return-side section of the cylinder. A chisel guide housing includes a sealing air chamber. The piston is constructed as one piece with the chisel.

Methods for purifying reaction precursors used in the synthesis of inorganic compounds and methods for synthesizing inorganic compounds from the purified precursors are provided. Also provided are methods for purifying the inorganic compounds and methods for crystallizing the inorganic compounds from a melt. γ and X-ray detectors incorporating the crystals of the inorganic compounds are also provided.

An apparatus for growing a crystal includes a growth chamber and a melt chamber thermally isolated from the growth chamber. The growth chamber includes: a growth crucible configured to contain a liquid melt; and a die located in the growth crucible, the die having a die opening and one or more capillaries extending from within the growth crucible toward the die opening. The melt chamber includes: a melt crucible configured to receive feedstock material; and at least one heating element positioned within the melt chamber relative to the melt crucible to melt the feedstock material within the melt crucible to form the liquid melt. The apparatus also includes at least one capillary conveyor in fluid communication with the melt crucible and the growth crucible to transport the liquid melt from the melt crucible to the growth crucible.

A device for growing crystals, includes a crucible and an enveloping unit surrounding it for the thermal insulation of the crucible The enveloping unit is held on the crucible in its position relative thereto by a holding unit The holding unit includes at least one holding element designed to be oblong and preferably non-rigid, having a first and second end section The holding element surrounds the enveloping unit circumferentially on the side facing away from the crucible and contacts it. The two end sections are coupled to one another, wherein a holding force acting on the enveloping unit in the radial direction is applied by the holding element