In one embodiment employing a vertical draw apparatus, a method of crystallization growth on a substrate surface of a substrate having a substrate material includes: mounting the substrate to a sample holder with the substrate surface facing a liquid surface of a reservoir disposed in a chamber that provides an ambient temperature; seeding the substrate surface with seed droplets; lowering the substrate surface to the liquid surface of the reservoir; independently controlling a temperature of the substrate and a temperature of the reservoir to produce a temperature difference between the substrate and the reservoir over a period of time for crystallization growth; and retracting the substrate surface from the liquid surface of the reservoir at a draw rate. The draw rate and the temperature difference are selected to grow polycrystalline laminate on the substrate surface. Consistent polycrystalline columnar microstructures are formed with appropriate seeding of the substrate surface.

Disclosed are a yttrium-doped barium fluoride crystal and a preparation method and the use thereof, wherein the yttrium-doped barium fluoride crystal has a chemical composition of Ba.sub.(1x)Y.sub.xF.sub.2+x, in which 0.01x0.50. The yttrium-doped BaF.sub.2 crystal of the present invention has improved scintillation performance. The yttrium doping may greatly suppress the slow luminescence component of the BaF.sub.2 crystal and has an excellent fast/slow scintillation component ratio. The doped crystal is coupled to an optical detector to obtain a scintillation probe which is applicable to the fields of high time resolved measurement radiation such as high-energy physics, nuclear physics, ultrafast imaging and nuclear medicine imaging.

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.

In one embodiment, a sheet production apparatus comprises a vessel configured to hold a melt of a material. A cooling plate is disposed proximate the melt and is configured to form a sheet of the material on the melt. A first gas jet is configured to direct a gas toward an edge of the vessel. A sheet of a material is translated horizontally on a surface of the melt and the sheet is removed from the melt. The first gas jet may be directed at the meniscus and may stabilize this meniscus or increase local pressure within the meniscus.

In one embodiment, a sheet production apparatus comprises a vessel configured to hold a melt of a material. A cooling plate is disposed proximate the melt and is configured to form a sheet of the material on the melt. A first gas jet is configured to direct a gas toward an edge of the vessel. A sheet of a material is translated horizontally on a surface of the melt and the sheet is removed from the melt. The first gas jet may be directed at the meniscus and may stabilize this meniscus or increase local pressure within the meniscus.

Casting polycrystalline silicon includes placing a bottomless cooling crucible divided at least partially in the axis direction into a plurality of parts in the peripheral direction and having an inner surface coated with a release agent containing nitrogen, in an induction coil of a chamber charged with an inert gas; melting a raw material of polycrystalline silicon in the bottomless cooling crucible by electromagnetic induction heating using the induction coil; and pulling out the molten silicon downward while cooling and solidifying it. Pullout of the solidified molten silicon is performed through adjusting the carbon concentration of the molten silicon to 4.010.sup.17 atoms/cm.sup.3 or more to 6.010.sup.17 atoms/cm.sup.3 or less, the oxygen concentration thereof to 0.310.sup.17 atoms/cm.sup.3 or more to 5.010.sup.17 atoms/cm.sup.3 or less, and the nitrogen concentration to 8.010.sup.13 atoms/cm.sup.3 or more to 1.010.sup.18 atoms/cm.sup.3 or less.

Casting polycrystalline silicon includes placing a bottomless cooling crucible divided at least partially in the axis direction into a plurality of parts in the peripheral direction and having an inner surface coated with a release agent containing nitrogen, in an induction coil of a chamber charged with an inert gas; melting a raw material of polycrystalline silicon in the bottomless cooling crucible by electromagnetic induction heating using the induction coil; and pulling out the molten silicon downward while cooling and solidifying it. Pullout of the solidified molten silicon is performed through adjusting the carbon concentration of the molten silicon to 4.010.sup.17 atoms/cm.sup.3 or more to 6.010.sup.17 atoms/cm.sup.3 or less, the oxygen concentration thereof to 0.310.sup.17 atoms/cm.sup.3 or more to 5.010.sup.17 atoms/cm.sup.3 or less, and the nitrogen concentration to 8.010.sup.13 atoms/cm.sup.3 or more to 1.010.sup.18 atoms/cm.sup.3 or less.

A crystal cooling apparatus for simultaneously pulling multiple crystals and an artificial crystal preparation device. The crystal cooling apparatus is provided with multiple first lift holes for pulled crystals to pass through and a cooling medium channel for cooling the crystals. According to the present application, the pulled crystals can be cooled quickly, and multiple crystals can be pulled at the same time, thereby increasing the speed for pulling silicon core. Moreover, broken silicon material can be used to pull multiple silicon cores at the same time, thus effectively preventing the resource waste of the broken silicon material.

A crystal cooling apparatus for simultaneously pulling multiple crystals and an artificial crystal preparation device. The crystal cooling apparatus is provided with multiple first lift holes for pulled crystals to pass through and a cooling medium channel for cooling the crystals. According to the present application, the pulled crystals can be cooled quickly, and multiple crystals can be pulled at the same time, thereby increasing the speed for pulling silicon core. Moreover, broken silicon material can be used to pull multiple silicon cores at the same time, thus effectively preventing the resource waste of the broken silicon material.