APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CORRECTING MAGNETIC FIELD OF HIGH-TEMPERATURE CHAMBER

Abstract

Provided is an apparatus and method of correcting a magnetic field of a high-temperature chamber. The apparatus includes a high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit for being inserted into a high-temperature chamber in a high-temperature environment and detecting a magnetic field generated by a magnet heater, a magnetic field comparing unit for comparing a result of detection of the high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit with a target magnetic field and obtaining a difference between the detected magnetic field and the target magnetic field, and a current parameter controller for correcting current parameters according to a result of comparison of the magnetic field comparing unit and controlling the magnet heater.

Claims

1. An apparatus for correcting a magnetic field of a high-temperature chamber, the apparatus comprising: a high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit mounted on a lifting cable configured to grow an ingot from molten liquid, the high temperature magnetic field sensor unit configured to detect a magnetic field generated by a magnet heater, wherein the high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit comprises: a magnetic field sensor; a protection tube formed of a graphite or quartz material configured to accommodate the magnetic field sensor therein; and an insulating material configured to encompass a part of an outer surface of the protection tube in which the magnetic field sensor is located in consideration of cost and weight, comprising an insulating carbon fiber or rigid felt material, and having a thickness of 100 to 150 mm that protrudes from a surface to sides of the protection tube; a magnetic field comparing unit configured to compare a result of detection of the high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit with a target magnetic field and obtain a difference between the detected magnetic field and the target magnetic field; and a current parameter controller configured to correct current parameters according to a result of comparison of the magnetic field comparing unit and control the magnet heater using the corrected current parameter, so that a change in magnetic field due to damage to the magnet heater can be compensated for, wherein a protrusion is formed on a top end of the protection tube, and is fixed to a seed-fixing unit for fixing seed to form an ingot, so that the high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit including the protection tube is stably inserted into the ingot growing apparatus, and is removed when measurement is completed.

2-9. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] FIG. 1 is a photo showing a damaged magnet heater according to the related art.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a view of a configuration of an apparatus for correcting a magnetic field of a high-temperature chamber according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a configuration of a high-temperature magnetic field sensing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025]

TABLE-US-00001 - Explanations of reference numerals - 10: high-temperature chamber 11: magnet heater 12: crucible 13: lifting cable 20: high-temperature magnetic field 21: protection tube sensor unit 22: magnetic field sensor 23: insulating material 30: magnetic field comparing unit 40: current parameter controller

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Hereinafter, an apparatus and method of correcting a magnetic field of a high-temperature chamber according to example embodiments of the present invention will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0027] The example embodiments will be provided to those skilled in the art so as to more completely describe the invention, and the following embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the example embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to those skilled in the art so as to more faithfully and completely describe the invention and to completely convey the spirit of the invention.

[0028] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting to the invention. As used herein, the singular forms a, an and the are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms comprises and/or comprising, or includes and/or including when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

[0029] It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, third etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another element, component, region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiment.

[0030] Hereinafter, example embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to accompanying drawings schematically illustrating the embodiments. In the drawings, for example, illustrated shapes may be deformed according to fabrication technology and/or tolerances. Therefore, the example embodiments of the present invention are not limited to certain shapes illustrated in the present specification and may include modifications of shapes caused in fabrication processes.

[0031] FIG. 2 is a view of a configuration of an apparatus for correcting a magnetic field of a high-temperature chamber according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 2, the apparatus for correcting a magnetic field of a high-temperature chamber according to an example embodiment of the present invention includes a magnet heater 11 for generating the magnetic field and heating an inside of a chamber 10, a crucible 12 for maintaining an accommodated molten liquid to be molten by heat of the magnet heater 11, a lifting cable 13 for growing an ingot from the molten liquid of the crucible 12 using coupled seed, a high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit 20 mounted on the lifting cable 13 and configured to detect the magnetic field generated by the magnet heater 11 in a high-temperature environment, a magnetic field comparing unit 30 for receiving a magnetic field value detected by the high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit 20 and comparing the detected magnetic field value with a target magnetic field value, and a current parameter controller 40 for controlling magnetic field parameters of the magnet heater 11 according to the result of comparison of the magnetic field comparing unit 30 and correcting the magnetic field generated by the magnet heater 11 with a normal magnetic field.

[0033] Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of the apparatus for correcting the magnetic field of the high-temperature chamber having the above configuration according to an example embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail. First, the magnet heater 11 is positioned to encompass the crucible 10 at sides of the crucible 10, which accommodates the molten liquid, and the surface of the magnet heater 11 becomes damaged by oxides that are generated by repeating a process of growing the ingot from the molten liquid of the crucible 10 using the lifting cable 13.

[0034] The magnet heater 11 having a reduced thickness due to the damaged surface has a varying resistance value, and even when the magnet heater 11 is controlled by the same current parameters, the magnetic field of the magnet heater 11 is changed due to a change in the resistance value.

[0035] Thus, in the present invention, the high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit 20 is mounted on the lifting cable 13 periodically after a process is performed a predetermined number of times so that the magnetic field within the high-temperature chamber 10 may be detected and a change in the magnetic field may be checked.

[0036] The high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit 20 may detect the magnetic field in the same condition as that of a real process of growing an ingot.

[0037] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a configuration of the high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit 20.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 3, the high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit 20 according to the present invention includes a magnetic field sensor 22 for detecting a magnetic field, a protection tube 21 configured to accommodate the high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit 20 thereinside so that the magnetic field sensor 22 is not exposed to the outside, and an insulating material 23 that encompasses an outer surface of the protection tube 21.

[0039] The high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit 20 is capable of preventing the magnetic field sensor 22 from being thermally damaged in a high-temperature condition in which the molten liquid is maintained to be molten, and the protection tube 21 may include a graphite or quartz tube.

[0040] Also, in order to measure the magnetic field, no other equipment is additionally installed at the high-temperature chamber 10, and in order to move the high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit 20 into the high-temperature chamber 10 using the above-described lifting cable 13, a protrusion 24 is formed on a top end of the protection tube 21.

[0041] The insulating material 23 may be emplaced to cover the whole of the outer surface of the protection tube 21 but may be installed to selectively cover only the outer surface of the protection tube 21 of a region in which the magnetic field sensor 22 is located, in consideration of cost and weight.

[0042] A material used for the insulating material 23 may be a carbon fiber or a rigid felt that is a combination of a graphite fiber and the carbon fiber.

[0043] The thickness of the insulating material 23 that protrudes from the outer surface to sides of the protection tube 21 may be 100 to 150 mm.

[0044] The high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit 20 having the above configuration is mounted on a seed-coupled portion of the lifting cable 13. As described above, the protrusion 24 is mounted on the seed-coupled portion such that the high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit 20 may be stably inserted into a particular position of the high-temperature chamber 10 without additionally installing other equipment, and when measurement is completed, the high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit 20 may be lifted and removed.

[0045] The high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit 20 is moved to a position corresponding to the crucible 12 by the lifting cable 13. In this case, the magnet heater 11 may generate a magnetic field according to predetermined current parameters and generate heat required for an ingot growing process.

[0046] That is, the same atmosphere as that of the ingot growing process is provided. In this state, the high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit 20 is moved to an upper portion of the crucible 12. In this case, the magnetic field sensor 22, which is insulated by the insulating material 23 and to which thermal damage is prevented, detects the magnetic field at the crucible 12, exactly, at a position corresponding to the molten liquid.

[0047] The detected magnetic field is input into the magnetic field comparing unit 30 and is compared with an initial target magnetic field. The magnetic field comparing unit 30 compares the target magnetic field with the magnetic field detected by the high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit 20.

[0048] Next, the current parameter controller 40, into which the result of comparison of the magnetic field comparing unit 30 is input, generates current parameters to correct a difference between the target magnetic field and the currently-detected magnetic field and controls the magnet heater 11 using the generated current parameters, thereby correcting a change of the magnetic field caused by a change of resistances.

[0049] In this case, the high-temperature magnetic field sensor unit 20 re-detects the corrected magnetic field and provides the re-detected magnetic field to the magnetic field comparing unit 30, and the current parameter controller 40 controls the magnet heater 11 by correcting the current parameters again using the result of comparison by the magnetic field comparing unit 30.

[0050] By repeating this procedure, the currently-detected magnetic field can be completely corrected to the target magnetic field.

[0051] In this way, according to the present invention, the magnetic field, which is changed by the magnet heater 11 being damaged by oxides generated during a process, and by a change of resistances, can be compensated for such that the life-span of the magnet heater 11 can be expanded.

[0052] While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0053] According to the present invention, when a magnet heater is used in a high-temperature chamber, such as an ingot growing apparatus, a varying magnetic field caused by damage to the magnet heater can be detected, and the detected magnetic field can be corrected. Therefore, there is industrial applicability.