HYBRID CRUCIBLE FOR CRYSTALLIZING MATERIALS

Abstract

A hybrid crucible comprising a frame and a bottom plate. The crucible is characterized by the selection of material of these two components, which have been optimized in terms of thermal conductivity. The crucible is adapted to produce crystalline materials. Moreover, a method for producing crystalline material is disclosed.

Claims

1. A hybrid crucible for the crystallization of materials, comprising a bottom plate and a frame, wherein the bottom plate and the frame are made of different materials, the thermal conductivity of the bottom plate is greater than that of the frame and the frame is set onto the bottom plate.

2. The hybrid crucible according to claim 1, wherein the crucible is designed such that a solid bottom layer on the bottom plate can be formed, which protects the bottom plate against the attack of the melt.

3. The hybrid crucible according to claim 1, wherein the frame is set onto the bottom plate without establishing a firm connection between the frame and the bottom plate prior to use of the crucible.

4. The hybrid crucible according to claim 1, wherein the bottom plate has a thermal conductivity which is greater than that of the frame by at least a factor of 1.1.

5. The hybrid crucible according to claim 1, wherein the bottom plate is made of a gradient material.

6. The hybrid crucible according to claim 1, wherein the bottom plate has locally different thermal conductivities, so that locally different heat flows can be established.

7. The hybrid crucible according to claim 1, wherein the frame has a thermal conductivity at 0 C. of not more than 5 W/(m*K).

8. The hybrid crucible according to claim 1, wherein the bottom plate has a thermal conductivity at 0 C. of at least 40 W/(m*K).

9. A process for producing crystalline materials utilizing a hybrid crucible according to claim 1.

10. A method for producing crystalline material, comprising the steps of: a. filling raw material, particular silicon raw material, into a hybrid crucible according to claim 1, b. inparting heat to the hybrid crucible, so that the raw material is melted from top to bottom, c. directional solidification of the melt to form a crystalline product, and wherein a fraction of unmelted material remains on the bottom plate throughout the process.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the method further comprises the following step, preferably before step a), introducing a seed-material, consisting of the same material as the raw materials, which is chosen such that it is not or not completely liquefied during the melting process and it remains as a solid bottom layer or fraction of unmelted material on the bottom plate.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein an additional protective frame is arranged on the bottom plate prior to the filling step.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the protective frame is set onto the bottom plate prior to arranging the frame.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the protective frame is removed prior to the heat input.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the frame is replaced after removal of the crystalline material and the method is then carried out again with a new frame.

16. The hybrid crucible according to claim 2, wherein the frame is set onto the bottom plate without establishing a firm connection between the frame and the bottom plate prior to use of the crucible.

17. The hybrid crucible according to claim 7, wherein the frame has a thermal conductivity at 0 C. of not more than 3 W/(m*K).

18. The hybrid crucible according to claim 8, wherein the bottom plate has a thermal conductivity at 0 C. of at least 50 W/(m*K).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] FIG. 1 shows a cross sectional view of the hybrid crucible according to the invention comprising a bottom plate 1 and a frame 2 which is set onto the bottom plate. In the hybrid crucible there is a melt 3 and a solid bottom layer 4 of generic material. The term generic material means that the material is the same as that of the melt. The solid bottom layer thus consists of the same material as the melt above. In this figure the melting phase is shown in the method according to the invention. During the melting phase heat is preferably supplied both from the top Q.sub.Top and from the bottom Q.sub.Bottom. No heat is preferably applied through the frame because it has a lower thermal conductivity.

[0052] FIG. 2 like FIG. 1 shows a cross sectional view of the hybrid crucible according to the invention comprising a bottom plate 1, a frame 2, the melt 3 and the solid bottom layer 4. The arrows 5 indicate the direction of crystal growth at the crystallization front 6. During the crystallization phase, which is shown in this figure, a heat flow is realized through the bottom plate by the combination of heating and cooling, which in first consequence leads to the establishment of a temperature gradient and in a further consequence to a directional solidification. Heat is supplied continuously from the top (Q.sub.Top). The heat dissipation through the frame (Q.sub.Side) is low.

[0053] Due to the fact that the frame exhibits an insulating effect, the energy discharge at the sides is very low. Consequently, a temperature gradient is achieved only between the crystallization front and the bottom plate. The crystal growth thus only occurs from the bottom up.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0054] 1 Bottom plate [0055] 2 Frame [0056] 3 Melt [0057] 4 Solid bottom layer [0058] 5 Direction of crystal growth [0059] 6 Crystallization front