Single-crystal – oriented-crystal – and epitaxy growth processes; – Processes of growth from liquid or supercritical state – Having pulling during growth
Patent
1997-07-17
1998-12-08
Kunemund, Robert
Single-crystal, oriented-crystal, and epitaxy growth processes;
Processes of growth from liquid or supercritical state
Having pulling during growth
117 13, 117 15, 117201, 117202, 117208, 117 16, C30B 1500, C30B 1526, C30B 1520
Patent
active
058463186
ABSTRACT:
Method and system for use with a Czochralski crystal growing apparatus. The crystal growing apparatus has a heated crucible for melting solid silicon to form a melt from which the single crystal is pulled. The melt has an upper surface above which unmelted silicon is exposed until melted. A camera generates images of a portion of the interior of the crucible. Each image includes a plurality of pixels and each pixel has a value representative of an optical characteristic of the image. An image processor processes the images as a function of the pixel values to detect edges in the images and groups the detected edges as a function of their locations in the images to define objects in the images. The defined objects each include one or more pixels and at least one of the defined objects is representative of a portion of solid silicon which is visible on the melt surface. A control circuit determines a parameter representative of a condition of the crystal growing apparatus based on the defined objects and controls the crystal growing apparatus in response to the determined parameter.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3740563 (1973-06-01), Reichard
patent: 4350557 (1982-09-01), Scholl et al.
patent: 4710258 (1987-12-01), Latka
patent: 4926357 (1990-05-01), Katsuoka et al.
patent: 5138179 (1992-08-01), Baba et al.
patent: 5170061 (1992-12-01), Baba
patent: 5178720 (1993-01-01), Frederick
patent: 5183528 (1993-02-01), Baba et al.
patent: 5240684 (1993-08-01), Baba et al.
patent: 5288363 (1994-02-01), Araki
patent: 5378900 (1995-01-01), Hirano et al.
patent: 5437242 (1995-08-01), Hofstetter et al.
patent: 5588993 (1996-12-01), Holder
patent: 5653799 (1997-08-01), Fuerhoff
patent: 5665159 (1997-09-01), Fuerhoff
Gonzalez and Wintz, Digital Image Processing, 1987, pp. 36-52.
F. Shimura, Semiconductor Silicon Crystal Technology, pp. 116-121, Academic Press (San Diego, CA 1989).
Kristine Gould, AI Applications in Crystal Growth, Jul. 1990.
Defillo Evelyn A.
Kunemund Robert
MEMC Electric Materials, Inc.
LandOfFree
Method and system for controlling growth of a silicon crystal does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and system for controlling growth of a silicon crystal, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and system for controlling growth of a silicon crystal will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-172917