Czochralski crystal growth assisted by axial vibrational control technique

A novel configuration of axial vibration control (AVC) technique applied to Czochralski (CZ) crystal growth process by submerging an oscillating baffle into the melt under the crystal has been developed. The growth setup with a transparent furnace and crucible was fabricated to visualize the growth process. The presented AVC-CZ technique provides the temperature equalization in the whole crucible with simulteneous increase in the temperature gradient near the growth interface. At NaNO(3) single crystal growth from transparent melt we discovered parameters, at which the vibrational flows suppressed thermoconvectional flows and changed the shape of solid-liquid interface. AVC-CZ-grown NaNO(3) crystals were dislocation-free at pulling rate less than 10 mm/h. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.