Growth morphology of perfect and twinned face-centered-cubic crystals by Monte Carlo simulation

The effect of the relative growth rate between {1 1 1} and {1 0 0} faces on the growth morphology of perfect and twinned face-centered-cubic crystals was investigated with a Monte Carlo simulation considering both first-nearest-neighbor (FNN) and second-nearest-neighbor (SNN) interactions. When the bond energy ratio of SNN to FNN interactions is close to zero, the {1 1 1} twin planes make a reentrant edge, which enhances the growth rate on this plane, leading to a tabular growth shape. When the ratio is 0.25, the ridge side face of a tabular shape has the {1 0 0}/{1 0 0}/{1 1 1} structure instead of the {1 1 1}/{1 1 1} reentrant edge. In spite of disappearance of the reentrant edge, the side face has a higher growth rate than the top face because the {1 0 0} face still grows faster than the {1 1 1} face.     

Growth of SiGe bulk crystals with uniform composition by utilizing feedback control system of the crystal–melt interface position for precise control of the growth temperature

We developed an automatic feedback control system of the crystal–melt interface position to keep the temperature at the interface constant during growth, and demonstrate its successful application to grow Ge-rich SiGe bulk crystals with uniform composition. In this system, the position of the crystal–melt interface was automatically detected by analyzing the images captured using in situ monitoring system based on charge-coupled-devices camera, and the pulling rate of the crucible was corrected at every 1 min. The system was found to be effective to keep the crystal–melt interface position during growth even when the variation of the growth rate is quite large. Especially, the interface position was kept for 470 h during growth of Ge-rich SiGe bulk crystal when we started with a long growth melt of 80 mm. As a result, a 23 mm-long Si_0.22Ge_0.78 bulk crystal with uniform composition was obtained thanks to the constancy of the growth temperature during growth through the control of the interface position. Our technique opens a possibility to put multicomponent bulk crystal in a practical use.     

Growth kinetics of CaF2 in a pH-stat fluidized-bed crystallizer

In this study, experiments were first conducted in a stirred vessel to establish the metastable region of calcium fluoride, using a pH-stat apparatus for controlling the pH value of solution. The effects of pH value on the solubility and metastable region were observed. Then, operating variables, including supersaturation, superficial velocity, pH value, seed size, and types of seed and solution, that influenced the crystal growth of the same system were investigated in a fluidized-bed crystallizer. The crystal growth rates were determined from the consumption rates of fluoride ions. The growth kinetics was explored by using the two-step growth model. The effectiveness factor was used to judge whether a controlling step was existing. The kinetics of crystal growth in a lean bed and a dense bed was also discussed.     

Influence of trivalent ions codoping on the Mo:PbWO4 luminescence properties

Trivalent ions codoping Mo:PWO boules were grown along the c-axis using the Czochralski technique. Trivalent ions codoping improved the fast components of luminescence for Mo:PWO due to suppression/compensation of hole-trapping centers. Correspondingly, trivalent ions codoping increased the fast components of the light yield. The La³⁺ and Gd³⁺ concentration in the crystal gradually decreased along the growth direction because they increased the melting point. The Y³⁺ concentration increased along this direction due to the different influence on the melting point. Compared with La:Mo:PWO, Y:Mo:PWO shows a more uniform transmittance along the growth direction.     

A statistical thermodynamic model for oxygen segregation during Czochralski growth of silicon single crystals

A thermodynamic model derived from atomic scale statistics is formulated for the crystal–melt interface where oxygen segregation occurs during silicon crystal growth by the Czochralski method. The model shows that the segregation coefficient is close to but less than unity. Approaches for controlling oxygen concentration in the resulted crystal are discussed.     

Mathematical modeling of grown-in defects formation in Czochralski silicon

On the basis of a mathematical model proposed previously [S. Kobayashi, J. Crystal Growth 174 (1997) 163], oxygen precipitation in growing Czochralski (CZ) crystals is analyzed, and the calculated results are compared with experimental data of grown-in defects observed with laser scattering tomography (LST). The behavior of oxygen precipitates is qualitatively very similar to that of grown-in defects, but there are quantitative discrepancies between the calculation and the observation. The formation process of grown-in defects is discussed.     

Experiments on the oscillatory convection of low Prandtl number liquid in Czochralski configuration for crystal growth with cusp magnetic field

This paper presents results of experiments on the oscillatory convection of mercury in a Czochralski configuration with cusp magnetic field. Temperature fluctuation measurements are carried out to determine the critical Rayleigh number for the onset of time dependent natural convection. The effects of a cusp magnetic field on the supercritical natural convection coupled with rotation of crystal disk are investigated. In the presence of a rotating flow it is found that a cusp magnetic field can induce a new long wave instability and can amplify the temperature fluctuation depending on the magnitude of the relevant flow similarity parameters and the melt aspect ratios. A flow regime diagram for the amplification and damping of the temperature fluctuations is presented to provide an experimental data base for finding optimum growth conditions in the cusp magnetic field Czochralski process.     

Influence of Coriolis force on thermal convection and impurity segregation during crystal growth under microgravity

In contrast with the generally accepted viewpoint, it is shown that the Coriolis force caused by rotation of an orbital station can appreciably affect natural convection and impurity distribution during the growth of crystals from a melt in orbital flight conditions. 2D and 3D steady and oscillatory convection in a rectangular enclosure is considered. The resonance phenomenon arising due to the interaction of the Coriolis force and harmonic oscillations of the gravity force is demonstrated. It is shown that for moderate values of the Ekman number the Coriolis force suppresses convection in one direction and amplifies it in the other, which in turn results in deformation of the impurity distribution over the cross-section of the crystal.     

Low-temperature fabrication and photocatalytic activity of clustered TiO2 particles formed on glass fibers

Clustered anatase phase TiO₂ particles were uniformly formed on the surface of glass fibers by a liquid phase deposition (LPD) method at 60 °C using TiF₄ and H₃BO₃ as the precursors. The clustered TiO₂ particles deposited on the glass fibers and as a photocatalyst these particles not only have a larger surface area than TiO₂ thin films, but also can avoid the disadvantages of using TiO₂ powders encountered in air purification or water treatment. The photocatalytic activity of the sample was evaluated by the photocatalytic oxidation of nitrogen monoxide (NO) in the gaseous phase. The deposition conditions and chemical composition of the clustered TiO₂ particles were discussed. It was found that the clustered TiO₂ particles that formed on the glass fibers obviously showed photocatalytic activity without high-temperature calcination. A formation mechanism was proposed to account for the formation of TiO₂ clustered morphology on the glass fibers.     

Selective-controlled synthesis of one-dimensional strontium phosphates

Anorthic SrHPO₄ nanobelts and hexagonal Sr₁₀O(PO₄)₆ nanorods were obtained by a simple hydrothermal method without adding any surfactant as template. The as-synthesized products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). TEM and HRTEM observations of the products revealed that the as-prepared SrHPO₄ nanobelts and Sr₁₀O(PO₄)₆ hexagonal nanorods are single crystals with their preferential growth direction along the normal of (1 0 0) and (0 0 1) planes, respectively.