US 11,725,304 B2
Continuous replenishment crystal growth
Nathan Stoddard, Winchester, CA (US)
Assigned to II-VI DELAWARE, INC., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed by II-VI Delaware, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed on Jan. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/646,989.
Application 17/646,989 is a division of application No. 16/694,226, filed on Nov. 25, 2019, granted, now 11,248,312.
Prior Publication US 2022/0127753 A1, Apr. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. C30B 35/00 (2006.01); C30B 15/10 (2006.01); C30B 15/14 (2006.01)
CPC C30B 35/007 (2013.01) [C30B 15/10 (2013.01); C30B 15/14 (2013.01); C30B 35/002 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for growing a crystal, the apparatus comprising:
a growth chamber having:
a growth crucible configured to contain a liquid melt; and
a die located above the growth crucible, the die having a die opening and one or more capillaries extending from within the growth crucible toward the die opening;
a melt chamber thermally isolated from the growth chamber, the melt chamber having:
a melt crucible configured to receive feedstock material; and
at least one heating element positioned within the melt chamber relative to the melt crucible to melt the feedstock material within the melt crucible to form the liquid melt; and
at least one capillary conveyor in fluid communication with the melt crucible and the growth crucible to transport the liquid melt from the melt crucible to the growth crucible, wherein the at least one capillary conveyor is formed from a pair of plates positioned a distance apart.