| CPC C30B 15/20 (2013.01) [C30B 29/06 (2013.01); C30B 33/08 (2013.01)] | 14 Claims |

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1. A method for producing a product ingot having an oxygen concentration of less than 5 ppma, the method comprising:
adding solid silicon to a crucible of a first ingot puller apparatus;
heating the solid silicon in the crucible of the first ingot puller apparatus to cause a first silicon melt to form in the crucible;
pulling a first sample rod from the first silicon melt, the first sample rod having a first sample rod diameter;
measuring an oxygen content of the first sample rod;
adding solid silicon to a crucible of a second ingot puller apparatus;
heating the solid silicon in the crucible of the second ingot puller apparatus to cause a second silicon melt to form in the crucible;
pulling a second sample rod from the second silicon melt, the second sample rod having a second sample rod diameter;
measuring an oxygen content of the second sample rod;
comparing the oxygen content of the first sample rod to the oxygen content of the second sample rod; and
growing the product ingot in the ingot puller apparatus in which the sample rod having a lower oxygen content was grown, the product ingot having a diameter, the first sample rod diameter and second sample rod diameter each being less than the diameter of the product ingot.
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