US 12,410,538 B2
Use of arrays of quartz particles during single crystal silicon ingot production
Richard Joseph Phillips, St. Peters, MO (US); and Carissima Marie Hudson, St. Charles, MO (US)
Assigned to GlobalWafers Co., Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by GlobalWafers Co., Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Oct. 12, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/964,303.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/276,969, filed on Nov. 8, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0142194 A1, May 11, 2023
Int. Cl. C30B 15/02 (2006.01); C30B 15/00 (2006.01); C30B 15/12 (2006.01); C30B 29/06 (2006.01)
CPC C30B 15/02 (2013.01) [C30B 15/002 (2013.01); C30B 15/12 (2013.01); C30B 29/06 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for forming a single crystal silicon ingot comprising:
adding solid-phase polycrystalline silicon to a crucible assembly;
adding an array of quartz particles to the crucible assembly, the array comprising a plurality of quartz particles and a plurality of linking members that connect adjacent quartz particles, wherein each quartz particle of the array is connected to a linking member;
heating the polycrystalline silicon to form a silicon melt;
contacting the silicon melt with a seed crystal; and
withdrawing the seed crystal from the silicon melt to form a silicon ingot, wherein the array of quartz particles maintains dispersion of quartz particles during ingot growth.