Abstract:
According to the invention, a device and a method for producing materials having a monocrystalline or multicrystalline structure are provided, in which a container is arranged between two pressure regions and the setting of the height of the melt in the container takes place via the setting of the differential pressure between the pressure regions. As a result, even particulate material can be fed continuously to the container and melted uniformly. Delivery material with high purity can also be pulled out of the container.
Abstract:
A method for fabricating ion exchange waveguides, such as lithium niobate or lithium tantalate waveguides in optical modulators and other optical waveguide devices, utilizes pressurized annealing to further diffuse and limit exchange of the ions and includes ion exchanging the crystalline substrate with a source of ions and annealing the substrate by pressurizing a gas atmosphere containing the lithium niobate or lithium tantalate substrate above normal atmospheric pressure, heating the substrate to a temperature ranging from about 150 degrees Celsius to about 1000 degrees Celsius, maintaining pressure and temperature to effect greater ion diffusion and limit exchange, and cooling the structure to an ambient temperature at an appropriate ramp down rate. In another aspect of the invention a powder of the same chemical composition as the crystalline substrate is introduced into the anneal process chamber to limit the crystalline substrate from outgassing alkaline earth metal oxide during the anneal period. In yet another aspect of the invention an anneal container is provided that allows for crystalline substrates to be annealed in the presence of powder without contaminating the substrate with the powder during the anneal process. Waveguides manufactured in accordance with the method exhibit superior drift performance.
Abstract:
A method for making a free-standing, single crystal, gallium nitride (GaN) wafer includes forming a single crystal GaN layer directly on a single crystal LiAlO2 substrate using a gallium halide reactant gas, and removing the single crystal LiAlO2 substrate from the single crystal GaN layer to make the free-standing, single crystal GaN wafer. Forming the single crystal GaN layer may comprise depositing GaN by vapor phase epitaxy (VPE) using the gallium halide reactant gas and a nitrogen-containing reactant gas. Because gallium halide is used as a reactant gas rather than a metal organic reactant such as trimethygallium (TMG), the growth of the GaN layer can be performed using VPE which provides commercially acceptable rapid growth rates. In addition, the GaN layer is also devoid of carbon throughout. Because the GaN layer produced is high quality single crystal, it may have a defect density of less than about 107 cmnull2.
Abstract:
System for formation of a mineral crystal having a regular cross-sectional shape, including a crucible, a mass of crystal nutrient melt in the crucible, and a cooling element which defines a growing zone on the surface of the nutrient melt.
Abstract:
A crucible useful for continuous preparation of single crystals with selected crystal orientation or for depositing thin films of crystalline materials such as silica on substrates such as graphite by the pendant drop growth (PDG) method, the crucible base being tapped with one or more capillary bores having a length equal to or greater than the retention height of the molten liquid used to prepare the crystal of film at the temperatures and pressures used, the crucible being improved by "capping" its bottom with a conical baffle plate supported by feet on the bottom of the crucible, the improved crucible providing single crystals having high dimensional regularity and containing no bubbles or unmelted inclusions and the single crystals being broadly useful in jewelry, horology, and electronics.
Abstract:
An apparatus and process for casting a material comprising a coolant application device comprising a fluidized bed coolant system. The casting is carried out utilizing a casting mold which defines a casting zone. A soundwave generating system is provided for enhancing the flow of the fluidized bed into the vicinity of the casting zone.
Abstract:
An improved apparatus characterized by an R-F coil, a crucible for confining a silicon melt, and a susceptor for supporting the crucible facilitating an electrical coupling of the coil with the melt. The susceptor comprises a pair of susceptor halves of a thickness less than two skin depths, each being the mirror image of the other, disposed in mutually opposed, electrically insulated relation, while the crucible comprises a quartz body supported by the graphite susceptor, whereby the R-F coil is electrically coupled with the melt.
Abstract:
METHOD OF CRUCIBLE-FREE ZONE MELTING A CRYSTALLINE ROD WHICH COMPRISES ROTATING A PAIR OF SPACED AND SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY ALIGNED END HOLDERS SUPPORTING A CRYSTALLINE ROD THEREBETWEEN, HEATING THE ROD WITH AN ANNULAR HEATING DEVICE SURROUNDING THE ROD TO A TEMPERATURE AT WHICH A MOLTEN ZONE IS FORMED IN THE ROD DIVIDING THE ROD INTO A SUPPLY ROD PORITION BEING SUPPLIED TO THE MELT IN THE MOLTEN ZONE AND A ROD PORTION RESOLIDIFYING FROM THE MELT, RELATIVELY DISPLACING THE END HOLDERS AND THE HEATING DEVICE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE ROD AXIS AT A GIVEN RELATIVE SPEED SO THAT THE RESOLIDIFYING ROD PORTION HAS A THICKNESS OF PREDETERMINED NOMINAL VALUE, AND LATERALLY DISPLACING THE END HOLDER FOR THE SUPPLY ROD PORTION OUT OF VERTICAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE OTHER END HOLDER.