In situ observation of the Si melt-silica glass interface concerning CZ-Sicrystal growth

An in situ observation was carried out for investigating the interfacial ph ase of so-called 'brownish rings' formed at the Si melt-silica glass interf ace concerning Czochralski (CZ) silicon crystal growth. It is found that so me small dots appeared at the interface immediately after the Si melting, a nd grew gradually. The growth rate of the interfacial phase increases with increasing temperature, and it is almost the same when the silica dissoluti on rate is lower than a critical value. It can be concluded, therefore, tha t the growth rate of the interfacial phase does not depend on the silica di ssolution rate in a practical CZ-Si crystal growth by considering that the silica dissolution rate in CZ-Si crystal growth is also lower than the crit ical value. Crystalline phase forms from the central region of the interfac ial phase, and the amount of the crystalline phase increases with increasin g temperature and reaction time. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.