NUMERICAL-ANALYSIS FOR THE APPLICATION OF RADIATIVE REFLECTORS TO VERTICAL BRIDGMAN GROWTH CONFIGURATIONS

Numerical analysis was carried out to study the possibility of control ling the melt/solid interface shape by the application of a radiative reflector in a vertical Bridgman crystal growth process. The reflector was in the shape of a cone and extended from the inner wall of the fu rnace to the crucible. It was assumed that the furnace was composed of cold and hot zones with fixed temperatures. With a radiative reflecto r, the heat flux through the side walls and the temperature gradient n ear the interface increased and a more planar interface could be obtai ned. Increasing the tilt angle of the reflector could induce the trans ition of interface shape from concave to convex, The reflector with th e tilt angle of 37 degrees gave the most improved shape of melt/solid interface in this study.