Growth of silicon crystal with a diameter of 400 mm and weight of 400 kg

Since 1996, we have been investigating the crystal growth of 400-mm silicon crystals as the next generation of silicon wafer size after 300 mm. The fi rst dislocation-free crystal was grown in 1998, and the heaviest dislocatio n free crystal ever, weighing 413 kg, was safely grown in 2000 using a crys tal suspending system. In this paper, we describe an experimental study on large-diameter silicon crystal growth, its growth conditions, and the cryst al properties of 400-mm silicon crystals. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. Al l rights reserved.