Use of a traveling magnetic field in VGF growth: Flow reversal and resulting dopant distribution

The melt flow in a model of a vertical gradient freeze facility under the action of a traveling magnetic field (TMF) is studied numerically. The radial temperature gradient over a concave solidification interface drives a radially converging flow which may cause an undesirable dopant concentration peak on the axis. We study the characteristics of such a flow for parameters beyond the previously reported linear regime. An upward directed TMF induces a body force which counteracts buoyancy. We report conditions under which the TMF reverses the flow direction for a wide parameter range. These conditions depend primarily on the product of the thermal gradient and the interface deflection. The simulation of the dopant transport demonstrates that the concentration peak disappears as soon as the flow direction changes. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.