Experiment and numerical simulation of melt convection and oxygen distribution in 400-mm Czochralski silicon crystal growth

Single-crystalline silicon materials with large dimensions have been widely used as assemblies in plasma silicon etching machines. However, information about large-diameter low-cost preparation technology has not been sufficiently reported. In this paper, it was focused on the preparation of 400-mm silicon (100) crystal lightly doped with boron from 28-in. hot zones. Resistivity uniformity and oxygen concentration of the silicon crystal were investigated by direct-current (DC) four-point probes method and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), respectively. The global heat transfer, melt flow and oxygen distribution were calculated by finite element method (FEM). The results show that 28-in. hot zones can replace conventional 32 in. ones to grow 400-mm-diameter silicon single crystals. The change in crucible diameter can save energy, reduce cost and improve efficiency. The trend of oxygen distribution obtained in calculations is in good agreement with experimental values. The present model can well predict the 400-mm-diameter silicon crystal growth and is essential for the optimization of furnace design and process condition.