Finite-element methods for analysis of the dynamics and control of Czochralski crystal growth (Q1116678)

Numerical methods are presented for solution of the complex moving- boundary problem described by a thermal-capillary mode for Czochralski crystal growth, which accounts for conduction through melt, crystal, and crucible and radiation between diffuse-gray body surfaces. Transients are included that are caused by energy transport, by changes in the shapes of the melt-crystal, melt-ambient phase boundaries and the moving crystal, and by the batchwise decrease of the melt volume in the crucible. Finite-element discretizations are used to approximate the moving boundaries and the energy equation in each phase. A two-level, implicit integration algorithm is presented for transient calculations. The temperature fields and moving boundaries are advanced in time by a trapezoid rule approximation with modified Newton's iterations to solve algebraic systems for effective ambient temperatures computed with diffuse-gray radiation. The implicit coupling between radiative exchange, interface shapes, and the temperature field is necessary for preserving the second-order accuracy of the integration method and is achieved by successive iterations between the radiation calculation and solution of the thermal capillary model. Analysis of a quasi-steady-state model demonstrates the inherent stability of the Czochralski process. Including either diffuse- gray radiation among crystal, melt, and crucible or a simple controller for maintaining constant radius can lead to oscillations in the crystal radius. The effects of these oscillations on batchwise crystal growth are addressed.