Adjustment of oxygen transport phenomena for Czochralski silicon crystal growth

Heliyon. 2024 Apr 6;10(8):e29346. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29346. eCollection 2024 Apr 30.

Abstract

During silicon crystal growth, oxygen, a well-known major impurity, affects the final silicon wafer's mechanical and electrical properties. This study focused on regulation of discharge of different concentrations of oxygen from the quartz crucible into the silicon melt while considering the crucible angular speed and the friction at the melt-crucible interface. The three-dimensional transient governing equations for heat transfer, fluid flow, and impurity transportation in the Czochralski (CZ) puller were solved numerically. The oxygen solvation equation representing the crucible to silicon melt was modified to evaluate the accuracy of oxygen concentration calculations during the CZ process. Experimental measurements using the Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) technique were used to confirm the simulation results. The results demonstrate that the crucible angular speed affects the oxygen concentration near the crucible wall and therefore in the silicon ingot. The proposed modifications for evaluating oxygen concentration offer a more comprehensive understanding of the oxygen dynamics during the CZ crystal growth.

Keywords: Czochralski (CZ); Oxygen impurity; Simulation and modelling; Solidification.