In situ reconstruction of crystal shape grown in an axisymmetric Kyropoulos system

Gourav Sen (1) , Wenqing Jia (2) , Yoann Malier (1) , Liliana Braescu (3) , Thierry Duffar (1)

1 SIMaP - Science et Ingénierie des Matériaux et Procédés
2 Suzhou Nuclear Power Research Institute
3 INRS - Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique [Québec]

The Kyropoulos growth system is used to grow large high quality sapphire crystals. But since they grow inside a sealed furnace, there is no established monitoring system to allow observing the growth. This makes it difficult to control the growth parameters ensuring a desired geometrical shape. In the present work a melt-height monitoring system is imagined in the growth system, which would allow the acquisition of the evolving melt level along with the pulling distance of seed and the measured weight of the growing crystal submerged in the melt. Based on all these parameters, it is demonstrated that it would be possible to trace the shape of the growing crystal. The needed accuracy for the measurement tools is studied.

Domaines: Matériaux

Gourav Sen, Wenqing Jia, Yoann Malier, Liliana Braescu, Thierry Duffar. In situ reconstruction of crystal shape grown in an axisymmetric Kyropoulos system. Journal of Crystal Growth, 2019, 506, pp.140-146. ⟨10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2018.10.002⟩. ⟨hal-02108675⟩