Influence of travelling magnetic fields on S–L interface shapes of materials with different electrical conductivities

Traveling magnetic fields (TMFs) can be used to control the shape of the crystal–melt interfaces at crystal growth from melt. Here, we present the numerical results of a systematic study on the influence of a TMF generated by a KRISTMAG˜® heater-magnet module on the interface curvature of different materials varying in their electrical conductivity in a wide range (5×101 to 1.7×107 S/m) such as Ge, Si, CdTe, BaF2 and YAG. Materials were compared in the same design of environment by using results obtained for Ge as a reference. For the rescaling of the growth equipment, non-dimensional criteria were applied. Positive slightly convex crystal–melt interface can be obtained for all materials studied using moderate electrical currents.

► Numerical study on influence of a TMF on the S–L interface shape during VGF growth. ► KRISTMAG®KRISTMAG® HMM was used for a generation of Lorentz forces. ► We studied Ge, Si, CdTe, BaF2 and YAG with el. conductivity from 5 ×101 to 1.7 ×106 S/m. ► Results showed improved interface morphology for all studied materials.