Optimal Control of the Czochralski Crystallization Process

该奖项是为了更好地控制Czochralski结晶过程，从而可以用更少的缺陷生长出更大直径的硅和其他化合物半导体晶圆。这项工作将集中于开发更好的降阶模型，以考虑跨边界层的阻力。还将开发传感器来测量坩埚壁的温度和测量晶体中的原子氧浓度。最后，将开发模型预测控制器，以更好地控制晶体生长过程。实验将在工业合作伙伴的现场进行，以验证在建模、传感器开发和控制器开发方面所研究的改进。改进对Czochralski结晶过程的控制有望导致生长更大直径的硅晶体和其他化合物半导体材料的能力，缺陷更少，这将对半导体工业有价值。此外，传感器的发展有望更好地理解晶体生长过程。减少订单模型的开发工作预计将在模拟各种材料加工应用中具有价值，这些应用涉及到以控制为目的的熔体加工。

9400775 Seider The award is for better control of the Czochralski crystallization process so that larger diameter wafers of silicon and other compound semiconductors can be grown with fewer defects. The effort will concentrate on development of better reduced-order models which take into account resistances across boundary layers. Sensors will also be developed to measure temperatures at the crucible wall and to measure atomic oxygen concentrations in the crystal. Finally, model-predictive controllers will be developed to achieve better control of the crystal growth process. Experiments will be conducted at the site of the industrial partner to validate the researched refinements in modeling, sensor development, and controller development. Improved control of the Czochralski crystallization process is expected to lead to the ability to grow larger diameter crystals of silicon and other compound semiconductor materials with fewer defects, which would be of value to the semiconductor industry. Furthermore, the sensor developments are expected to result in better understanding of the crystal growth process. The reduced order model development work is expected to be of value in modeling a variety of materials processing applications involving melt processing for purposes of control.