Stability or Instability of a Static Meniscus Appearing in Ribbon Single Crystal Growth from Melt Using E.F.G. Method

This study presents necessary conditions for the existence and sufficient conditions for the stability or instability of the static meniscus (liquid bridge) appearing in the ribbon single crystal growth from the melt, of predetermined sizes, by using the edge-defined-film- fed (EFG) growth method. The cases when the contact angle and the growth angle verify the inequality 0<αc<π2 -αg or π2>αc>π2 -αg are treated separately. Experimentally, only static meniscus (liquid bridges) which verifies the necessary condition of existence and the sufficient conditions of stability can be created; static meniscus (liquid bridges) which does not verify both of these conditions, exist only in theory because in reality they collapses. The results of this study is significant for thin ribbon single crystal growth from melt, with prior given macroscopic dimensions, using prior given specific equipment. That is because the obtained inequalities represent limits for what can and cannot be achieved experimentally.