Numerical analysis of Oxygen control during growth of Czochralski silicon single crystals
In the present work, a set of 2D global furnace simulations accounting for oxygen dissolution and transport have been used to predict Oi content along the produced Silicon crystal. It is shown that Oi content is sensitive to several growth parameters (melt level, crucible rotation, etc.). Results indicate Oxygen tends to increase at the end of the crystal due to a combination of weakening of turbulence and planar velocity in addition to decrease of the melt free surface. Crucible rotation is the most influencing parameter at low melt level. Argon gas pressure and flow have a limited impact at low melt level.
Effect of crystal and crucible rotations on the interface shape of Czochralski grown silicon single crystals
A set of global heat transfer simulations in Czochralski (Cz) furnace for producing silicon single crystals have been performed to investigate the effect of crystal and crucible rotations on melt convection and crystal/melt interface shape. The 2D axisymmetric simulations are carried out taking into account radiative and conductive heat transfers between furnace components, melt convection including thermocapillary forces (Marangoni) and gas flow. Melt flow pattern and temperature distribution have been studied for several combinations of crystal and crucible rotations and for different crystal heights. The result shows that crystal/melt interface shape and melt flow regime are strongly sensitive to the rate of rotations of both crystal and crucible. Interfaces with low deflection can be achieved for certain combinations of crystal and crucible rotation rates.
Engineering bio-inks for 3D bioprinting cell mechanical microenvironment
Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has become a promising approach to construct­ing functional biomimetic tissues for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In 3D bioprinting, bio-inks are essential for the construction of cell microenviron­ment, thus affecting the biomimetic design and regenerative efficiency. Mechanical properties are one of the essential aspects of microenvironment, which can be char­acterized by matrix stiffness, viscoelasticity, topography, and dynamic mechanical stimulation. With the recent advances in functional biomaterials, various engineered bio-inks have realized the possibility of engineering cell mechanical microenviron­ment in vivo. In this review, we summarize the critical mechanical cues of cell micro­environments, review the engineered bio-inks while focusing on the selection princi­ples for constructing cell mechanical microenvironments, and discuss the challenges facing this field and the possible solutions for them.