Silicon is the one of the most abundant element on earth. However, virtually all of naturally occurring silicon exists as compounds. As a result, in order to get the pure silicon that is required for silicon wafers, a variety of silicon growing methods is used. There are two extremely popular and advantageous single-crystal growth methods that are able to achieve the material requirements that are needed for wafers: float zone (FZ) and Czochralski growth (CZ). Each of these silicon growth methods possess its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Which is better for your specific silicon wafer needs, float zone silicon or Czochralski silicon? Keep reading to find out!
Float zone silicon is extremely pure silicon that is obtained by vertical zone melting. This method produces the high-purity alternative to Czochralski silicon. However, one negative of float zone silicon is that their wafers are generally not greater than 150mm due to the surface tension limitations during growth. Float zone silicon is typically used for power devices and detector applications.
The majority of silicon produced commercially is done with the Czochralski method. Czochralski silicon sacrifices purity for optimal resistance to thermal stress, high production speed, and low cost. Their wafers typically range in diameter from 75 to 200mm. Czochralski silicon is often used in the electronics industry to make semiconductor devices such as integrated circuits.If you still don’t know which silicon growth method is the best for your specific project, don’t worry, Wafer World Inc. can help. We are a certified manufacturing facility for Silicon, Gallium Arsenide, Germanium, Indium Phosphide, Sapphire, and Quartz. We can answer any questions that you may have about float-zone silicon or Czochralski silicon and provide you with whichever one best fits your needs. Visit us online to utilize our fully equipped online store, which is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, today!
