Thermosolutal convection during the vertical Bridgman directional solidification of binary alloy I-prototype furnace

The thermosolutal convection during the growth of binary alloys in the ideal vertical Bridgman configuration, the prototype furnace, is numerically studied with pseudo-steady-state model. The effects of thermal Rayleigh Number and the length of adiabatic zone on the thermosolutal convection and radial solute segregation during the GeSi single crystal growth were analyzed. Firstly, there are three distinct flow patterns in the prototype furnace when thermal Rayleigh Number increases. Secondly, the driving force of the thermosolutal convection in the prototype furnace is the radial temperature gradient caused by the discontinuity of the lateral thermal boundary condition. Finally, the radial solute segregation in the prototype furnace has two minima as flow intensity increases.