Noncontact modulated laser calorimetry of liquid silicon in a static magnetic field

Accurate thermal transport properties of high-temperature liquid silicon, such as those of heat capacity, emissivity, and thermal conductivity, are required for improving numerical modeling to produce high-quality silicon crystals using the Czochralski method. However, contamination from contact material and convection complicates measurements of these properties. The authors developed a noncontact modulated laser calorimetry using electromagnetic levitation in a static magnetic field. The isobaric molar heat capacity, thermal conductivity, and hemispherical total emissivity of liquid silicon were measured simultaneously at temperatures of 1750-2050 K. Convection in the levitated liquid silicon was suppressed above a static magnetic field of 2 T. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.