Ribbon-to-ribbon float zone single crystal growth stabilized by a thin silicon dioxide skin

We have found that a thin silicon dioxide skin stabilizes the float zone in ribbon-to-ribbon single crystal growth. 40-μm-thick single crystal ribbons, oriented 〈100〉 and scanned in the 〈011〉 direction, were grown completely free of subgrain as well as grain boundaries. This surprising suppression of low angle grain boundaries may be related to a similar effect which has been seen in supported thick silicon on SiO2 films.