Thesis
Development of versatile control system for control of crystal growth furnace and ancillary systems using National Instruments devices and LabVIEW program
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2010
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/103308
Abstract
A versatile control system is developed to control a multi zone furnace and its ancillary systems which are used in the study of a semiconductor crystal growth process. Semiconductor crystals are grown in a furnace to study its growth process, identify the factors influencing its growth, understand their effects and develop growth method(s) (by controlling the factors directly or indirectly) to produce a high quality (uniform, homogeneous, defect free) crystal. A control system aids in implementing the crystal growth profile on the furnace by providing an interface between the researcher and the furnace. Since the objective is to understand the growth process and factors affecting it, the control system should implement the growth profile as accurately as possible. The study uses a commercial control system for the crystal growth process but due to limitations in its performance and accuracy the objective of the study couldn't be achieved. A new versatile, stand alone, real time control system is developed using National Instruments devices and its Labview graphical programming language to overcome the limitations of the commercial system and achieve the objective. This thesis discusses about (1) the development of National Instruments control system with functions and attributes similar to the commercial system and the crystal growth process made with it, (2) compares the crystal growth processes performed with the National Instruments system and commercial system in order to evaluate the performance of the National Instruments system and finally (3) development of a versatile system by enhancing its functions i.e. monitoring and controlling of additional devices/instruments in addition to the furnace, to observe and/or to control directly or indirectly the factors affecting the growth process.
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Details
- Title
- Development of versatile control system for control of crystal growth furnace and ancillary systems using National Instruments devices and LabVIEW program
- Creators
- Chandrasekar Minnal
- Contributors
- Kelvin G. Lynn (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Mechanical and Materials Engineering, School of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; [Pullman, Washington] :
- Identifiers
- 99900525398701842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis