Method for treating materials having a high surface tension in the molten state in a crucible

Claim 1

A METHOD OF OPERATING ON SEMICONDUCTIVE MATERIALS HAVING HIGH SURFACE TENSION WHEN MOLTEN, COMPRISING MELTING SAID SEMICONDUCTIVE MATERIAL IN A CONDUCTIVE CRUCIBLE WHOSE WALL PORTIONS CONTAINS PLURAL SLOTS EXTENDING COMPLETELY THERETHROUGH WHOSE DIMENSIONS ESTABLISH A GIVEN UPWARD PRESSURE AT THE SLOTS IN WHICH THE MELT''S HYDROFACE TENSION, MAINTAINING THE LEVEL OF SAID MELT BELOW THAT HEIGHT ABOVE THE SLOTS AT WHICH THE MELTS''S HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE AT THE SLOTS EQUALS THE SAID GIVEN UPWARD PRESSURE HEREBY PREVENTING THE MELT FROM THE FLOWING OUT THROUGH THE SLOTS, AND INTRODUCING INTO THE MELT FROM OUTSIDE THE WALLS BY WAY OF THE SLOTS HIGH-FREQUENCY ENERGY TO MAINTAIN THE MINERAL IN THE MOLTEN CONDITION AND AGITATE SAME.