FURNACE FOR MELTING SILICON OR SILICON ALLOY

摘要

A method and a furnace for melting a silicon or silicon-based alloy raw material, wherein the raw material is heated with a heating element that generates heat via energization, and the raw material is melted in an inert atmosphere with an oxygen partial pressure of 1 to 1000 Pa. Specifically, provided are a melting method and a melting furnace for melting a silicon or silicon-based alloy in a furnace that does not need to be a high vacuum by changing the material of a conventionally used heater. In addition, the inclusion of impurities is prevented by changing the material of the heater or insulator as needed. A monocrystalline or polycrystalline silicon or silicon-based alloy can thereby be produced at low cost.