Patent 7351286 was granted and assigned to Wolfspeed on April, 2008 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A method of producing a high quality bulk single crystal of silicon carbide in a seeded growth system is disclosed. The method includes positioning the seed crystal in a crucible while exerting minimal torsional forces on the seed crystal to thereby prevent torsional forces from warping or bowing the seed crystal in a manner that that would otherwise encourage sublimation from the rear of the seed crystal or undesired thermal differences across the seed crystal.