Abstract
Research on Marangoni convection in a silicon melt for a low Prandtl number fluid is reviewed. Temperature
measurement and flow visualization in a half-zone bridge of molten silicon were carried out under microgravity conditions us ing the NASDA TR-IA rocket and on the ground. Formation ofnon-axisymmetric temperature field due to the Maran goni flow instability was revealed. The effect of oxygen partial pressure on Marangoni convection was also investigated. A transition from non-periodic fluctuations to periodic fluctuations was observed when oxygen partial pressure was increased. This result indicates that oxygen partial pressure in the ambient atmosphere plays an important role in the Marangoni flow stability of molten silicon. The non-contact temperature measurement by a Si-CCD device and the phase shift laser interferometry would be effective tools to study Marangoni convection of molten silicon bridge.
