Abstract
The purification of crystalline solids by the temperature gradient method was studied by a novel experimental method, and a mathematical model was developed to simulate the process. The experimental method was based on measurement of the impurity concentration profile in the whole crystal layer. Our results show that the amount of impurities in a crystal layer maintained under a temperature gradient decreased with time. This can be explained by a mechanism in which liquid inclusions move under the influence of a temperature gradient. The validity of the mathematical model for the concentration profile was shown through reference to experimental results.
