Noncontact measurement of thermal conductivity of liquid silicon in a static magnetic field

Thermal conductivity of liquid silicon is indispensable for numerical modeling of silicon crystal growth processes and for elucidating electron transport phenomena in high-temperature liquids. However, crucial obstacles render measurement of thermal conductivity difficult: convection and contamination from contact materials. In this study, the authors developed a noncontact measurement of thermal conductivity of liquid silicon using electromagnetic levitation in a static magnetic field. Convection in the levitated silicon becomes negligible above 2T. The determined thermal conductivity shows that the electron contribution is dominant for thermal transport in liquid silicon at temperatures of 1750–2050K.