Transparent Furnaces for High-Temperature Research

Transparent furnaces are being developed for use in research on properties and processing of materials at high temperatures. Full optical access to the interiors of furnaces is intended to provide the capability for nonintrusive diagnosis and feedback control of the subtleties of high-temperature processes. Small furnace windows are now included in some otherwise opaque furnaces to provide visibility for assessing crystal quality, but only small portions of the objects of interest can be viewed, and these windows cause thermal disturbances that affect crystal-growth processes.