Influence of transverse magnetic field on thermocapillary flow in liquid bridge

For exploring the optimizing convection control technique by external magnetic field in floating zone crystal growth of semiconductor under microgravity, thermocapillary flow in a floating half‐zone model is simulated numerically, and the influences of both the transversal uniform magnetic field and the magnetic field generated by transversal four coils on thermocapillary flow are investigated. The results indicate that the transversal uniform magnetic field is likely to break the axisymmetrical structure of thermocapillary flow, which is unfavorable to the growth of high‐quality crystal; under the magnetic field generated by transversal four coils, both the mean and the maximum velocities increase with the increment of the distance between coils or the decrement of coil radius; and the convection tends to be more axisymmetrical with increasing coil radius. Compared to the transversal uniform magnetic field, the magnetic field generated by transversal four coils of appropriate radius and relative distance may not only suppress convection, but also enhance the axisymmetry of convection at the same time, and finally, the better convection control can be achieved. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)