| Abstract: | The study of the instability of the float zone in microgravity is necessary in order to produce pure and homogeneous crystals. Three types of instabilities may be present in a float zone. The first two, the static and dynamic instabilities, have been investigated by many authors. The third, onset of Marangoni convection is investigated in this study. The Navier-Stokes equations and the energy equation, in cylindrical coordinates, were solved using the finite element method. These pure and homogeneous germanium crystals will find application as integral components of sensitive γ radiation measuring equipment. |
