SINOPSIS

The floating zone method is considered as one of the most perspective technologies for the crystal growth under the microgravity. The work performed was stimulated by the necessity to develop a system for operative control and diagnostic. A mathematical formulation of the axisymmetrical nonstationary Stephen problem to simulate melting and crystallization processes by the floating zone method is presented in the paper. A discretization method and a method for solving the problem with taking into account the conductive and radiational heat exchange are described. Some numerical results for a germanium ingot are presented.