Electromagnetic Levitation of Metal Melts

Abstract

The main advantage that attracted the attention of researchers was the lack of contact of liquid metal with refractory lining, which ensured the elimination of one of the main sources of metal contamination by such a harmful impurity, such as oxygen. This is especially important for melting refractory and highly reactive metals and semiconductors. Compared to other melting methods, which also ensured the absence of contact of liquid metal with the crucible (vacuum arc, electron beam floating zone, cold crucible, plasma, etc.), EML of metal melts has a number of significant advantages. Among all types of noncontact technologies, only EML has the functions of levitation and heating.