NOVELTY - Producing monocrystalline or polycrystalline semiconductor material using a vertical gradient freeze method, involves introducing lumpy semiconductor raw material (33) into a melting crucible (38), melting there and directionally solidifying, in which temperature profile is established from the upper end to the base of the crucible, the temperature profile being axially displaced in such a way that the phase boundary separating the liquid phase from the crystallized out material migrates, starting from base of the crucible, gradually toward the upper end of the crucible.    USE - For producing a monocrystalline or polycrystalline semiconductor material using a vertical gradient freeze method for applications in photovoltaics (claimed) e.g. in solar cells.    ADVANTAGE - The method produces monocrystalline or polycrystalline material by way of directional solidification, allowing solid, lumpy semiconductor raw material to be replenished (added) to the melting crucible without splashing, in order at least partly to counteract the volumetric shrinkage during the melting of the semiconductor raw material in the melting crucible and to attain high filling level of the crucible. The method allows a shorter melting-on time and more uniform heating to be attained. Varying the conveying speed and/or the intensity of the heating allows the heating of the semiconductor raw material easily to be controlled. Also less energy is lost when the purposeful introduction of heat into the semiconductor raw material to be introduced takes place on the inside of heat insulation of the melting furnace receiving the melting crucible.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Producing a monocrystalline or polycrystalline semiconductor material using a vertical gradient freeze method, involves introducing lumpy semiconductor raw material (33) into a melting crucible (38), melting there and directionally solidifying, in which temperature profile is established from the upper end to the base of the melting crucible, the temperature profile being axially displaced in such a way that the phase boundary separating the liquid phase from the crystallized out material migrates, starting from the base of the melting crucible, gradually toward the upper end of the melting crucible, in which method the semiconductor raw material is melted from the upper end of the melting crucible, so that molten material trickles downward and semiconductor raw material, which has not yet melted gradually slumps in the melting crucible and additional semiconductor raw material is replenished to the melting crucible from above onto a zone of semiconductor raw material which has not yet melted or not completely melted, in order at least partly to compensate for a volumetric shrinkage of the semiconductor raw material.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a schematic sectional view of a device for producing monocrystalline or polycrystalline silicon.    Lumpy semiconductor raw material (33)    Heating elements (34)    Melt or solid raw material (35)    Heat insulation (36)    Melting crucible (38)    Cooling plate (39)