NOVELTY - The method comprises placing a quartz crucible into a susceptor (44), where an outer surface of the crucible and/or an inner surface of the susceptor have vents, loading a silicon charge into the crucible, heating the susceptor, crucible and silicon charge in a furnace until gas is emitted from the outer surface of the crucible by heating the furnance at 1580 degrees C until the silicon charge melts, venting the emitted gas upwardly in the vents until it is discharged into the furnace, and exhausting the emitted gas from the furnace. The location and size of the vents are sufficient to prevent gas.    USE - The method is useful for preparing a silicon melt for pulling a single crystal by the Czochralski method, where the single crystal is useful for semiconductor applications such as integrated circuits and solar cells.    ADVANTAGE - The method prevents the crucible from melting into and blocking the groove during the CZ process, reduces the negative affect of the formation of the single silicon crystal, and prevents formation of gas pockets in the crucible while maintaining structural integrity of the crucible.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The method comprises placing a quartz crucible into a susceptor (44), where an outer surface of the crucible and/or an inner surface of the susceptor have vents, loading a silicon charge into the crucible, heating the susceptor, crucible and silicon charge in a furnace until gas is emitted from the outer surface of the crucible by heating the furnance at 1580 degrees C until the silicon charge melts, venting the emitted gas upwardly in the vents until it is discharged into the furnace, and exhausting the emitted gas from the furnace. The location and size of the vents are sufficient to prevent gas trapped between the outer surface of the crucible and the inner surface of the susceptor from expanding the outer surface of the crucible away from the inner surface of the susceptor. The area is present beneath a melt plane of the vents defined by the surface of the melted silicon. Areas beneath the melt plane are less than 25 mm from the nearest vent, where the outer surface of the crucible contacts the inner surface of the susceptor. The vents cross one another to form grids. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for:    (1) a susceptor for holding a quartz crucible in which a silicon charge is melted; and    (2) a crucible for melting a silicon charge.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of a susceptor.    Susceptor (44)    Grooves (46, 48, 50)    Inner surface of the groove. (52)