coil makes it possible to control the way in which molten material runs out of a pool of melt 17 in the vessel 1 to the melt 8 to prevent dust particles from being able to reach the melt 8 the space in which the single crystal is pulled should as far as possible be separated in a dustproof manner from the space in which the vessel is located it is therefore preferable for the sickle shaped gap between the ingot 7 and the edge of the central opening 3 in the vessel to be as narrow as possible and for a gas stream to be directed upward through the gap making it difficult for dust to penetrate into the pulling space production of a single crystal begins by first of all melting a small quantity of silicon in the vessel 1 and keeping it in liquid form in this phase the ingot 7 is not yet in contact with the pool of melt 17 which has been produced then the ingot is moved downward through the central opening 3 in the vessel and the inner hole in the pulling coil the seed pulling is commenced in a known way as a result of a molten droplet being produced on the lower tip of the ingot with the aid of the pulling coil 2 and a seed crystal being attached to this molten droplet at this time the ingot still has the function of the stock ingot used in.