Crystal growth behavior of silicon melt was observed using a confocal scanning laser microscope with an infrared image furnace. The morphology of the growth interface changed from planar to facet with increasing growth rate. The facet vanishing process was also observed. It was shown the (111) facet formed at a steady state. The undercooling in front of the facet interface was measured by an infrared camera and found to be almost 7degrees. The growth behavior of silicon melt was explained by an analytical expression based on a two-dimensional nucleation model. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.