Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation

Dow Corning Corporation

Hemlock Semiconductor Operations LLC

Arvid Neil Arvidson

Michael John Molnar

Terence Lee Horstman

Chris Tim Schmidt

Roger Dale Spencer, Jr

Kathryn Elizabeth Messner

Todd Stanley Graham

Vishu D Dosaj

James B May

James R McCormick

Michael H Greene

David J Pasek

A method for recharging a crucible with polycrystalline silicon comprises adding flowable chips to a crucible used in a Czochralski-type process. Flowable chips are polycrystalline silicon particles made from polycrystalline silicon prepared by a chemical vapor deposition process, and flowable chips have a controlled particle size distribution, generally nonspherical morphology, low levels of bulk impurities, and low levels of surface impurities. Flowable chips can be added to the crucible using conventional feeder equipment, such as vibration feeder systems and canister feeder systems.

Flowable chips and methods for the preparation and use of same, and apparatus for use in the methods

A fluidized bed reactor and a Siemens reactor are used to produce polycrystalline silicon. The process includes feeding the vent gas from the Siemens reactor as a feed gas to the fluidized bed reactor.

Silicon production with a fluidized bed reactor integrated into a Siemens-type process

Silicon production with a fluidized bed reactor integrated into a siemens-type process

A method for processing polycrystalline silicon workpieces to form size distributions of polycrystalline silicon pieces suitable for use in a Czochralski-type process includes: (1) preparing a polycrystalline silicon workpiece by a chemical vapor deposition process; (2) fracturing the polycrystalline silicon workpiece into a mixture of polycrystalline silicon pieces, where the polycrystalline silicon pieces have varying sizes; and (3) sorting the mixture of polycrystalline silicon pieces into at least two size distributions. Step (2) may be carried out by a thermal shock process. Step (3) may be carried out using a rotary indent classifier. A rotary indent classifier for performing the method includes: (i) a rotating cylinder having a circumferential edge with indents arrayed in increasing size from a first end of the cylinder to a second end of the cylinder, and (ii) a conveyor running longitudinally adjacent the cylinder, for conveying silicon pieces from the first end of the cylinder to the second end of the cylinder.

Method and apparatus for improving silicon processing efficiency

A process forms a single crystal silicon ingot from varying sized pieces of polycrystalline silicon source material according to the Czochralski method. The process comprises placing into a crucible on the bottom a generally polygonal-shaped concentric array of rod-shaped polycrystalline silicon pieces having obliquely cut ends. The method of stacking the polycrystalline silicon pieces in the crucible allows for a denser packing of silicon in the crucible, can be accomplished in a quicker time then conventional packing methods, and has the potential for less damage to the crucible bottom, when comparing to standard packing methods using a size assortment of irregular shaped silicon pieces.

Method of stacking polycrystalline silicon in process for single crystal production

A process for the deposition of pure semiconductor silicon by reductive chemical vapor decomposition of a precursor silane, the process comprising: (1) forming and depositing semiconductor silicon on a heated substrate; (2) separating a mixture enriched in lower-boiling silanes from the effluent gases from the decomposition/deposition reactor; (3) combining the mixture enriched in lower-boiling silanes with additional tetrachlorosilane, so that there is present in the combination less than about 1.0 mole hydrogen bonded to silicon per mole of total silicon; (4) passing the combination through a bed of a solid disproportionation catalyst to facilitate disproportionation of hydrogen-containing silanes and chlorine-containing silanes to produce a stream that is reduced in content of silane, chlorosilane, and dichlorosilane and increased in content of trichlorosilane; and (5) isolating and separating the trichlorosilane.

Recovery of lower-boiling silanes in a CVD process

The instant invention is a process for preparing silicon metal in a direct current, submerged-arc furnace. The process comprises adding a source of silicon dioxide and a source of carbon to a substantially closed furnace. Heat is provided to the furnace by striking a direct current arc between a moveable cathode and a anode functional hearth. Silicon metal is tapped from the furnace. The described process may also be used to prepare silicon metal alloys.

Silicon smelting process in direct current furnace

An improvement in a process for the production of semiconductor materials from the vapor decomposition of a precursor compound of the desired semiconductor material and the deposition of the desired semiconductor material. The improvement comprises the heating of the exterior surface of a metallic enclosure of a reactor to facilitate preheating thin rods of the semiconductor material, the rods supplying the heat for decomposition and acting as a substrate for deposition, to a temperature of about 250.degree. C. to render the thin rods conductive enough to effectively pass an electric current.

Growing community of inventors

Sanford, MI, United States of America

Arvid Neil Arvidson