Kawasaki Steel Corporation

Kazuhiro Hanazawa

Naomichi Nakamura

Yoshiei Kato

Yasuhiko Sakaguchi

Hiroyuki Baba

Noriyoshi Yuge

Fukuo Aratani

Masamichi Abe

Tetsuya Fujii

Process and apparatus for refining silicon by treatment in a graphite vessel with irradiation with an electron beam while removing impurity elements by evaporation. A single graphite vessel is used, or plural graphite vessels are arranged in sequence. During treatment in successive graphite vessels, molten silicon is poured in succession from one vessel to another. Use of graphite vessels improves heat efficiency, prevents contamination and produces refined silicon containing very low contents of impurities.

Process and apparatus for refining silicon

Method for producing highly purified silicon for use in solar cells by a single solidification purification, pouring silicon into a mold and gradually fractionally solidifying it while solidifying the liquid surface, followed by purifying the solidified silicon by zone melting or continuous casting using an electromagnetic mold, or by zone melting in combination with continuous casting, and optionally causing directional solidification to concentrate impurities, leaching and recycling.

Method for producing silicon for use in solar cells

Process and apparatus for manufacturing polycrystalline silicon, and

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Chiba, Japan

Kazuhiro Hanazawa