Silicor Materials Inc.

Calisolar Inc.

Other

Spawnt Private S.a.r.l.

Psc Polysilane Chemicals Gmbh

Siqal Ug (haftungsbeschränkt)

Berlinsolar Gmbh

Matthias Heuer

Kamel Ounadjela

Fritz Kirscht

Dieter Linke

Vera Abrosimova

Jean Patrice Rakotoniana

Anis Jouini

Christian Bauch

Martin Kaes

Marcin Walerysiak

Alain Paul Blosse

Rumen Deltschew

Sven Holl

Gerd Lippold

Thoralf Gebel

Seyed-Javad Mohsseni-Ala

Jean Patrice Rakotoniaina

Omar Sidelkheir

Til Bartel

Thoral Gebel

The invention relates to a method for purifying halogenated oligosilanes in the form of a pure compound or a mixture of compounds with respectively at least one direct Si&#x2014;Si bond, the substituents thereof being exclusively made from halogen or from halogen and hydrogen and in the composition thereof, the atomic ratio of the substituents:silicon is at least 3:2, by the action of at least one purification agent on the halogenated oligosilane and by isolating the halogenated oligosilanes with improved purity. According to prior art, halogenated monosilanes such as HSiClare purified by treating with organic compounds, preferably polymers, containing amino groups, and are separated from said mixtures. Based on the contained amino groups, said method can not be used for halogenated oligosilanes as the secondary reactions lead to a decomposition of the products. The novel method is used to provide the desired products in a high yield and purity without using the amino groups.

Method for purifying halogenated oligosilanes

The invention describes a process for removing nonmetallic impurities from metallurgical silicon. A melt is produced from metallurgical silicon and halide-containing silicon. As a result, the impurities are sublimed out and removed from the melt in the form of nonmetal halides. Compared with the known process, in which gaseous halogen is blown through an Si melt, the novel process can be carried out in a particularly simple and efficient manner.

Process for removing nonmetallic impurities from metallurgical silicon

Techniques for controlling resistivity in the formation of a silicon ingot from compensated feedstock silicon material prepares a compensated, upgraded metallurgical silicon feedstock for being melted to form a silicon melt. The compensated, upgraded metallurgical silicon feedstock provides semiconductor predominantly of a single type (p-type or n-type) for which the process assesses the concentrations of boron and phosphorus and adds a predetermined amount of boron, phosphorus, aluminum and/or gallium. The process further melts the silicon feedstock with the boron, phosphorus, aluminum and/or gallium to form a molten silicon solution from which to perform directional solidification and maintains the homogeneity of the resistivity of the silicon throughout the ingot. A balanced amount of phosphorus can be optionally added to the aluminum and/or gallium. Resistivity may also be measured repeatedly during ingot formation, and additional dopant may be added in response, either repeatedly or continuously.

Method and system for controlling resistivity in ingots made of compensated feedstock silicon

Techniques for the formation of a silicon ingot using a low-grade silicon feedstock include forming within a crucible device a molten silicon from a low-grade silicon feedstock and performing a directional solidification of the molten silicon to form a silicon ingot within the crucible device. The directional solidification forms a generally solidified quantity of silicon and a generally molten quantity of silicon. The method and system include removing from the crucible device at least a portion of the generally molten quantity of silicon while retaining within the crucible device the generally solidified quantity of silicon. Controlling the directional solidification of the generally solidified quantity of silicon, while removing the more contaminated molten silicon, results in a silicon ingot possessing a generally higher grade of silicon than the low-grade silicon feedstock.

Method and system for forming a silicon ingot using a low-grade silicon feedstock

Techniques for the formation of silicon ingots and crystals using silicon feedstock of various grades are described. A common feature is adding a predetermined amount of germanium to the melt and performing a crystallization to incorporate germanium into the silicon lattice of respective crystalline silicon materials. Such incorporated germanium results in improvements of respective silicon material characteristics, including increased material strength and improved electrical properties. This leads to positive effects at applying such materials in solar cell manufacturing and at making modules from those solar cells.

Germanium enriched silicon material for making solar cells

A quality control process for determining the concentrations of boron and phosphorous in a UMG-Si feedstock batch is provided. A silicon test ingot is formed by the directional solidification of molten UMG-Si from a UMG-Si feedstock batch. The resistivity of the silicon test ingot is measured from top to bottom. Then, the resistivity profile of the silicon test ingot is mapped. From the resistivity profile of the silicon test ingot, the concentrations of boron and phosphorous of the UMG-Si silicon feedstock batch are calculated. Additionally, multiple test ingots may be grown simultaneously, with each test ingot corresponding to a UMG-Si feedstock batch, in a multi-crucible crystal grower.

Quality control process for UMG-SI feedstock

Techniques for the formation of silicon ingots and crystals using silicon feedstock of various grades are described. Common feature is adding a predetermined amount of germanium to the melt and performing a crystallization to incorporate germanium into the silicon lattice of respective crystalline silicon materials. Such incorporated germanium results in improvements of respective silicon material characteristics, mainly increased material strength. This leads to positive effects at applying such materials in solar cell manufacturing and at making modules from those solar cells. A silicon material with a germanium concentration in the range (50-200) ppmw demonstrates an increased material strength, where best practical ranges depend on the material quality generated.

Germanium-enriched silicon material for making solar cells

Techniques for controlling resistivity in the formation of a silicon ingot from compensated feedstock silicon material prepares a compensated, upgraded metallurgical silicon feedstock for being melted to form a silicon melt. The compensated, upgraded metallurgical silicon feedstock provides a predominantly p-type semiconductor for which the process assesses the concentrations of boron and phosphorus and adds a predetermined amount of aluminum or/and gallium. The process further melts the silicon feedstock together with a predetermined amount of aluminum or/and gallium to form a molten silicon solution from which to perform directional solidification and, by virtue of adding aluminum or/and gallium, maintains the homogeneity the resistivity of the silicon ingot throughout the silicon ingot. In the case of feedstock silicon leading to low resistivity in respective ingots, typically below 0.4 &#x3a9;cm, a balanced amount of phosphorus can be optionally added to aluminum or/and gallium. Adding phosphorus becomes mandatory at very low resistivity, typically close to 0.2 &#x3a9;cm and slightly below.

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Berlin, Germany

Matthias Heuer