The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 22, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 10, 1997
Balakrishnan R Bathey, Upper St. Clair, PA (US);
Ebara Solar, Inc., Large, PA (US);
Abstract
A method for treating thin silicon web crystals used to produce solar cells in order to remove complex SiOx contaminants from the web after growth. A dendritic silicon web with {111} surface orientation is immersed in a caustic solution of KOH or NaOH at a temperature at a range from about 80 to about 85.degree. C. for a period of about five to about ten minutes. The caustic solution quickly removes the SiOx contaminants, while leaving relatively unaffected the silicon crystal in the surface. After the caustic solution treatment, the web is rinsed in deionized water and optionally subjected to an acid cleaning with HCL or HF in order to remove any residual contaminants on the web surface.