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:
Feb. 15, 2011
Filed:
Jun. 16, 2008
Fritz Kirscht, Berlin, DE;
Vera Abrosimova, Berlin, DE;
Matthias Heuer, Berlin, DE;
Anis Jouini, Grenoble, FR;
Dieter Linke, Berlin, DE;
Martin Kaes, Berlin, DE;
Jean Patrice Rakotoniaina, Berlin, DE;
Kamel Ounadjela, Belmont, CA (US);
Fritz Kirscht, Berlin, DE;
Vera Abrosimova, Berlin, DE;
Matthias Heuer, Berlin, DE;
Anis Jouini, Grenoble, FR;
Dieter Linke, Berlin, DE;
Martin Kaes, Berlin, DE;
Jean Patrice Rakotoniaina, Berlin, DE;
Kamel Ounadjela, Belmont, CA (US);
Calisolar, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
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.