DOE Patents title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Methods and apparatuses for manufacturing geometric multicrystalline cast silicon and geometric multicrystalline cast silicon bodies for photovoltaics

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are provided for casting silicon for photovoltaic cells and other applications. With such methods and apparatuses, a cast body of geometrically ordered multi-crystalline silicon may be formed that is free or substantially free of radially-distributed impurities and defects and having at least two dimensions that are each at least about 10 cm is provided.

Inventors:
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1169631
Patent Number(s):
8951344
Application Number:
11/624,411
Assignee:
AMG Idealcast Solar Corporation (Wayne, PA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
C - CHEMISTRY C30 - CRYSTAL GROWTH C30B - SINGLE-CRYSTAL-GROWTH
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
DOE Contract Number:  
AC36-98GO10337
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
14 SOLAR ENERGY

Citation Formats

Stoddard, Nathan G. Methods and apparatuses for manufacturing geometric multicrystalline cast silicon and geometric multicrystalline cast silicon bodies for photovoltaics. United States: N. p., 2015. Web.
Stoddard, Nathan G. Methods and apparatuses for manufacturing geometric multicrystalline cast silicon and geometric multicrystalline cast silicon bodies for photovoltaics. United States.
Stoddard, Nathan G. Tue . "Methods and apparatuses for manufacturing geometric multicrystalline cast silicon and geometric multicrystalline cast silicon bodies for photovoltaics". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1169631.
@article{osti_1169631,
title = {Methods and apparatuses for manufacturing geometric multicrystalline cast silicon and geometric multicrystalline cast silicon bodies for photovoltaics},
author = {Stoddard, Nathan G},
abstractNote = {Methods and apparatuses are provided for casting silicon for photovoltaic cells and other applications. With such methods and apparatuses, a cast body of geometrically ordered multi-crystalline silicon may be formed that is free or substantially free of radially-distributed impurities and defects and having at least two dimensions that are each at least about 10 cm is provided.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Feb 10 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Tue Feb 10 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Big-end-down ingot mold for casting metal
patent, June 1977


Method of casting silicon
patent, July 1978


Process and apparatus for the semicontinuous production of silicon moldings
patent, November 1979


Die casting machine
patent, May 1989


Float zone processing of particulate silicon
patent, April 1992


Melt replenishment system for dendritic web growth
patent, July 1993


Method of growth-orientation of a crystal on a device using an oriented seed layer
patent, November 1993


Method for manufacturing polycrystalline silicon thin-film solar cells
patent, August 1994


Apparatus and method of growing single crystal
patent, November 1994


Method for growth of crystal
patent, November 1994


Method for the manufacture of large single crystals
patent, August 1995


Solid state thermal conversion of polycrystalline alumina to sapphire using a seed crystal
patent, August 1996


Method for the growth of industrial crystals
patent, March 1997


Seed crystal of silicon single crystal
patent, February 1998


Method for the growth of industrial crystals
patent, May 1998


Method of producing single crystals and a seed crystal used in the method
patent, August 1999


Process and apparatus for producing polycrystalline semiconductor ingot
patent, October 2000


Seed crystal and method of manufacturing single crystal
patent, January 2001


Crucible for growing macrocrystals
patent, August 2001


Mold for producing silicon ingot and method for fabricating the same
patent, January 2002


Crucible for growing macrocrystals
patent, July 2002


Crucible for growing macrocrystals
patent, May 2003


Mold for producing silicon ingot and method for fabricating the same
patent, May 2004


Method of shaping semisolid metals
patent, August 2004


Growth of uniform crystals
patent, February 2005


Method and apparatus for shaping semisolid metals
patent, February 2005


Controlled neck growth process for single crystal silicon
patent, March 2005


System and method for forming single-crystal domains using crystal seeds
patent, July 2005


Apparatus and method for manufacturing semiconductor grains
patent, February 2006


Mold for producing silicon ingot and method for fabricating the same
patent-application, February 2002


Low defect density silicon having a vacancy-dominated core substantially free of oxidation induced stacking faults
patent-application, August 2002


Method of forming an LCD with predominantly <100> polycrystalline silicon regions
patent-application, August 2002


Predominantly <100> polycrystalline silicon thin film transistor
patent-application, February 2003


Large size single crystal seed crystal fabrication by intergrowth of tiled seed crystals
patent-application, February 2003


Process for eliminating neck dislocations during czochralski crystal growth
patent-application, March 2003


Apparatus and method for manufacturing semiconductor grains
patent-application, May 2003


Plasma production of polycrystalline silicon
patent-application, July 2003


Controlled neck growth process for single crystal silicon
patent-application, November 2003


Method of producing crystal and apparatus for producing crystal
patent-application, November 2003


Silicon wafer and method for producing silicon single crystal
patent-application, July 2004


Reusable crucible for silicon ingot growth
patent-application, October 2004


Method and apparatus for shaping semisolid metals
patent-application, December 2004


Crystallization apparatus and method
patent-application, December 2004


Single-crystal silicon ingot and wafer having homogeneous vacancy defects, and method and apparatus for making same
patent-application, June 2005


Low defect density silicon having a vacancy-dominated core substantially free of oxidation induced stacking faults
patent-application, July 2005


Single crystal investment cast components and methods of making same
patent-application, September 2005


Method of synthesising a crystalline material and material thus obtained
patent-application, December 2006


Crucible apparatus and method of solidifying a molten material
patent-application, February 2007


Silicon Casting Apparatus and Method of Producing Silicon Ingot
patent-application, October 2007


System and Method for Liquid Silicon Containment
patent-application, March 2010


Bulk multicrystalline silicon growth for photovoltaic (PV) application
journal, April 2008


Directionally solidified solar-grade silicon using carbon crucibles
journal, April 1979


Relaxation of thermal stresses by dislocation flow and multiplication in the continuous casting of silicon
journal, May 1997


Production of low cost silicon wafers by continuous casting method-development of drip-controlled method
conference, January 1994

  • Goda, S.; Moritani, T.; Hatanaka, Y.
  • Proceedings of 1994 IEEE 1st World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion - WCPEC (A Joint Conference of PVSC, PVSEC and PSEC)
  • https://doi.org/10.1109/WCPEC.1994.519953

Growth of multicrystalline Si with controlled grain boundary configuration by the floating zone technique
journal, July 2005


Development of a rapid solidification process with a double-roller method
journal, February 1988


Development of a rapid solidification process with a double-roller method
journal, February 1988


Some Applications of Cold Crucible Technology for Silicon Photovoltaic Material Preparation
journal, January 1985