Current status of silicon materials research for photovoltaic applications

Conference · Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1985

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1117/12.948189· OSTI ID:5712797

Ciszek, T F

The desire for high solar cell efficiencies has been a strong factor in determining the course of recent silicon crystal growth research efforts for photovoltaics. This review, therefore, focuses on single-crystal, dislocation-free ingot growth methods (Czochralski growth, float zoning, and cold crucible growth) and on sheet growth technologies, generally multicrystalline, that have achieved moderately high (>13.5%) laboratory-scale efficiencies. These include dendritic web growth, growth from capillary dies, edge-supported pulling, ribbon-against-drop growth, and a recent technique termed crucible-free horizontal growth. Silicon ribbon crystals provide a favorable geometry and require no wafering, but they contain defects that limit solar cell performance. Growth processes, their current status, and cell efficiencies are discussed. Silicon material process steps before and after crystal growth are described, and the advantages of silicon are presented.

• Research Organization: Solar Energy Research Inst. (SERI), Golden, CO (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 5712797
• Report Number(s): SERI/TP-212-2697; CONF-8504109-1; ON: DE85008799
• Resource Relation: Journal Volume: 0543; Conference: SPIE technical symposium - East '85, Arlington, VA, USA, 8 Apr 1985
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
SILICON
CRYSTAL GROWTH METHODS
REVIEWS
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
SEMIMETALS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SILICON CRYSTAL GROWTH
PHOTOVOLTAICS
SOLAR ENERGY
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion