Directional solidification of silicon in carbon crucibles by an oscillating crucible technique
Conference
·
· Conf. Rec. IEEE Photovoltaic Spec. Conf.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5426439
Casting of silicon ingots is of importance to the terrestrial photovoltaic industry because of its potential low cost. However, the quality of silicon cast by present techniques is limited by the presence of dislocations and grain boundaries in unseeded growth and by cellular structures with dislocation networks in the case of the seeded growth. To address these concerns, a new method of directional solidification called the Oscillating Crucible Technique (OCT) is developed. During growth, a carbon crucible is oscillated to provide for effective stirring of the melt. This growth technique (seeded growth only), along with material characterization and solar-cell fabrication and testing, is described. Solar-cell efficiencies of up to 13% at 100 mW/cm/sup 2/ are obtained in the single crystalline areas. Minority-carrier diffusion lengths exceeding 100 ..mu..m are measured even in the polycrystalline areas of the wafers. Limitations of the present setup and possible future improvements are discussed.
- Research Organization:
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Inst. of Technology, Pasadena, CA
- OSTI ID:
- 5426439
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-820906-
- Conference Information:
- Journal Name: Conf. Rec. IEEE Photovoltaic Spec. Conf.; (United States)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360601 -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture
CARBON
CASTING
COST
CRUCIBLES
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
CRYSTAL GROWTH
CRYSTAL GROWTH METHODS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
CRYSTALS
DIFFUSION LENGTH
DIMENSIONS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DISLOCATIONS
EFFICIENCY
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
LENGTH
LINE DEFECTS
MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS
MICROSTRUCTURE
MONOCRYSTALS
NONMETALS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
POLYCRYSTALS
QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLIDIFICATION
STIRRING
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
TESTING
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360601 -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture
CARBON
CASTING
COST
CRUCIBLES
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
CRYSTAL GROWTH
CRYSTAL GROWTH METHODS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
CRYSTALS
DIFFUSION LENGTH
DIMENSIONS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DISLOCATIONS
EFFICIENCY
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
LENGTH
LINE DEFECTS
MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS
MICROSTRUCTURE
MONOCRYSTALS
NONMETALS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
POLYCRYSTALS
QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLIDIFICATION
STIRRING
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
TESTING