Low Cost Solar Array Project: large area silicon sheet task. Silicon web process development. Quarterly report, October 1-December 31, 1979

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5430494· OSTI ID:5430494

Duncan, C. S.; Seidensticker, R.; Hopkins, R. H.; McHugh, J. P.; Hill, F. E.; Skutch, M. E.; Driggers, J. M.

Silicon dendritic web is a ribbon form of silicon which grows directly from the melt without dies and can produce solar cells with AM1 conversion efficiency over 15%. The primary objective of this program is to develop the technology to produce silicon web at a cost compatible with the national goal of 50 cents per peak watt (70 cents per watt in 1980$) of photovoltaic output power. During the period covered by this report the dominant activities were directed at developing methods to increase the period of simultaneous growth of web crystal with melt replenishment. To further this work, an adjustable thermal trimmer to dynamically balance the thermal loads during melt replenishment was designed and tested. The highlights of the concept and initial tests are described. Further studies of growth geometries to enhance web output rate were performed, the economic analysis for web growth was performed, and a potentially lower cost solid state power supply for the growth furnace was tested. Results are reported. (WHK)

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Research and Development Center, Pittsburgh, PA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: NAS-7-100-954654
• OSTI ID: 5430494
• Report Number(s): DOE/JPL/954654-80/10
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360601 -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture
CRYSTAL GROWTH
CRYSTAL GROWTH METHODS
CRYSTALS
DENDRITIC WEB GROWTH METHOD
DIAGRAMS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
LEVEL INDICATORS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MONOCRYSTALS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT