Silicon web process development. Low Cost Solar Array Project: Large Area Silicon Test Task. Annual report, April 1978-April 1979

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

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5758026· OSTI ID:5758026

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

Silicon dendritic web is a unique mode of ribbon growth in which crystallographic and surface tension forces, rather than shaping dies, are used to control crystal form. The single crystal webs, typically 2-4 cm wide, have been made into solar cells which exhibit AMl conversion efficiencies as high as 15.5%. During crystallization, silicon webs effectively segregate metal impurities to the melt (k/sub eff/ approx. 10/sup -5/) so that the use of cheaper, less pure silicon as feedstock for crystal growth appears feasible. A research program to significantly increase web output rate and to show the feasibility for simultaneous melt replenishment and growth is described. Also, an economic analysis of the silicon web process is presented. (WHK)

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Research and Development Center, Pittsburgh, PA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: NAS-7-100-954654
• OSTI ID: 5758026
• Report Number(s): DOE/JPL/954654-2
• 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
CONTROL SYSTEMS
CRUCIBLES
CRYSTAL GROWTH METHODS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
CRYSTALS
DENDRITIC WEB GROWTH METHOD
DESIGN
DIMENSIONS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
MICROSTRUCTURE
MONOCRYSTALS
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PRICES
PRODUCTION
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
STRESSES
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
THICKNESS