High-purity silicon for solar cell applications
- Dow Corning Corp., Midland, MI
Demonstration quantities of high-purity silicon were produced using high-purity quartz and chemically purified charcoal in a modified 50-kVA arc furnace. Impurities from carbon reducing materials were found to be the major source of contamination. Charcoal used for smelting can be purified to very low impurity levels by halogen treatment at temperatures above 2000/sup 0/C. However, the low silicon recovery with purified charcoal appears to be related to the low rate of the silicon-producing reaction between silicon carbide and silica in the high-temperature zone of the furnace. X-ray examination of the charcoal showed a clear structural change during high-temperature purification and this change may be used as a test for the suitability of a purification method in future work. Investigation is underway to define purer, low-cost, reactive reducing materials in order to meet the $10/kg solar-grade silicon cost in tonnage quantities. The arc-furnace process is considered to be a feasible process to meet this goal.
- OSTI ID:
- 5840229
- Journal Information:
- J. Met.; (United States), Vol. 30:6
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Solar silicon via improved and expanded metallurgical silicon technology. Quarterly report No. 4
Solar silicon via improved and expanded metallurgical silicon technology. Quarterly report No. 2
Related Subjects
CHARCOAL
PURIFICATION
SILICON
IMPURITIES
PRODUCTION
ARC FURNACES
COST
METALS
QUARTZ
REDUCING AGENTS
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SMELTING
ADSORBENTS
CHALCOGENIDES
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELEMENTS
FURNACES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
SEMIMETALS
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
SOLAR CELLS
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion