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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Silicon sheet growth by the Inverted Stepanov Technique. Quarterly report No. 1, March 22, 1976--June 30, 1976

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7177573· OSTI ID:7177573
Silicon ribbon growth with SiO/sub 2/ and pyrolytic BN die has been pursued with the Inverted Stepanov Technique (IST). A ''V'' shaped susceptor-die configuration has been designed and is being implemented in the ribbon growth. The SiO/sub 2/ die was readily filled with the liquid silicon to the edge of the die slot, and with the pyrolytic BN die it was possible to seed and initiate the ribbon growth. Efforts are in progress to optimize the growth conditions for stable and reproducible growth. The stability of seeding during ribbon growth with the pyrolytic BN die has been analyzed by evaluating the surface free energy of the system prior to and after seeding. The crystallinity and defect structures of the typical silicon ribbons grown with the flat pyrolytic BN die have been characterized by x-ray topography and chemical etching. Using a one-dimensional steady-state computer simulation of the stationary silicon ribbon we have investigated the thermal profile along the ribbon for a variety of ambient conditions and a range of die temperatures. This has provided information on the sensitivity of the molten zone height to variations in the die temperature, and the magnitude of the heat drain from the die to the ribbon indicates the possibility of freezing the liquid silicon with the die aperture during initial seeding unless precautions are taken.
Research Organization:
RCA Labs., Princeton, N.J. (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
NAS-7-100-954465
OSTI ID:
7177573
Report Number(s):
ERDA/JPL/954465-76/1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English