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Title: Internal gettering by metal alloy clusters

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1015499

The present invention relates to the internal gettering of impurities in semiconductors by metal alloy clusters. In particular, intermetallic clusters are formed within silicon, such clusters containing two or more transition metal species. Such clusters have melting temperatures below that of the host material and are shown to be particularly effective in gettering impurities within the silicon and collecting them into isolated, less harmful locations. Novel compositions for some of the metal alloy clusters are also described.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Assignee:
The Regents of the University of California (Oakland, CA)
Patent Number(s):
7,763,095
Application Number:
11/447,223
OSTI ID:
1015499
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (17)

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Engineering metal-impurity nanodefects for low-cost solar cells journal August 2005
Quantifying the effect of metal-rich precipitates on minority carrier diffusion length in multicrystalline silicon using synchrotron-based spectrally resolved x-ray beam-induced current journal July 2005
Aluminum backside segregation conference January 1996
Thermodynamic assessment of the Ni–Si system by incorporating ab initio energetic calculations into the CALPHAD approach journal June 2003
Copper passivation of dislocations in silicon journal December 1988
Chemical natures and distributions of metal impurities in multicrystalline silicon materials journal January 2006
Metal content of multicrystalline silicon for solar cells and its impact on minority carrier diffusion length journal November 2003
Silicon defect and impurity studies using float-zone crystal growth as a tool journal April 2002
A thermodynamic analysis of the Cu–Si system journal August 2000
Synchrotron-based investigations of the nature and impact of iron contamination in multicrystalline silicon solar cells journal April 2005
Electrical properties and recombination activity of copper, nickel and cobalt in silicon journal February 1998
Metal Precipitates in Silicon p‐n Junctions journal October 1960
Mechanisms of transition-metal gettering in silicon journal January 2000
Analysis of copper-rich precipitates in silicon: Chemical state, gettering, and impact on multicrystalline silicon solar cell material journal March 2005
Copper, lithium, and hydrogen passivation of boron in c -Si journal March 1990
Transition metals in silicon journal January 1983

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