An enhanced cooling design in directional solidification for high quality multi-crystalline solar silicon

Li, T.F.; Huang, H.; Tsai, Hsiung-Kuang; Lan, Albert; Chuck, C.; Lan, C. W.

doi:10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2011.12.045

Cited by 52 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…a) Schematic illustration of GaTSBI that is designed to allow the use of X-ray imaging techniques during the melting/solidification process. A polychromatic radiation provided by a synchrotron source (1) illuminates the Si sample located in the directional solidification furnace (2). A specially designed equipment installed right after the furnace (3) allows us to record in situ the X-ray diffraction images corresponding to the different crystallographic (hkl) of the sample (hkl).…”

Section: Ex Situ Complementary Investigationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The ultimate goal of this technique is to obtain an ingot with large grains, low density of random grain boundaries and thus lower density of dislocations. However, the control of the undercooling is not easy in a commercial growth facility due to the large thermal resistance from the thick bottom of the silica crucible and of the imperfect Si 3 N 4 coating of the crucible walls [2,3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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In situ investigation of the structural defect generation and evolution during the directional solidification of 〈110〉 seeded growth Si

et al. 2016

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a b s t r a c tThis work is dedicated to the advanced in situ X-ray imaging and complementary ex situ investigations of the growth mechanisms when silicon solidifies on a monocrystalline seed oriented 〈110〉 in the solidification direction. It aims at deepening the fundamental understanding of the phenomena that occur throughout silicon crystal growth with a particular focus on mechanisms of formation of defects detrimental for photovoltaic applications. Namely, grain nucleation, grain boundary formation and evolution, grain competition, twining occurrence, dislocation generation and interaction with structural defects are explored and analysed. Nucleation of twin crystals preferentially occurs on {111} facets at the edge of the sample where solid e liquid e vapor triple point lines exist in interaction also with the crucible as well as, at grain boundary grooves at the solid e liquid interface (solid e solid e liquid triple lines), where two grains are in competition, either on the {111} facets of the groove or in the groove. Enhanced undercooling and/or stress accumulation levels are found to act as driving forces for grain nucleation. Additionally, it is demonstrated that twin formation has the property to relax stresses stored in the crystal during the growth process. However, grains formed initially in twin position can undergo severe distortion when they are in direct competition or when they are squeezed in e between grains. Moreover, we show by X-ray Bragg diffraction imaging that on the one hand, coherent S3 〈111〉 grain boundaries efficiently block the propagation of growth dislocations during the solidification process, while on the other hand, dislocations are emitted at the level of incoherent and/or asymmetric S27a 〈110〉 at the encounter with either S3 〈111〉 or S9 〈110〉 grain boundaries. Indeed, grain boundaries that deviate from the ideal coincidence orientation act as dislocation sources that spread inside the surrounding crystals.

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Section: Ex Situ Complementary Investigationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In situ investigation of the structural defect generation and evolution during the directional solidification of 〈110〉 seeded growth Si

et al. 2016

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“…During the melting part, as much heat as possible has to be introduced into the system, and during growth, the latent heat has to be removed through the bottom plate. Gas cooling might be used for this purpose (e.g., Li et al, 2012a), or more often, the base plate is water cooled.…”

Section: The Hardwarementioning

confidence: 99%

Silicon Crystallization Technologies

Dold

2015

Semiconductors and Semimetals

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“…Zheng and Liu et al [9,10] found that the installation of a partition block between the hot and cold zones can effectively reduce the total power of the heater, decrease the heat losses from lateral parts of the crucible, and improve the efficiency of crystallization. Lan and Yoon et al [11,12] confirmed that different cooling paths and coolant flow rates at the bottom of crucible could change the rate of crystal growth and shorten the time cost of DS process. These strategies relied on equipment optimization for process improvement, which complicates the ease with which such measures can be applied, and influences the stability under continuous repeated operation of the equipment after making the changes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Single-step directional solidification technology for solar grade polysilicon preparation

Yang

Wei

et al. 2016

Applied Thermal Engineering

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An enhanced cooling design in directional solidification for high quality multi-crystalline solar silicon

Cited by 52 publications

References 13 publications

In situ investigation of the structural defect generation and evolution during the directional solidification of 〈110〉 seeded growth Si

In situ investigation of the structural defect generation and evolution during the directional solidification of 〈110〉 seeded growth Si

Silicon Crystallization Technologies

Single-step directional solidification technology for solar grade polysilicon preparation

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