Apparatus for purifying metallurgical silicon for solar cells
First Claim
1. A system for forming high quality silicon material for solar cells, the system comprising:
- a crucible having an interior region, the crucible being made of a quartz material, the quartz material being capable of withstanding a temperature of at least 1400 Degrees Celsius, the crucible being configured in an upright position and having an open region to expose a melted material; and
an independent injecting device configured above the crucible, the independent injecting device an energy source and a purifying material supply system,wherein the energy source comprising an arc heater configured above the open region and spaced by a gap between the exposed melted material and a muzzle region of the arc heater to cause formation of a determined temperature profile within a vicinity of a center region of the exposed melted material while maintaining outer regions of the melted material at a temperature below a melting point of the quartz material of the crucible, andwherein the purifying material supply system comprising a chemical and gas supply tube and a high pressure gas supply tube, the chemical and gas supply tube being configured to provide chemicals and gases required for purification, the high pressure gas supply tube being configured to provide high-pressure damped gas mixtures.
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Abstract
A system for forming high quality silicon material, e.g., polysilicon. In a specific embodiment, the melted material comprises a silicon material and an impurity, e.g., phosphorous species. The system includes a crucible having an interior region. In a specific embodiment, the crucible is made of a suitable material such as a quartz material or others. The quartz material is capable of withstanding a temperature of at least 1400 Degrees Celsius for processing silicon. In a specific embodiment, the crucible is configured in an upright position and has an open region to expose a melted material. In a specific embodiment, the present system has an energy source. Such energy source may be an arc heater or other suitable heating device, including multiple heating devices, which may be the same or different. The arc heater is configured above the open region and spaced by a gap between the exposed melted material and a muzzle region of the arc heater to cause formation of a determined temperature profile within a vicinity of a center region of the exposed melted material while maintaining outer regions of the melted material at a temperature below a melting point of the quartz material of the crucible. In a specific embodiment, the system produces a melted material comprising a resulting phosphorous species of 0.1 ppm and less, which is purified silicon.
26 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A system for forming high quality silicon material for solar cells, the system comprising:
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a crucible having an interior region, the crucible being made of a quartz material, the quartz material being capable of withstanding a temperature of at least 1400 Degrees Celsius, the crucible being configured in an upright position and having an open region to expose a melted material; and an independent injecting device configured above the crucible, the independent injecting device an energy source and a purifying material supply system, wherein the energy source comprising an arc heater configured above the open region and spaced by a gap between the exposed melted material and a muzzle region of the arc heater to cause formation of a determined temperature profile within a vicinity of a center region of the exposed melted material while maintaining outer regions of the melted material at a temperature below a melting point of the quartz material of the crucible, and wherein the purifying material supply system comprising a chemical and gas supply tube and a high pressure gas supply tube, the chemical and gas supply tube being configured to provide chemicals and gases required for purification, the high pressure gas supply tube being configured to provide high-pressure damped gas mixtures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification