Cover flux and method for silicon purification

• US 9,617,160 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2014
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Highland Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Silicor Materials, Inc.
• Inventors: Turenne, Alain, Nouri, Abdallah, Alfred, Christain
• Primary Examiner(s): Halpern, Mark
• Application Number:
  US14/764,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20150360960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 65 339
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 27/18 Measures for using chemical processes for influencing the surface composition of castings, e.g. for increasing resistance to acid attack
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 33/037 Purification by zone-melting C30B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 11/00 Single-crystal growth by normal freezing or freezing under temperature gradient, e.g. Bridgman-Stockbarger method C30B13/00, C30B15/00, C30B17/00, C30B19/00 take precedence; under a protective fluid C30B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 21/02 by normal casting or gradient freezing
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/06 Silicon

Abstract

Cover flux devices and methods are shown. Methods and devices are shown such that, as a solidification front moves from a cooling surface of a mold towards a surface of molten silicon substantially opposite the cooling surface, impurities are driven out of the solid silicon and into the liquid to react with a flux layer on the silicon.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

pouring molten silicon into a mold;

forming a solid layer of silicon on a top surface of the silicon, and placing flux material on the solid layer;

placing a top heater over the mold to melt the solid layer of silicon, wherein the flux material remains floating on the molten silicon;

directionally solidifying the molten silicon, from a bottom of the mold towards the top surface of the silicon; and

reacting the flux with impurities at the interface between the top surface of the silicon and the flux.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein placing a top heater over the mold includes melting the flux material and the solid layer of silicon, wherein the flux material remains floating on the molten silicon.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein placing a top heater over the mold includes applying a temperature greater than approximately 900°

C. to the top surface of the silicon.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein placing a top heater over the mold includes applying a temperature greater than approximately 1100°

C. to the top surface of the silicon.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein placing a top heater over the mold includes applying a temperature between approximately 1460°

C. and 1550°

C. to the top surface of the silicon.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein placing flux material on the solid layer includes placing between approximately 10 and 50 Kg of flux material on approximately 1400 Kg of silicon.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein placing flux material on the solid layer includes placing chunks of flux glass on the solid layer and melting the chunks to form a flux layer.