The control of impurity and nucleation is crucial to the ingot quality and yield in the directional solidification of multi-crystalline silicon for solar cells. The major impurities, such as metals, are mainly from the quartz crucible and the silicon nitride coating. The use of high-purity materials mitigates of the problem, but this increases the cost. Another way is to use diffusion barriers between silicon and these materials to reduce the incorporation of impurities. We have explored several materials and layer configurations for the diffusion barriers, and the results are promising. Both the ingot lifetime and yield have been improved. The wetting and nucleation behaviors of the diffusion barriers in contact with molten silicon are also reported and discussed.

• Legal notice:
  

  Copyright (c) Pielaszek Research, all rights reserved.
  The above materials, including auxiliary resources, are subject to Publisher's copyright and the Author(s) intellectual rights. Without limiting Author(s) rights under respective Copyright Transfer Agreement, no part of the above documents may be reproduced without the express written permission of Pielaszek Research, the Publisher. Express permission from the Author(s) is required to use the above materials for academic purposes, such as lectures or scientific presentations.
  In every case, proper references including Author(s) name(s) and URL of this webpage: https://science24.com/paper/29029 must be provided.

1. Three-dimensional phase field modeling of silicon thin-film growth during directional solidification: facet formation and grain competition
2. Studies of solubility, metastable zone width, crystal growth morphology, mechanical and optical properties of UNBA NLO materials in different solvents
3. Grain Control by Patterned Layers in Multi-crystalline Silicon Growth by Directional Solidification
4. Development of grain structures of multi-crystalline silicon in directional solidification