Silicon single crystal ingots produce solar cells with higher efficiencies than multicrystalline cells, but square multicrystalline ingots improve material utilization.  It is our goal to grow square single crystal silicon to combines the high efficiency of single crystals with the high utilization rates of square ingots.  Silicon crystal growth is being conducted with the Heat Exchanger Method (HEM) at Crystal Systems Innovations to establish the process to grow square single crystal combining higher material utilization and higher efficiency at lower cost to solar energy. 

The FAST slicing process was developed by Crystal Systems, Inc. over a 25-year period to slice hard ceramics more efficiently and was used for slicing sapphire for 15 years.  A FAST production slicer with diamond-plated blades has been designed and built to slice hard ceramic materials like sapphire at higher cutting rates with higher accuracy and increased wafers per inch.

Square Single Crystal Silicon

It is our goal to grow square single crystal silicon to combines the high efficiency of single crystals with the high utilization rates of square ingots.  

Future Applied Research

Crystal growth modeling of silicon will help develop the process for growing square N type single crystal silicon to achieve higher efficiency and reduced cost.

Fixed Abrasive Slicing Technology

The FAST slicing process was developed by Crystal Systems, Inc. (CSI) over a 25-year period and was used on a production basis at CSI.