Advance Furnace for Growth of Square Single Crystal Silicon 

Square Single Crystal Silicon

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.  In addition, sapphire growth technology, which has not been improved for over 10 years, will be upgraded to increase quality at lower cost. 

An advanced silicon crystal growth furnace (above) is  in the testing phase.  Advantages of square single crystal silicon in photovoltaic applications include:
•    Low cost growth of square single silicon
•    Hi efficiency solar cells from single crystal silicon
•    High material utilization
•    N type material with reduced Light Induced Degradation for higher efficiency.

In addition, a new coating process is under development for reducing oxygen contamination for improved efficiency.