Producing a ribbon or wafer with regions of low oxygen concentration

US11885036B2 · kind B2 · utility

Inventors

• Jesse S. Appel · O'Fallon, US
• Alison Greenlee · Somerville, US
• Nathan Stoddard · Beaverton, US
• Peter L. Kellerman · Essex, US
• Parthiv Daggolu · Creve Coeur, US
• Alexander Martinez · Appleton, US
• Saeed Pirooz · Chesterfield, US
• Brandon Williard · Essex, US
• Charles H. Bowen · O'Fallon, US
• Brian McMullen · Mansfield, US
• David Morrell · Wakefield, US
• Dawei Sun · Suqian, CN

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 9, 2020
• Grant date: Jan 30, 2024
• Expiry date: Nov 23, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10F10/00
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A ribbon is formed such that the ribbon floats on a melt using a cold initializer facing an exposed surface of the melt. The ribbon is single crystal silicon. The ribbon is pulled from the silicon melt at a low angle off the melt surface. The ribbon is formed at a same rate as the pulling. The ribbon is separated from the melt at a wall of the crucible where a stable meniscus forms. The ribbon has a thickness between a first surface and an opposite second surface from 50 μm to 5 mm. The ribbon includes a first region extending a first depth from the first surface. The first region has a reduced oxygen concentration relative to a bulk of the ribbon.