Patent · US Active

Germanium enriched silicon material for making solar cells

US8758507B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by

15References

12Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Silicor Materials Inc. · US

Inventors

Fritz Kirscht · Berlin, DE
Matthias Heuer · Berlin, DE
Martin Kaes · Berlin, DE
Kamel Ounadjela · Belmont, US

Key dates

Filing date	Nov 24, 2010
Grant date	Jun 24, 2014
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jan 17, 2031

Classification

Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
CPC primaryY02P70/50
WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Techniques for the formation of silicon ingots and crystals using silicon feedstock of various grades are described. A common feature is adding a predetermined amount of germanium to the melt and performing a crystallization to incorporate germanium into the silicon lattice of respective crystalline silicon materials. Such incorporated germanium results in improvements of respective silicon material characteristics, including increased material strength and improved electrical properties. This leads to positive effects at applying such materials in solar cell manufacturing and at making modules from those solar cells.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.