US 12,698,557 B2 · Solar heating for thin film evaporation and directional solidification

Abstract

Configurations for solar heating and processing of a material, such as a metal or metalloid, are presented. Such processing may have an end-goal of purifying the material or depositing the material as a thin film on a substrate. The use of solar heating allows these processes to occur without electricity, which may be a scarce resource on the moon. Metals and metalloids derived from lunar regolith or other impure feedstocks may lead to materials with impurities. Generally, materials, such as silicon, need to be purified before being utilized. Techniques for solar heating may be applied to purification of these materials. Purification may be achieved by melting, via solar heating, and resolidifying slowly from one direction to another using a directional solidification process.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method for solar heating and processing a material, the method comprising:

providing, via an optical assembly, a spot of concentrated sunlight onto a bulk mass of the material to i) heat the material, ii) change the phase of at least a portion of the material to a liquid phase, and iii) enable the heated, phase-changed material to leave the bulk mass of the material in response to the phase change;
varying relative positions of optical elements of the optical assembly to vary the location of the spot of concentrated sunlight on the bulk mass of the material;
and
collecting at least a portion of the heated, phase-changed material leaving the bulk mass of the material in a container configured for directional solidification.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Solar heating for thin film evaporation and directional solidification

Life of this patent

Solar heating for thin film evaporation and directional solidification

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19