Method and Reactor for Continuous Production of Semiconductor Grade Silicon
AssigneeInstitutt for Energiteknikk
InventorsDag O. Eriksen, Oddvar Gorset
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Abstract
This invention relates to a method and reactor for continuous production of semiconductor grade silicon by decomposition of a silicon containing gas of ultra-high purity to particulate silicon and other decomposition products in a free-space reactor and in which the gaseous stream of decomposition gas is set into a swirl motion. Optionally the method and reactor also includes means for melting the formed particulate silicon to obtain a continuous phase of elementary silicon, and then casting the liquid silicon to form solid objects of semiconductor grade silicon.
Claims19
Method for continuous production of semiconductor grade silicon, where a stream of a silicon containing gas of ultra-high purity is decomposed to form silicon metal,
- characterised in that the method comprises the following steps:
- decomposing the silicon containing gas in a free-space reactor to form silicon metal substantially as silicon dust/particles, and
- setting the silicon containing gas in a swirl flow through the decomposition stage in the reactor.
Reactor for decomposing a silicon containing gas to elementary silicon,
- where the reactor is a tubular and/or conical reactor which is rotational symmetric along the centre axis, and
- where the reactor in one end comprises an inlet for a gaseous stream of a silicon containing gas, a decomposition section where the silicon containing gas is decomposed to form elementary silicon in metallic phase and other decomposition products, a separation section where the metal phase is separated from the other decomposition product(s) and eventual residue(s) of the silicon containing gas stream, and an outlet section in the other end including separate outlets for the metal phase and the other phase(s),
- characterised in that one or more of the sections comprise:
- means for setting the flow of silicon containing gas into a swirl motion, and
- means for heating the silicon containing gas flow to desired temperatures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.