Exposure of a silicon ribbon to gas in a furnace
OwnerAlison GREENLEE, Jesse S. APPEL +1inventors
InventorsAlison GREENLEE, Jesse S. APPEL, Nathan STODDARD
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for producing a ribbon from a melt includes a crucible to contain a melt and a cold block. The cold block has a surface that directly faces an exposed surface of the melt. A ribbon is formed on the melt using the cold block. A furnace is operatively connected to the crucible. The ribbon passes through the furnace after removal from the melt. The furnace includes at least one gas jet. The gas jet can dope the ribbon, form a diffusion barrier on the ribbon, and/or passivate the ribbon. Part of the ribbon passes through the furnace while part of the ribbon is being formed in the crucible using the cold block.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a crucible for containing a melt;
- a cold block having a cold block surface that directly faces an exposed surface of the melt, the cold block configured to generate a cold block temperature at the cold block surface that is lower than a melt temperature of the melt at the exposed surface whereby a ribbon is formed on the melt;
- a furnace operatively connected to the crucible, wherein the ribbon passes through the furnace after removal from the melt such that part of the ribbon passes through the furnace while part of the ribbon is being formed in the crucible using the cold block, wherein the furnace includes at least one gas jet;
- and
- a gas source in fluid communication with the gas jet, wherein the gas source contains a gas that dopes the ribbon, forms a surface oxide or other diffusion barrier on the ribbon, and/or passivates the ribbon.
A method comprising:
- providing a melt in a crucible;
- forming a ribbon horizontally on the melt using a cold block having a cold block surface that directly faces an exposed surface of the melt;
- pulling the ribbon from the melt at a low angle off the melt surface;
- transporting the ribbon from the melt to a furnace;
- transporting part of the ribbon through the furnace while another part of the ribbon is being formed using the cold block;
- directing a gas at the part of the ribbon in the furnace using at least one gas jet, wherein the gas dopes the ribbon, forms a surface oxide or other diffusion barrier on the ribbon, and/or passivates the ribbon;
- and
- transporting the part of the ribbon through an exit of the furnace after the directing while another part of the ribbon is being formed using the cold block.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.