Production of thin layers of polycrystalline silicon on a liquid layer containing a reducing agent

A process for the production of elemental silicon crystals capable of being directly utilized in the fabrication of photovoltaic devices, which comprises introducing a gaseous silicon containing compound, in the absence of moisture and oxygen, into contact with a reaction medium comprising metallic zinc, in liquid state, and at least one second metal, also in liquid state, selected from the group consisting of tin, lead, gold, silver, antimony and bismuth, in a manner sufficient to react and reduce said silicon containing compound with the zinc constituent of said liquid metal mixture and to yield the resulting zinc compound product of reduction in the gaseous state.