Method and apparatus for producing high purity silicon
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Department of Energy
InventorJerry M. Olson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for producing high purity silicon includes forming a copper silie alloy and positioning the alloy within an enclosure. A filament member is also placed within the enclosure opposite the alloy. The enclosure is then filled with a chemical vapor transport gas adapted for transporting silicon. Finally, both the filament member and the alloy are heated to temperatures sufficient to cause the gas to react with silicon at the alloy surface and deposit the reacted silicon on the filament member. In addition, an apparatus for carrying out this method is also disclosed.
Claims21
A method for producing high purity silicon comprising:
- forming a copper silicide alloy and positioning said alloy within an enclosure;
- placing a filament member within said enclosure opposite said alloy;
- filling said enclosure with a chemical vapor transport gas adapted for transporting silicon;
- and
- heating said filament member and said alloy to temperatures sufficient to cause said gas to react with silicon at said alloy surface and deposit said reactive silicon onto said filament member, said alloy being heated to said temperatures sufficient to enable said alloy to diffusionally trap impurities while said gas reacts with said silicon to effect depositing said silicon onto said filament member.
An apparatus for producing high purity silicon comprising:
- enclosure means;
- copper silicide alloy means disposed within said enclosure means and adapted as a source for said high purity silicon;
- filament means disposed within said enclosure means opposite said alloy means and adapted for receiving said silicon by deposition;
- chemical vapor transport gas disposed within said enclosure means and adapted for flowing between said alloy means and said filament means;
- and p1 means for heating said filament means and said alloy means to temperatures sufficient to cause said gas to react with said silicon on the surface of said alloy means and deposit said reactive silicon onto said filament means, said alloy being adapted to filter impurities defined by said alloy while said gas reacts with said silicon, said temperatures being sufficient to enable said alloy to filter said impurities.
A method for producing silicon comprising:
- forming a filter means from a copper silicide alloy and positioning said filter means within an enclosure, said enclosure defining a closed system;
- placing a filament member within said enclosure opposite said filter means;
- filling said enclosure with a chemical vapor transport gas adapted for transporting silicon;
- and
- heating said filament member and said filter means to temperatures sufficient to cause said gas to react substantially solely with silicon at a surface of said filter means and deposit said reactive silicon onto said filament member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.