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US 7,771,643 B1Granted
Methods of making an unsupported article of semiconducting material by controlled undercooling
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorsGlen Bennett Cook, Prantik Mazumder, Balram Suman
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Abstract
The invention relates to methods of making articles of semiconducting material and semiconducting material articles formed thereby, such as semiconducting material that may be useful in making photovoltaic cells.
Claims23
A method of making an unsupported article of a semiconducting material, comprising:
- providing a mold at a temperature T0;
- providing a molten semiconducting material at a bulk temperature TMelt, wherein TMelt≧T0;
- immersing the mold in the molten semiconducting material at least once for a first period of time sufficient to form a solid layer of the semiconducting material over an external surface of the mold and for the formed solid layer of semiconducting material to completely remelt;
- withdrawing the mold from the molten semiconducting material;
- holding the mold above the molten semiconducting material for a period of time sufficient to undercool the mold a predetermined amount;
- immersing the mold in the molten semiconducting material for a second period of time sufficient to form a solid layer of the semiconducting material over the external surface of the mold;
- withdrawing the mold with the solid layer of semiconducting material on the external surface of the mold;
- and
- separating the solid layer of semiconducting material from the mold to form the unsupported article of the semiconducting material.
6 more elements
A method of making an unsupported article of a semiconducting material, comprising:
- providing a mold at a temperature T0, wherein the mold comprises a principle substrate and discrete locations comprising a material having a contact angle with the molten semiconducting material lower than a contact angle between the molten semiconducting material and the principle substrate;
- providing a molten semiconducting material at a bulk temperature TMelt, wherein TMelt≧T0;
- immersing the mold in the molten semiconducting material at least once for a first period of time sufficient to form a solid layer of the semiconducting material over an external surface of the mold and for the formed solid layer of semiconducting material to completely remelt;
- withdrawing the mold from the molten semiconducting material;
- holding the mold above the molten semiconducting material for a period of time sufficient to undercool the mold a predetermined amount;
- immersing the mold in the molten semiconducting material for a second period of time sufficient to form a solid layer of the semiconducting material over the external surface of the mold;
- withdrawing the mold with the solid layer of semiconducting material on the external surface of the mold;
- and
- separating the solid layer of semiconducting material from the mold to form the unsupported article of the semiconducting material.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.