# US 8,540,920 B2 · Methods of making an article of semiconducting material on a mold comprising particles of a semiconducting material > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,540,920 B2 - Document ID: US8540920B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/466,104 - Filed: 2009-05-14 - Published: 2010-11-18 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2009-05-14 - Assignees: Corning Incorporated - Applicants: Prantik Mazumder; Sergey Potapenko; Natesan Venkataraman - Inventors: Prantik Mazumder; Sergey Potapenko; Natesan Venkataraman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540920B2 ## CPC - C30B 28/04: from liquids - C30B 15/007: {Pulling on a substrate} - C30B 28/10: by pulling from a melt - C30B 29/06: Silicon - Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy - Y10T 428/268: Monolayer with structurally defined element - C30B: SINGLE-CRYSTAL GROWTH (by using ultra-high pressure, e.g. for the formation of diamonds, B01J3/06); UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION OF EUTECTIC MATERIAL OR UNIDIRECTIONAL DEMIXING OF EUTECTOID MATERIAL; REFINING BY ZONE-MELTING OF MATERIAL (zone-refining of metals or alloys C22B); PRODUCTION OF A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE (casting of metals, casting of other substances by the same processes or devices B22D; working of plastics B29; modifying the physical structure of metals or alloys C21D, C22F); SINGLE CRYSTALS OR HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE; AFTER-TREATMENT OF SINGLE CRYSTALS OR A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE (for producing semiconductor devices or parts thereof H10); APPARATUS THEREFOR - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract The invention relates to methods of making articles of semiconducting material and semiconducting material articles formed thereby, such as articles of semiconducting material that may be useful in making photovoltaic cells. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of making an article of a semiconducting material, comprising: providing a molten first semiconducting material at a temperature Ts; providing a mold at a temperature TMold, such that TMoldTMold, wherein the mold comprises a principle substrate having opposing external surfaces and at least one discrete location of a second semiconducting material; immersing the mold in the molten first semiconducting material for a period of time sufficient to form solid layers at least partially comprised of the first semiconducting material over the external surfaces of the mold; withdrawing the mold with the solid layers from the molten first semiconducting material; and optionally separating the solid layers from the mold, wherein the first semiconducting material is substantially the same as the second semiconducting material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein one or both of the first semiconducting material and the second semiconducting material are selected from the group consisting of silicon, alloys and compounds of silicon, germanium, alloys and compounds of germanium, gallium arsenide, alloys and compounds of gallium arsenide, alloys and compounds of tin, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the principle substrate comprises monocrystalline or multicrystalline silicon having an oxidized coating and the second semiconducting material is silicon. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one discrete location is formed by etching the oxidized coating. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one discrete location comprises a coating of particles of the second semiconducting material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the coating of particles of the second semiconducting material is formed by exposing the mold to fumes above the molten first semiconducting material for a period of time sufficient to form particles generated by the molten first semiconducting material on the at least one discrete location. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the particles of the second semiconducting material have an average size ranging from 0.5 nm to 100 μm. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein providing the mold at a temperature TMold comprises a step of heating the mold above the molten first semiconducting material. ### Claim 18 A method of reducing the amount of impurities and/or defects and/or controlling the grain structure of an article of a semiconducting material during formation of the article, comprising: providing a molten first semiconducting material at a temperature Ts; providing a mold at a temperature TMold, such that Ts>TMold, wherein the mold comprises a principle substrate having an external surface and at least one discrete location comprised of a second semiconducting material; immersing the mold in the molten first semiconducting material for a period of time sufficient to form a solid layer at least partially comprised of the first semiconducting material over an external surface of the mold and begin to remelt; withdrawing the mold with the solid layer from the molten first semiconducting material; and optionally separating the solid layer from the mold, wherein the first semiconducting material is substantially the same material as the second semiconducting material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the first semiconducting material is chosen from silicon, alloys and compounds of silicon, germanium, alloys and compounds of germanium, gallium arsenide, alloys and compounds of gallium arsenide, alloys and compounds of tin, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein providing the mold at a temperature TMold comprises a step of heating the mold above the molten first semiconducting material.