Effect of Processing Parameters on Direct Fabrication of Polycrystalline Silicon Wafer

A ribbon-type polycrystalline silicon wafer was directly fabricated from liquid silicon via a novel technique for both a fast growth rate and large grain size by exploiting gas pressure. Effects of processing parameters such as moving speed of a dummy bar and the length of the solidification zone on continuous casting of the silicon wafer were investigated. Silicon melt extruded from the growth region in the case of a solidification zone with a length of 1cm due to incomplete solidification. In case of a solidification zone wieh a length of 2 cm, on the other hand, continuous casting of the wafer was impossible due to the volume expansion of silicon derived from the liquid-solid transformation in solidification zone. Consequently, the optimal length of the solidification zone was 1.5 cm for maintaining the position of the solid-liquid interface in the solidification zone. The silicon wafer could be continuously casted when the moving speed of the dummy bar was 6 cm/min, but liquid silicon extruded from the growth region without solidification when the moving speed of the dummy bar was 9 cm/min. This was due to a shift of the position of the solid-liquid interface from the solidification zone to the moving area. The present study reports experimental findings on a new direct growth system for obtaining silicon wafers with both high quality and productivity, as a candidate for an alternate route for the fabrication of ribbon-type silicon wafers.