Analysis of the Feasibility of Producing Silicon for Solar Cells by a Dichlorosilane/Fluidized-Bed Reactor Process

摘要

An analysis was conducted to evaluate a novel silicon production process based on conversion of dichlorosilane to silicon in fluidized-bed reactors (FBRs). Such a process seemed attractive from an economic point of view. The study is part of the effort being supported by the Flat-Plate Solar Array Project on new processes for making low-cost, high-purity silicon for terrestrial solar cells. It was concluded that the thermodynamics and kinetics should be sufficiently favorable to allow reasonably high values of conversion efficiency of dichlorosilane to silicon and of silicon deposition rate to be attained, and that suitably high product purity should be achievable. The silicon price is expected to be somewhat higher than that for silicon produced by the FBR-based silicon-via-silane process being developed by the Union Carbide Corp. and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Process success will ultimately depend upon finding FBR materials of construction that will withstand the severe corrosive and abrasive environment that is expected to be present. (ERA citation 10:036332)