Directionally solidified polycrystalline silicon

摘要

Directionally solidified polycrystalline silicon, with an arsenic and/or antimony content of 1013-1017 atoms/cm3, is new. Preferably, the silicon also has an oxygen content of 1016-2*1018 atoms/cm3, a resistivity of 100-10000 milli-ohm.cm and a minority charge carrier free diffusion path length of -10 mu . Also claimed is production of the above polycrystalline silicon by subjecting single crystal or polycrystalline As- and/or Sb-containing silicon to melting and then directional solidification. Further claimed are solar cells, containing the above directionally solidified polycrystalline silicon, and a process for producing such solar cells.