PV01700 - SEMI PV17 - Specification for Virgin Silicon Feedstock Materials for Photovoltaic Applications

Silicon is one of the key materials in the growing photovoltaic (PV) industry. Solar cells made of silicon will be manufactured for many years to come. New parties supplying or purchasing Si feedstock materials are entering this industry. 　 The need for higher volumes and more cost efficient feedstock Si triggered development of metallurgical refining methods. In addition new methods modifying the original Siemens process were investigated and were introduced in high volume manufacturing. In parallel to the development of refining methods a wide variety of crystallization techniques and solar cell designs, each requiring specific material properties, were investigated by industry and research organizations. A multidimensional parameter space would be necessary to describe all the relations between feedstock material quality, single and multicrystalline ingots and finally solar cell performance. These would result in a multitude of interface problems, inhibiting the relations between su