Monocrystalline Silicon Wafer Production Entails Growing A Single Silicon Crystal

A reinforcement member made with silicon carbide different from silicon is installed on the back face of a silicon wafer, thereby the silicon wafer is increased in Young's modulus and the wafer is less likely to deflect. The present invention relates to a silicon wafer and, more particularly, to a silicon wafer which is higher in rigidity and less likely to deflect than conventional wafers when the silicon wafer is kept horizontal and simply supported. Monocrystalline silicon wafers represent one of the major types of wafer used in the construction of silicon solar cells, the building block of solar panels. Silicon wafers, such as monocrystalline wafers enable solar panels to convert sunlight into electricity.

Under the above-described circumstances, as a result of intensive research, the inventor focused attention on the back-face structure of a wafer at which a silicon wafer is increased in rigidity. More specifically, the inventor found that if a reinforcement member different in material from silicon is installed on the back face of the silicon wafer or a concave-convex portion for reinforcement for increasing the rigidity of the silicon wafer is formed, by which the silicon wafers are increased in rigidity as a whole as compared with a conventional wafer, and where the silicon wafer is simply supported, the wafer is less likely to deflect, thereby accomplishing a non-limiting facet of the present invention. A complex process, monocrystalline silicon wafer production entails growing a single silicon crystal, reports the Florida Solar Energy Center. Extremely thin slices are cut from the crystal and then doped, treated with chemicals, to enhance their ability to convert sunlight to electricity.

A non-limiting feature of the present invention is to provide a silicon wafer which is higher in rigidity and less likely to deflect than a conventional silicon wafer.A non-limiting aspect of the present invention provides a silicon wafer manufacturer in which a reinforcement member formed with a material different from silicon to increase the rigidity of the silicon wafer is installed on the back face of the silicon wafer.According to this non-limiting aspect of the present invention, the reinforcement member made with a material different from silicon is installed on the back face of the silicon wafer so as not to be separated. As a result, Young's modulus of the silicon wafer is increased as compared with a conventional silicon wafer which is devoid of the reinforcement member on the back face.
Therefore, for example, on exposure in a device forming process, when the wafer is kept horizontal and simply supported on a wafer stage of a stepper so that only its own weight can act thereon, the wafer is less likely to deflect as compared with a conventional silicon wafer.

Solar panels using monocrystalline based cells have the highest efficiency of the solar panels in regular, residential use, according to Free Sun Power. On average, monocrystalline panels convert with between 15 and 18 percent efficiency.In addition to the higher efficiency, monocrystalline-based solar panels are smaller, which allows them to be installed in a wider range of settings. The higher efficiency generates a larger savings in energy costs.

The expression that “higher in rigidity than a silicon wafer ” means that it is less likely to be deformed by shearing force as compared with the silicon wafer. In other words, Young's modulus of the silicon wafer after reinforcement by a reinforcement member is higher than that of the silicon wafer before reinforcement (100 GPa or more but lower than 120 GPa).

Young's modulus of a silicon wafer after reinforcement is preferably from 120 to 1000 GPa. Where Young's modulus is less than 120 GPa, there is found no great difference in the amount of deflection as compared with silicon wafers which are not subjected to the treatment of the present invention. Further, where Young's modulus is in excess of 1000 GPa, the amount of deflection will hardly vary. Young's modulus of the silicon wafers after reinforcement is preferably from 120 to 500 GPa. Where Young's modulus is within the above range, the wafer carrying and wafer production processes under the same conditions as those of conventional wafers can be applied.

 Article Source: http://www.informationbible.com/article-monocrystalline-silicon-wafer-production-entails-growing-a-single-silicon-crystal-2604.html

 Article Tags: monocrystalline, silicon, wafer

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