PRODUCTION OF LOWER-COST SOLAR CELLS FROM SILICA

摘要

A potential low cost method of producing thin film silicon solar cells, or solar grade silicon, from silica derived from different sources has been investigated. This method involves the production and purification of the "volatile" chloro-silane compounds SiCl_4 and Si_2Cl_6 from naturally occurring SiO_2. These purified compounds may then be decomposed to produce amorphous silicon thin film solar cells directly, or to solar grade silicon for the production of solar cells. These processes have the potential to form the basis of a significant new aspect of the chemical industry in Si serving the rapidly expanding solar cell market.