The carbon distribution in multicrystalline silicon ingots grown using the directional solidification process

In this study, we performed a numerical simulation of the growth of multicrystalline silicon ingots using the DSS method and compared the results with the experiments. The thermal flow field and the carbon concentration distribution during the growth process were analyzed under the same operating conditions. The carbon concentration distribution in the grown ingots was measured and the results compared with that of the simulation predictions. The simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental ones. The simulation shows that in a directional solidification furnace carbon impurities accumulate easily in the melt near the central region of the melt/crystal interface due to convection. This is the main reason for the non-uniformity of the carbon concentration in ingots grown in the DSS furnace. In order to improve the uniformity of carbon distribution in the melt, a higher convexity of crystalline front interface in the central region needs to be maintained during the growth process to reduce the strength of melt convection around the crystalline front interface. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.