PROCESS FOR PRODUCING LARGE-SIZE SELF-SUPPORTING PLATES OF SILICON

摘要

Process for producing large-size, self-supporting plates of silicon deposited from the gaseous phase on a substrate body, which comprises heating a graphite substrate to deposition temperature of silicon, which is deposited on the substrate from a gaseous compound to which a dopant has been added until a layer of about 200 to 650 .mu.m has formed, subsequently melting 40-100% of this layer from the free surface downward, resolidifying the molten silicon by adjustment of a temperature gradient from the substrate body upward, and finally separating the silicon therefrom. The plates so formed are used primarily for making solar cells.