Metal processing for impurity gettering in silicon

U.S. Patent 6,852,371


Technology Description A method is provided for gettering impurities from silicon wafers and devices to improve the quality of the material and the device performance. The wafer or the device is coated on the back-side with a layer of aluminum and is illuminated form the other side with light having a significant portion of energy in the IR region. This process leads to formation of a Si--Al melt on the backside, at temperature below 550.degree. C. Dissolved impurities in the Si diffuse toward the Al melt and are trapped there. At higher illuminations and concomitant higher temperatures, the Al interface serves as a source of point defect injection. This mode of processing causes dissolution of precipitated impurities at greatly reduced temperatures and in short periods of time.

Interested in this Technology?
See the full U.S. Patent for this technology. NREL is looking for an organization to develop and commercialize this innovative technology. Interested organizations may consider developing/commercializing this technology through a license agreement, Cooperative Research Agreement, or Work for Others agreement. Please contact Richard Bolin at (303) 275-3028 for licensing, CRADA, and Work for Others opportunities.

Type of Offer: Licensing



Next Patent »
« More Solar Patents

Share on      


CrowdSell Your Patent