Patent US4330582A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4330582A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Semicrystalline silicon products
Assignee: Semix Inc
•
Filing: 1980-03-19
•
Granted: 1982-05-18
•
Expires: 2000-03-19
Abstract
Abstract A method of producing semicrystalline silicon by heating the silicon to a molten state and gradually cooling the silicon to mitigate disruptions in the silicon continuum and promote semicrystalline growth. The product formed is a silicon body, which may be sliced into wafers having highly ordered grains of a mean diameter of at least about one mm.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Lindmayer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 05:37
CPC Classifications
C; C30; C30B; C30B29/00; C30B29/02; C30B29/06; C30B11/00; C30B29/60; C30B29/605; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/21
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
A semicrystalline silicon wafer composed of randomly arranged silicon grains, such grains at least at one surface of the wafer having a mean diameter of at least about one mm. and abutting each other at the boundaries of the grains, said grains at their interiors being composed of silicon of relatively high crystallographic order when compared with the silicon at the grain boundaries, said grains being distributed in substantially non-columnar, non-linear fashion in said wafer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
75 words
A semicrystalline silicon wafer composed of randomly arranged silicon grains, such grains at least at one surface of the wafer having a mean diameter of at least about one mm. and abutting each other at the boundaries of the grains, said grains at their interiors being composed of silicon of relatively high crystallographic order when compared with the silicon at the grain boundaries, said grains being distributed in substantially non-columnar, non-linear fashion in said wafer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A semicrystalline silicon wafer as claimed in claim 1, in which said grains at said one surface have a mean diameter of about 1 to 10 mm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
A semicrystalline silicon wafer as claimed in calim 1, in which said wafer has incorporated throughout its mass a dopant of a single conductivity type.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
68 words
A silicon ingot composed of randomly arranged grains of semicrystalline silicon, said grains having a mean diameter of at least about one mm. and abutting each other at the boundaries of the grains, said grains at their interiors being composed of silicon of relatively high crystallographic order when compared with the silicon at the grain boundaries, said grains being distributed in substantially non-columnar, non-linear fashion in said ingot.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
68 words
A silicon ingot composed of randomly arranged grains of semicrystalline silicon, said grains having a mean diameter of at least about one mm. and abutting each other at the boundaries of the grains, said grains at their interiors being composed of silicon of relatively high crystallographic order when compared with the silicon at the grain boundaries, said grains being distributed in substantially non-columnar, non-linear fashion in said ingot.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A silicon ingot as claimed in claim 4, in which substantially all of the grains of silicon at central portions of the ingot have a diameter of between about 1 and 10 mm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A silicon ingot as claimed in claim 4, in which said ingot has incorporated throughout its mass a dopant of a single conductivity type.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
GB590458A
Cited
US3624467A
Cited
US3953876A
Cited
US3995309A
Cited
US4077818A
Cited
US4194212A
Cited
US4124410A
Cited
US4249457A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-05-17 | 1985-11-16 | 1986-05-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-05-17 | 1989-11-16 | 1990-05-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-05-17 | 1993-11-16 | 1994-05-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |