{"title":"Optimizing heat dissipation in large-size cast Mono-Si furnace with a thermal switch hot-zone","authors":"Wei Mao , Qi Lei , Senlin Rao","doi":"10.1016/j.vacuum.2025.114263","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cast monocrystalline silicon (mono-Si) is a promising photovoltaic material that offers significant advantages in cost-effectiveness and cell efficiency. However, challenges remain in its crystal quality, particularly due to uneven temperature distribution during the crystallization of large-size Si ingots. This study introduces an improved heat dissipation design with a thermal switch hot-zone featuring a movable plate, aimed at enhancing heat distribution at the bottom of the crucible. This modification reduces the lateral temperature gradient, stabilizes the solid-liquid interface, and improves crystal quality. Experimental results demonstrate that the thermal switch hot-zone design significantly shortens the growth cycle, accelerates crystallization, and enhances ingot quality. Additionally, this approach reduces polycrystalline silicon infiltration, increases the monocrystalline proportion of the ingot, and improves electrical properties and solar cell efficiency. This innovation provides a promising solution for scaling up high-quality cast mono-Si production at lower costs, boosting competitiveness in the photovoltaic market.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23559,"journal":{"name":"Vacuum","volume":"238 ","pages":"Article 114263"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Vacuum","FirstCategoryId":"88","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0042207X25002532","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Cast monocrystalline silicon (mono-Si) is a promising photovoltaic material that offers significant advantages in cost-effectiveness and cell efficiency. However, challenges remain in its crystal quality, particularly due to uneven temperature distribution during the crystallization of large-size Si ingots. This study introduces an improved heat dissipation design with a thermal switch hot-zone featuring a movable plate, aimed at enhancing heat distribution at the bottom of the crucible. This modification reduces the lateral temperature gradient, stabilizes the solid-liquid interface, and improves crystal quality. Experimental results demonstrate that the thermal switch hot-zone design significantly shortens the growth cycle, accelerates crystallization, and enhances ingot quality. Additionally, this approach reduces polycrystalline silicon infiltration, increases the monocrystalline proportion of the ingot, and improves electrical properties and solar cell efficiency. This innovation provides a promising solution for scaling up high-quality cast mono-Si production at lower costs, boosting competitiveness in the photovoltaic market.
期刊介绍:
Vacuum is an international rapid publications journal with a focus on short communication. All papers are peer-reviewed, with the review process for short communication geared towards very fast turnaround times. The journal also published full research papers, thematic issues and selected papers from leading conferences.
A report in Vacuum should represent a major advance in an area that involves a controlled environment at pressures of one atmosphere or below.
The scope of the journal includes:
1. Vacuum; original developments in vacuum pumping and instrumentation, vacuum measurement, vacuum gas dynamics, gas-surface interactions, surface treatment for UHV applications and low outgassing, vacuum melting, sintering, and vacuum metrology. Technology and solutions for large-scale facilities (e.g., particle accelerators and fusion devices). New instrumentation ( e.g., detectors and electron microscopes).
2. Plasma science; advances in PVD, CVD, plasma-assisted CVD, ion sources, deposition processes and analysis.
3. Surface science; surface engineering, surface chemistry, surface analysis, crystal growth, ion-surface interactions and etching, nanometer-scale processing, surface modification.
4. Materials science; novel functional or structural materials. Metals, ceramics, and polymers. Experiments, simulations, and modelling for understanding structure-property relationships. Thin films and coatings. Nanostructures and ion implantation.