Abstract: Provided are a porous silicon-based anode active material including crystalline silicon (Si) particles, and a plurality of pores on surfaces, or the surfaces and inside of the crystalline silicon particles, wherein at least one plane of crystal planes of at least a portion of the plurality of pores includes a (100) plane, and a method of preparing the porous silicon-based anode active material. Since a porous silicon-based anode active material of the present invention may allow volume expansion, which is occurred during charge and discharge of a lithium secondary battery, to be concentrated on pores instead of the outside of the anode active material, the porous silicon-based anode active material may improve life characteristics of the lithium secondary battery by efficiently controlling the volume expansion.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of electrodes from a porous material making it possible to obtain electrodes that are useful in electrochemical systems and that have at least one of the following properties: a high capacity in mAh/gram, a high capacity in mAh/liter, a good capacity for cycling, a low rate of self-discharge, and a good environmental tolerance.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed at an electrode for a battery wherein the electrode comprises clathrate alloys of silicon, germanium or tin. In method form, the present disclosure is directed at methods of forming clathrate alloys of silicon, germanium or tin which methods lead to the formation of empty cage structures suitable for use as electrodes in rechargeable type batteries.

Abstract: There is provided a silicon production method which comprises producing semiconductor grade silicon while producing solar grade silicon by converting a portion of trichlorosilane into silicon for solar cells. There is also provided an industrially advantageous method that removes contaminants from a chlorosilane circulating system which produces trichlorosilane in producing silicon from trichlorosilane by a vapor deposition method.

Abstract: Provided is a nanowire manufacturing substrate, comprising a grid base layer on a substrate and a grid pattern formed by patterning the grid base layer, the grid pattern being disposed to produce a nanowire on a surface thereof. According to the present invention, the width and height of the nanowire can be adjusted by controlling the wet-etching process time period, and the nanowire can be manufactured at a room temperature at low cost, the nanowire can be mass-manufactured and the nanowire with regularity can be manufactured even in case of mass production.

Abstract: This invention relates seed layers and a process of manufacturing seed layers for casting silicon suitable for use in solar cells or solar modules. The process includes the step of positioning tiles with aligned edges to form seams on a suitable surface, and the step of joining the tiles at the seams to form a seed layer. The step of joining includes heating the tiles to melt at least a portion of the tiles, contacting the tiles at both ends of at least one seam with electrodes, using plasma deposition of amorphous silicon, applying photons to melt a portion of the tiles, and/or layer deposition. Seed layers of this invention include a rectilinear shape of at least about 500 millimeters in width and length.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for casting silicon for photovoltaic cells and other applications. With these methods, an ingot can be grown that is low in carbon and whose crystal growth is controlled to increase the cross-sectional area of seeded material during casting.

Abstract: A reactor that produces polycrystalline silicon using a monosilane process includes a reactor base plate having a multiplicity of nozzles formed therein through which a silicon-containing gas flows, a plurality of filament rods mounted on the reactor base plate, and a gas outlet opening located at a selected distance from the nozzles to feed used monosilane to an enrichment and/or treatment stage, wherein the gas outlet opening is formed at a free end of an inner tube, the inner tube is conducted through the reactor base plate, and the inner tube has an outer wall and an inner wall and thus forms an intermediate space in which at least one cooling water circuit is conducted.

Abstract: A silicon component in a processing chamber for performing an etching process on a substrate is provided. The silicon component contains recycled silicon obtained by a silicon component recycling method including: collecting silicon wastes from any one of a silicon component for a plasma etching apparatus and a silicon ingot for a semiconductor wafer; obtaining a content of impurity based on an electric characteristic of the collected silicon wastes; determining an input amount of the silicon wastes, an input amount of a silicon source material, and an input amount of impurity based on the content of impurity obtained in the measurement process and a target value of an electric characteristic of a final product; manufacturing a silicon ingot by inputting the silicon wastes, the silicon source material, and the impurity into a crucible; and manufacturing the final product using the silicon ingot.

Abstract: Porous, amorphous lithium storage materials and a method for making these materials are disclosed herein. In an example of the method, composite particles of a lithium storage material in an amorphous phase and a material that is immiscible with the lithium storage material are prepared. Phase separation is induced within the composite particles to precipitate out the amorphous phase lithium storage material and form phase separated composite particles. The immiscible material is chemically etched from the phase separated composite particles to form porous, amorphous lithium storage material particles.

Abstract: A silicon member for a semiconductor apparatus is provided. The silicon member has an equivalent performance to one fabricated from a single-crystalline silicon even though it is fabricated from a unidirectionally solidified silicon. In addition, it can be applied for producing a relatively large-sized part. The silicon member is fabricated by sawing a columnar crystal silicon ingot obtained by growing a single-crystal from each of seed crystals by placing the seed crystals that are made of a single-crystalline silicon plate on a bottom part of a crucible and unidirectionally solidifying a molten silicon in the crucible.

Abstract: A method of etching silicon, the method comprising the steps of: partially covering at least one silicon surface of a material to be etched with copper metal; and exposing the at least one surface to an aqueous etching composition comprising an oxidant and a source of fluoride ions.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to systems and methods for sorting a native aggregate, such as a fluorescent nanoparticle aggregate, which includes multiple objects, some of which have different characteristics, into lower level ensembles, such as monochromatic nanoparticle ensembles. In one aspect, the system includes two detectors, one of which accepts all emitted wavelengths and another one which is preceded by a filter to permit transmission of a specific wavelength or range of wavelengths. In another aspect, the system includes multiple detectors, each detector configured to detect a given wavelength or range of wavelengths, such that no two detectors have overlapping wavelengths or ranges. In yet another aspect, the system includes an optical regulator in front of a detector. This disclosure is also directed to systems and methods for multiplexing and analyzing a target analyte using the monochromatic nanoparticle ensembles.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a vertical heat treatment apparatus which is a vertical heat treatment furnace comprising at least: a reaction tube; a heat treatment boat configured to hold a substrate; a heater configured to heat the substrate; a gas introduction tube configured to introduce an atmospheric gas into the reaction tube; a gas supply tube connected to the gas introduction tube; and a gas port portion that is formed at a flange body provided under the reaction tube or the reaction tube and into which the gas introduction tube is inserted, wherein the gas introduction tube is connected to the gas supply tube through a joint outside the reaction tube, the joint has at least a metal short tube having a flange portion, and the gas introduction tube is inserted into a through hole formed by connecting the flange portion of the metal short tube to the flange portion provided at the gas port portion through an O-ring and further connected to the gas supply tube through the joint.

Abstract: A method for regenerating silicon from silicon waste includes: placing and mixing silicon waste, a solvent having pH of approximately 5 to approximately 6, and a surfactant within a container; and injecting air into the container to separate floating matters and precipitates. Accordingly, since silicon is easily separated from the silicon waste, the regeneration yield of silicon is increased. Since the regenerated silicon is recyclable, it may be possible to obtain important substitution effect of high-purity silicon the entire amount of which depends on import. Moreover, environmental pollution may be reduced because the amount of the silicon waste disposed of by burial is decreased.

Abstract: Granular polycrystalline silicon is disclosed, which has a convexity of 0.850-1.000 and a chlorine content of 10-40 ppmw. Also disclosed is a process for producing granular polycrystalline silicon in a fluidized bed reactor, which includes: (a) fluidization of silicon seed particles by gas flow in a fluidized bed heated by a heating apparatus, (b) addition of a silicon- and halogen-containing reaction gas resulting in pyrolytic deposition of elemental silicon on heated seed particle surfaces, (c) forming the granular polycrystalline silicon, (d) removing from the reactor particles and offgas containing hydrogen halide, and (e) metered addition of fresh seed particles. The hydrogen halide concentration in the offgas is determined as the controlled variable. The rate of metered addition of fresh seed particles and heating output of the heating apparatus are controlled as manipulated variables to keep the hydrogen halide concentration in the offgas within an above-defined range during operation.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a process for obtaining silicon crystals from silicon. The method includes contacting silicon powder with a solvent metal to provide a mixture containing silicon, melting the silicon under submersion to provide a first molten liquid, contacting the first molten liquid with a first gas to provide dross and a second molten liquid, separating the dross and the second molten liquid, cooling the second molten liquid to form first silicon crystals and a first mother liquid and separating the first silicon crystals and the first mother liquid.

Abstract: One object is to provide a structure including a thin primer film formed by a dry process and tightly bound to a fluorine-containing silane coupling agent. In accordance with one aspect, a structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a substrate; and a thin primer film containing at least one substance selected from the group consisting of silicon, titanium, aluminum, aluminum oxide, and zirconium and formed on a surface of the substrate by a dry process.

Abstract: Methods and compositions are provided for reducing or eliminating charge buildup during scanning electron microscopy (SEM) metrology of a critical dimension (CD) in a structure produced by lithography. An under layer is utilized that comprises silicon in the construction of the structure. When the lithography structure comprising the silicon-comprising under layer is scanned for CDs using SEM, the under layer reduces or eliminates charge buildup during SEM metrological observations.

Abstract: The silicon purification method uses a silicon purification device including at least a crucible for loading a silicon metal and a plasma torch, and purifies the silicon metal by injecting a plasma gas from the plasma torch toward a melt surface of the silicon metal loaded in the crucible in a state where an angle formed by the melt surface and the plasma gas is set in the range of 20° to 80°.

Abstract: By determining a control direction of a pulling-up velocity without using a position or a width of an OSF region as an index, a subsequent pulling-up velocity profile is fed back and adjusted. A silicon single crystal ingot that does not include a COP and a dislocation cluster is grown by a CZ method, a silicon wafer is sliced from the silicon single crystal ingot, reactive ion etching is performed on the silicon wafer in an as-grown state, and a grown-in defect including silicon oxide is exposed as a protrusion on an etching surface. A growing condition in subsequent growing is fed back and adjusted on the basis of an exposed protrusion generation region. As a result, feedback with respect to a nearest batch can be performed without performing heat treatment to expose a defect.

Abstract: Chemical processes and reactors for efficiently producing hydrogen fuels and structural materials and associated systems and methods. A representative process includes dissociating a hydrogen donor into dissociation products by adding energy to the hydrogen donor, wherein the energy includes waste heat generated by a process other than dissociating the hydrogen donor. The process can further include providing, from the dissociation products, a structural building block and/or a hydrogen-based fuel, with the structural building block based on carbon, nitrogen, boron, silicon, sulfur, and/or a transition metal.

Abstract: A method is presented for fabricating an anode preloaded with consumable metals. The method provides a material (X), which may be one of the following materials: carbon, metals able to be electrochemically alloyed with a metal (Me), intercalation oxides, electrochemically active organic compounds, and combinations of the above-listed materials. The method loads the metal (Me) into the material (X). Typically, Me is an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, or a combination of the two. As a result, the method forms a preloaded anode comprising Me/X for use in a battery comprising a M1YM2Z(CN)N·MH2O cathode, where M1 and M2 are transition metals. The method loads the metal (Me) into the material (X) using physical (mechanical) mixing, a chemical reaction, or an electrochemical reaction. Also provided is preloaded anode, preloaded with consumable metals.

Abstract: A device for taking up a silicon melt comprises at least one block of a refractory with a capillary structure.

Abstract: The present invention provides nanometer-size spherical particles. Each of the particles is made of at least one selected from the group consisting of a metal, an alloy, and a metal compound. The particles include one or both of a polycrystalline region and a single-crystalline region. The particles have a particle size of less than 1 ?m; and a sphericity of ?10% to +10%.

Abstract: Polycrystalline silicon of the invention contains: (a) polycrystalline silicon fragments, wherein at least 90% of the fragments have a size from 10 to 40 mm, (b) <15 ppmw of silicon dust particles having particle sizes <400 ?m; (c) <14 ppmw of silicon dust particles having particle sizes <50 ?m; (d) <10 ppmw of silicon dust particles having particle sizes <10 ?m; (e) <3 ppmw of silicon dust particles having particle sizes <1 ?m; and (f) surface metal impurities in an amount ?0.1 ppbw and ?100 ppbw. A polycrystalline silicon production method of the invention includes fracturing polycrystalline silicon deposited on thin rods in a Siemens reactor into fragments; classifying the fragments by size; and treating the fragments with compressed air or dry ice to remove silicon dust from the fragments without wet chemical cleaning.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are presented for reducing halide-based contamination within deposited titanium-based thin films. Halide adsorbing materials are utilized within the deposition chamber to remove halides, such as chlorine and chlorides, during the deposition process so that contamination of the titanium-based film is minimized. A method for regenerating the halide adsorbing material is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preparing a porous silicon nanorod structure composed of columnar bundles having a diameter of 50-100 nm and a length of 2-5 ?m, and a lithium secondary cell using the porous silicon nanorod structure as an anode active material. The present invention provides a high-capacity and high-efficiency anode active material for lithium secondary cells, which can overcome the low conductivity of silicon and improve the electrode deterioration attributable to volume expansion because it is prepared by electrodepositing the surface of silicon powder with metal and simultaneously etching the silicon powder partially using hydrofluoric acid.

Abstract: This invention provides a negative electrode material for a rechargeable battery with a nonaqueous electrolyte, characterized in that the negative electrode material contains polycrystalline silicon particles as an active material, the particle diameter of crystallites of the polycrystalline silicon is not less than 20 nm and not more than 100 nm in terms of a crystallite size determined by the Scherrer method from the full width at half maximum of a diffraction line attributable to Si (111) around 2?=28.4° in an x-ray diffraction pattern analysis, and the true specific gravity of the silicon particles is 2.300 to 2.320.

Abstract: A method is provided for recycling and treating the wastes of silicon wafer cutting and polishing processes. To begin with, a dewatered filter cake is mixed with water so that the filter cake is diluted to form a working fluid. The water reacts with silicon in the filter cake to produce silicon dioxide and hydrogen. After the hydrogen is extracted for storage, specific gravity separation takes place via water so that silicon carbide and silicon particles are separated for sorting. Then, solid-liquid separation is performed on the remaining working fluid to separate silicon dioxide (solid) from water and PEG (liquid), before PEG is separated from water. Thus, the useful silicon particles, silicon carbide, silicon dioxide, and PEG are recycled from the filter cake to reduce the total amount of wastes. Moreover, as the side product, hydrogen, is of high commercial value, the method also adds value to recycling.

Abstract: Production of polycrystalline silicon in substantially closed-loop processes and systems is disclosed. The processes and systems generally involve disproportionation of trichlorosilane to produce silane or dichlorosilane and thermal decomposition of silane or dichlorosilane to produce polycrystalline silicon.

Abstract: Thermoelectric solid material and method thereof. The thermoelectric solid material includes a plurality of nanowires. Each nanowire of the plurality of nanowires corresponds to an aspect ratio (e.g., a ratio of a length of a nanowire to a diameter of the nanowire) equal to or larger than 10, and each nanowire of the plurality of nanowires is chemically bonded to one or more other nanowires at at least two locations of the each nanowire.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a process for obtaining silicon crystals from silicon. The method includes contacting silicon powder with a solvent metal to provide a mixture containing silicon, melting the silicon under submersion to provide a first molten liquid, contacting the first molten liquid with a first gas to provide dross and a second molten liquid, separating the dross and the second molten liquid, cooling the second molten liquid to form first silicon crystals and a first mother liquid and separating the first silicon crystals and the first mother liquid.

Abstract: In a purifying method for metal grade silicon, metal grade silicon with a silicon concentration not less than 98 wt % and not more than 99.9 wt % is prepared. The metal grade silicon contains aluminum not less than 1000 ppm and not more than 10000 ppm by weight. The metal grade silicon is heated at a temperature not less than 1500° C. and not more than 1600° C. in an inert atmosphere under pressure not less than 100 Pa and not more than 1000 Pa, and maintained at the temperature in the atmosphere for a predetermined period.

Abstract: Methods are provided for casting one or more of a semi-conductor, an oxide, and an intermetallic material. With such methods, a cast body of a geometrically ordered multi-crystalline form of the one or more of a semiconductor, an oxide, and an intermetallic material may be formed that is free or substantially free of radially-distributed impurities and defects and having at least two dimensions that are each at least about 10 cm.

Abstract: An electrically interconnected mass includes elongated structures. The elongated structures are electrochemically active and at least some of the elongated structures cross over each other to provide intersections and a porous structure. The elongated structures include doped silicon.

Abstract: Provided is a hybrid silicon wafer in which molten state polycrystalline silicon and solid state single-crystal silicon are mutually integrated, comprising fine crystals having an average crystal grain size of 8 mm or less at a polycrystalline portion within 10 mm from a boundary with a single-crystal portion. Additionally provided is a method of manufacturing a hybrid silicon wafer, wherein a columnar single-crystal silicon ingot is sent in a mold in advance, molten silicon is cast around and integrated with the single-crystal ingot to prepare an ingot complex of single-crystal silicon and polycrystalline silicon, and a wafer shape is cut out therefrom. The provided hybrid silicon wafer comprises the functions of both a polycrystalline silicon wafer and a single-crystal wafer.

Abstract: The present invention intends to provide silicon-containing particles that, when used as a negative electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, can form a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery that is less in volume change during charge/discharge and has high initial efficiency and excellent cycle characteristics. The present invention provides silicon-containing particles that are used as a negative electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery and have a diffraction line with a peak at 2?=28.6° in X-ray diffractometry, a negative electrode material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery therewith, a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, and a method of manufacturing the silicon-containing particles.

Abstract: Polymer-inorganic particle blends are incorporated into structures generally involving interfaces with additional materials that can be used advantageously for forming desirable devices. In some embodiments, the structures are optical structures, and the interfaces are optical interfaces. The different materials at the interface can have differences in index-of-refraction to yield desired optical properties at the interface. In some embodiments, structures are formed with periodic variations in index-of-refraction. In particular, photonic crystals can be formed. Suitable methods can be used to form the desired structures.

Abstract: The invention relates to a polycrystalline silicon portion having at least one fracture surface or cut surface, which includes metal contamination of from 0.07 ng/cm2 to 1 ng/cm2. The invention also relates to a method for breaking a silicon body, preferably a rod of polycrystalline silicon, including the steps: a) determining the lowest natural bending frequency of the silicon body; b) exciting the silicon body in its lowest natural bending frequency by means of an oscillation generator, the excitation being carried out at an excitation point of the silicon body such that the silicon body breaks at the excitation point; so that a silicon portion having a fracture surface results which includes metal contamination of from 0.07 ng/cm2 to 1 ng/cm2.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates generally to a method for recovering an element from a mixture of the element with an ionic halide. In one embodiment, the method includes treating the mixture of the element and the ionic halide with an acidic solution to dissolve the ionic halide, wherein the acidic solution comprises water and an acid and has a pH of less than 1.0 and removing the element from an aqueous solution that results after the treating step.

Abstract: A fluidized bed reactor and a Siemens reactor are used to produce polycrystalline silicon. The process includes feeding the vent gas from the Siemens reactor as a feed gas to the fluidized bed reactor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a silicon single crystal wafer sliced out from a silicon single crystal ingot grown by a Czochralski method, wherein the silicon single crystal wafer is sliced out from the silicon single crystal ingot having oxygen concentration of 8×1017 atoms/cm3 (ASTM' 79) or less and includes of a defect region where neither FPDs nor LEPs are detected by preferential etching but LSTDs are detected by an infrared scattering method. As a result, the wafer having the low oxygen concentration can be provided at low cost without causing a breakdown voltage failure or a leak failure at the time of fabricating a device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for casting silicon for photovoltaic cells and other applications. With these methods, an ingot can be grown that is low in carbon and whose crystal growth is controlled to increase the cross-sectional area of seeded material during casting.

Abstract: A fluidized bed reactor is disclosed. The fluidized bed reactor includes a reaction pipe comprising silicon particles provided therein; a flowing-gas supply unit configured to supply flowing gas comprising silicon elements to the silicon particles provided in the reaction pipe; and a heater unit configured to supply heat to an internal space of the reaction pipe, with a heater channel in which inert gas flows serially.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of purifying a material using a metallic solvent. The present invention includes a method of purifying silicon utilizing a cascade process. In a cascade process, as the silicon moves through the purification process, it contacts increasingly pure solvent metal that is moving through the process in an opposite direction.

Abstract: A fluidized bed reactor is disclosed. The fluidized bed reactor includes a head; a first body part connected with the head, located under the head, the first body part having a first reaction pipe provided therein; a second body part connected with the first body part, located under the first body part, the second body part having a second reaction pipe provided therein; and a bottom part connected with the second body part, located under the second body part, the bottom part having a flowing-gas supply nozzle, a reaction gas supply nozzle, a heater and an electrode assembled thereto.

Abstract: Silicon nitride coated crucibles for holding melted semiconductor material and for use in preparing multicrystalline silicon ingots by a directional solidification process; methods for coating crucibles; methods for preparing silicon ingots and wafers; compositions for coating crucibles and silicon ingots and wafers with a low oxygen content.

Abstract: A silicon wafer preferable to a semiconductor device is produced by determining a heat treatment condition hardly causing slip dislocations and heat-treating the silicon wafer under the condition. The resistance is calculated by using a calculation formula used for predicting the slip resistance of the wafer from the density, size, and residual solid-solution oxygen concentration of the oxygen precipitation in the silicon wafer, the state of oxygen precipitation such that heat treatment not causing any slip dislocation can be carried out is designed, and thus a silicon wafer heat treatment method under the heat treatment condition not causing any slip dislocation is determined. A silicon wafer heat-treated under such a condition can be provided.

Abstract: A method for preparation of high purity silicon suitable for photovoltaic cells using reduction of silica, which is pre-purified in an aqueous solution, in presence of a reducing agent, preferably carbonaceous agent, where the pre-purified silica has a low amount of boron suitable for photovoltaic cells is described.