Patents by Inventor Jesse S. APPEL

Jesse S. APPEL has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Producing a ribbon or wafer with regions of low oxygen concentration
    Patent number: 11885036
    Abstract: A ribbon is formed such that the ribbon floats on a melt using a cold initializer facing an exposed surface of the melt. The ribbon is single crystal silicon. The ribbon is pulled from the silicon melt at a low angle off the melt surface. The ribbon is formed at a same rate as the pulling. The ribbon is separated from the melt at a wall of the crucible where a stable meniscus forms. The ribbon has a thickness between a first surface and an opposite second surface from 50 ?m to 5 mm. The ribbon includes a first region extending a first depth from the first surface. The first region has a reduced oxygen concentration relative to a bulk of the ribbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Inventors: Jesse S. Appel, Alison Greenlee, Nathan Stoddard, Peter Kellerman, Parthiv Daggolu, Alexander Martinez, Saeed Pirooz, Brandon Williard, Charles Bowen, Brian McMullen, David Morrell, Dawei Sun
  • WAFER WITH REGIONS OF LOW OXYGEN CONCENTRATION
    Publication number: 20220325438
    Abstract: A single crystal silicon wafer has a thickness between a first surface and an opposite second surface from 50 ?m to 300 ?m. The wafer includes a first region extending a first depth from the first surface. The first region has a reduced oxygen concentration relative to an adjacent region of the wafer. The wafer has a bulk minority carrier lifetime greater than 100 ?s.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2020
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Jesse S. Appel, Alison Greenlee, Nathan Stoddard, Peter Kellerman, Parthiv Daggolu, Alexander Martinez, Saeed Pirooz
  • PRODUCING A RIBBON OR WAFER WITH REGIONS OF LOW OXYGEN CONCENTRATION
    Publication number: 20220316087
    Abstract: A ribbon is formed such that the ribbon floats on a melt using a cold initializer facing an exposed surface of the melt. The ribbon is single crystal silicon. The ribbon is pulled from the silicon melt at a low angle off the melt surface. The ribbon is formed at a same rate as the pulling. The ribbon is separated from the melt at a wall of the crucible where a stable meniscus forms. The ribbon has a thickness between a first surface and an opposite second surface from 50 ?m to 5 mm. The ribbon includes a first region extending a first depth from the first surface. The first region has a reduced oxygen concentration relative to a bulk of the ribbon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2020
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Alison Greenlee, Nathan Stoddard, Jesse S. Appel, Peter Kellerman, Parthiv Daggolu, Alexander Martinez, Saeed Pirooz, Brandon Williard, Charles Bowen, Brian McMullen, David Morrell, Dawei SUN
  • EXPOSURE OF A SILICON RIBBON TO GAS IN A FURNACE
    Publication number: 20220145494
    Abstract: A system for producing a ribbon from a melt includes a crucible to contain a melt and a cold block. The cold block has a surface that directly faces an exposed surface of the melt. A ribbon is formed on the melt using the cold block. A furnace is operatively connected to the crucible. The ribbon passes through the furnace after removal from the melt. The furnace includes at least one gas jet. The gas jet can dope the ribbon, form a diffusion barrier on the ribbon, and/or passivate the ribbon. Part of the ribbon passes through the furnace while part of the ribbon is being formed in the crucible using the cold block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Alison GREENLEE, Jesse S. APPEL, Nathan STODDARD