Solar Silicon Processes: Technologies, Challenges, and Opportunities

Polycrystalline silicon (commonly called "polysilicon") is the material of choice for photovoltaic (PV) applications. Polysilicon is the purest synthetic material on the market, though its processing through gas purification and decomposition (commonly called "Siemens" process) carries high environmental risk. While many current optoelectronic applications require high purity, PV applications do not and therefore alternate processes and materials are being explored for PV grade silicon. Sol...