Research Project Outline
In this research, a new manufacturing process of solar-grade Si directly from low-cost, low-purity Si materials is developed using high-pressure H2 plasma generated at near atmospheric pressure. By clarifying fundamental phenomena occurring in the high-pressure plasma and on the Si surface at an atomic level, we establish a technique to control plasma and surface reactions, and enhance the silane generation reaction from low-purity Si materials. It is expected that this process significantly contributes to the solution against the shortage problem of solar-grade Si, and to the large reduction of the manufacturing cost of solar cells.