Formation process of solar grade silicon by atomic hydrogen reduction of quartz sand

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24656103
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Production engineering/Processing studies
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: YASUTAKE Kiyoshi 大阪大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (80166503)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KAKIUCHI Hiroaki 大阪大学, 大学院工学研究科, 准教授 (10233660)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: シリコン / 水素還元 / 二酸化ケイ素 / プラズマエッチング / 高圧力プラズマ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

For the formation of SiH4 gas directly from the low-purity quartz sand (SiO2), we have developed elemental technologies for high-rate etching of SiO2 using high-pressure hydrogen plasma. Based on the newly-developed method for measuring atomic H density, we have clarified the essential relationships among the plasma condition, H density and SiO2 etching rate. By optimizing the plasma condition, we have achieved a record-high etching rate of SiO2 by hydrogen plasma (303 nm/min), which is about 100 times faster than the previously reported value.

Free Research Field

機能材料学