In situ investigation of the structural defect generation and evolution during the directional solidification of 〈110〉 seeded growth Si

Abstract This work is dedicated to the advanced in situ X-ray imaging and complementary ex situ investigations of the growth mechanisms when silicon solidifies on a monocrystalline seed oriented 〈110〉 in the solidification direction. It aims at deepening the fundamental understanding of the phenomena that occur throughout silicon crystal growth with a particular focus on mechanisms of formation of defects detrimental for photovoltaic applications. Namely, grain nucleation, grain boundary formation and evolution, grain competition, twining occurrence, dislocation generation and interaction with structural defects are explored and analysed. Nucleation of twin crystals preferentially occurs on {111} facets at the edge of the sample where solid – liquid – vapor triple point lines exist in interaction also with the crucible as well as, at grain boundary grooves at the solid – liquid interface (solid – solid – liquid triple lines), where two grains are in competition, either on the {111} facets of the groove or in the groove. Enhanced undercooling and/or stress accumulation levels are found to act as driving forces for grain nucleation. Additionally, it is demonstrated that twin formation has the property to relax stresses stored in the crystal during the growth process. However, grains formed initially in twin position can undergo severe distortion when they are in direct competition or when they are squeezed in – between grains. Moreover, we show by X-ray Bragg diffraction imaging that on the one hand, coherent Σ3 〈111〉 grain boundaries efficiently block the propagation of growth dislocations during the solidification process, while on the other hand, dislocations are emitted at the level of incoherent and/or asymmetric Σ27a 〈110〉 at the encounter with either Σ3 〈111〉 or Σ9 〈110〉 grain boundaries. Indeed, grain boundaries that deviate from the ideal coincidence orientation act as dislocation sources that spread inside the surrounding crystals.