Fraunhofer lnstitut fiir Solare Energiesysteme, D-7800 Freiburg, F.R.G.

Aimof the SSPproiect(Si1icon SheetsfromPowder) is togrow largeareasiliconsubstrates forsolarcellsof high conversion efficiency. Asilicon powder layer is converted intoapolycrystalline sheet by azonemeltingprocess using incoherent focussed light as heat source. The feasibility of the method had been demonstrated before by the growth of 60 x 150 mm2 sheets. Now the design of a new machine for semi -cont i nuous production of 100 mm wide si I i con ribbons ispresented. As thegrain selection takesplaceat the beginning of zone melting, continuousprocessing instead ofsingle sheet processing is reasonable and leads to fairly wide grains (in the order of 10-20 mm) extending over the whole length of the ribbon.