US Patent 7141114 Process for producing a crystalline silicon ingot

An improved process for producing a crystalline silicon ingot, a crystalline silicon wafer and a photovoltaic cell using the directional solidification process, and more particularly to loading and preparing a mold for the process of directional solidification. At least one rod polysilicon section and at least one chunk polysilicon, chip polysilicon or granular polysilicon is loaded into the mold, increasing packing density and thermal conductivity of the polysilicon contents while reducing contamination and resources expended to process a production cycle.