Silicon factory planning based on Siemens reactors: 
Status and future challenges

Albrecht Mozer,
Managing Director of SolMic GmbH, Germany

Dr. Albrecht Mozer has a PhD in semiconductor physics from the University of Stuttgart, Germany. He has in-depth experience within the field of silicon technology and manufacturing as a former member of the board of Siltronic AG, a subsidiary of polysilicon manufacturer Wacker Chemie AG. Albrecht Mozer is the author and co-author of over 50 publications and holds 20 patents for semiconductor technology and semiconductor devices. 

In 2005 he founded SolMic GmbH together with Dr. Peter Fath to offer various consulting and engineering services related to photovoltaics and microelectronics industry with a special focus on polysilicon production facilities. In December 2006 SolMic and equipment specialist Centrotherm founded Centrotherm SiQ GmbH, a company specialized in producing Siemens reactors and converters.

Most polysilicon produced today comes from Siemens reactors using trichlorosilane. The process is well understood however the details are not common knowledge. PV companies who want to own and operate their own silicon production site could profit from the know-how of engineering companies like SolMic. Within the presentation the facility design criteria including technical background and costs for polysilicon factories will be explained. Since last year SolMic has signed contracts to built in total 5000 to/a polysilicon production capacities using the Siemens method – so theory is now becoming a reality. The reality is even going already beyond polysilicon, since first fully integrated photovoltaic clusters are in design stage. 

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