Controlled nucleation - a new approach to improve the crystallinity of RAFT-foils

A variety of substrates has been tested for use in silicon foil casting according to RAFT (Ramp Assisted Foil-casting Technique). As an alternative to the currently used PyC-coated graphite ramps monocrystalline silicon ramps with a structured surface are utilized to prepare RAFT-foils with improved crystallinity. Structuring is done either by tooling (for regular, symmetric geometries) or by chemical etching (for statistically distributed structure elements). Orientation of monocrystalline silicon ramp (100, 111) is transferred to the crystallizing melt film.