Investigation of subgrains in directionally solidified cast mono-seeded silicon and their interactions with twin boundaries

Directional solidification of a cast mono silicon seed and of a float-zone (FZ) silicon seed was performed and the grain and defect structures of the seeds as well as of the regrown parts are analyzed. In situ X-ray diffraction imaging enabled the observation of the dislocation arrangements. During the heating process, in the FZ seed, mobile dislocations glide on {111} planes, whereas in the cast mono seed dislocations are arranged in a mainly immobile cellular structure. Ex situ grain orientation mappings reveal the presence of subgrains with misorientations up to 3° in the regrown part of the cast mono-seeded sample, which are not observed in the regrown part of the FZ-seeded sample. Subgrain boundaries characterized by misorientations around the [001] growth axis propagate roughly along the growth axis and increase their misorientation by merging with new subgrain boundaries appearing in their vicinity. Although the first inception of subgrain formation cannot be revealed, the comparison of the dislocation arrangements in the two seeds strongly suggests an influence of the latter on subgrain formation. In the regrown part, interactions between subgrain boundaries and twin boundaries show that they can follow Σ3{111} and Σ9{221} grain boundaries or cross Σ3{111} grain boundaries. Whether Σ3{111} GBs are crossed or not depends among other things on the orientation of the grains on either side of the twin. It demonstrates that the grain orientation relationship and not only the grain boundary character play an important role in the subgrain structure evolution and redistribution in a multicrystalline silicon ingot. •In situ X-ray diffraction imaging, EBSD and etching are used to characterize subgrains in a cast mono silicon-seeded sample.•The subgrain boundaries grow with the solid-liquid interface and cross or follow Σ3 and Σ9 grain boundaries during growth.•Subrain formation is probably related to the initial cellular dislocation structure in the seed crystal.•A special grain orientation relationship constitutes an obstacle for the propagation of the subgrain boundaries.