(DE19756830-A1)   NOVELTY - After the final washing stage the silicon grains are placed, in a perforated container, in a heated vacuum tight vessel of VA-2 or VA-4 steel, which is electro-polished or coated with a clean room compatible temperature resistant material, e.g. silicon, Teflon or PFA. A cycle of evacuation and flooding the vessel with extremely pure air with a relative humidity of less than 20% or a pure inert gas is repeated several times.    USE - For drying pulverized silicon prior to smelting in the production of high grade polycrystalline semiconductor materials, e.g. for solar cells.    ADVANTAGE - Extracts all residual moisture from the material, microstructure at temperatures below 100 degrees C.    (JP11265875-A)   NOVELTY - After the final washing stage the silicon grains are placed, in a perforated container, in a heated vacuum tight vessel of VA-2 or VA-4 steel, which is electro-polished or coated with a clean room compatible temperature resistant material, e.g. silicon, Teflon or PFA. A cycle of evacuation and flooding the vessel with extremely pure air with a relative humidity of less than 20% or a pure inert gas is repeated several times.    USE - For drying pulverized silicon prior to smelting in the production of high grade polycrystalline semiconductor materials, e.g. for solar cells.    ADVANTAGE - Extracts all residual moisture from the material, microstructure at temperatures below 100 degrees C.    (US6170171-B1)   NOVELTY - After the final washing stage the silicon grains are placed, in a perforated container, in a heated vacuum tight vessel of VA-2 or VA-4 steel, which is electro-polished or coated with a clean room compatible temperature resistant material, e.g. silicon, Teflon or PFA. A cycle of evacuation and flooding the vessel with extremely pure air with a relative humidity of less than 20% or a pure inert gas is repeated several times.    USE - For drying pulverized silicon prior to smelting in the production of high grade polycrystalline semiconductor materials, e.g. for solar cells.    ADVANTAGE - Extracts all residual moisture from the material, microstructure at temperatures below 100 degrees C.    (EP924487-B1)   NOVELTY - After the final washing stage the silicon grains are placed, in a perforated container, in a heated vacuum tight vessel of VA-2 or VA-4 steel, which is electro-polished or coated with a clean room compatible temperature resistant material, e.g. silicon, Teflon or PFA. A cycle of evacuation and flooding the vessel with extremely pure air with a relative humidity of less than 20% or a pure inert gas is repeated several times.    USE - For drying pulverized silicon prior to smelting in the production of high grade polycrystalline semiconductor materials, e.g. for solar cells.    ADVANTAGE - Extracts all residual moisture from the material, microstructure at temperatures below 100 degrees C.