Patent ID: 7553466

Claim:
A method for producing highly pure, granular silicon with a narrow particle-size distribution by decomposing silanes or halosilanes in a fluidized bed and epitaxially growing silicon on silicon seed particles, the method comprising: providing a reaction chamber; providing a separator; providing a separation gas supply; providing a cyclone element; supplying a gas containing silicon is supplied to the to said reaction chamber in an upward flow; separating contents of the fluidized bed in a continuous manner, whereby a particle stream from the fluidized bed is supplied through at least one side outlet into said separator, said separator being mounted outside the fluidized bed, said separator being provided with separation gas via said separation gas supply, wherein particles of a desired size are separated via said separator, said separation gas including fine material after said particles are separated via said separator; controlling a flow of said particle stream through said at least one side outlet from said reaction chamber by a gas flow entering said at least one side outlet via another outlet, said gas flow being opposite to an outlet flow direction of said particle stream; and introducing said fine material in said separation gas into said cyclone element via an ascending pipe, said fine material being separated from said separation gas via said cyclone element.