A
system for forming high quality
silicon material, e.g., polysilicon. In a specific embodiment, the melted material comprises a
silicon material and an
impurity, e.g., phosphorous species. The
system includes a
crucible having an interior region. In a specific embodiment, the
crucible is made of a suitable material such as a
quartz material or others. The
quartz material is capable of withstanding a temperature of at least 1400 Degrees Celsius for
processing silicon. In a specific embodiment, the
crucible is configured in an upright position and has an open region to
expose a melted material. In a specific embodiment, the present
system has an
energy source. Such
energy source may be an arc heater or other suitable heating device, including multiple heating devices, which may be the same or different. The arc heater is configured above the open region and spaced by a gap between the exposed melted material and a
muzzle region of the arc heater to cause formation of a determined temperature profile within a vicinity of a center region of the exposed melted material while maintaining outer regions of the melted material at a temperature below a
melting point of the
quartz material of the crucible. In a specific embodiment, the system produces a melted material comprising a resulting phosphorous species of 0.1 ppm and less, which is purified silicon.