A method to dope silicon ribbons is presented. The method consists on the spraying of the ribbons with a phosphoric acid solution followed by a recrystallization in an optical heating furnace. During the sample heating, as phosphoric acid is dehydrated the resulting phosphorous compounds are either evaporated or serve as source for phosphorous diffusion. Phosphorous is efficiently incorporated in silicon by solidstate diffusion during heating and directly mixed in the melted silicon. Experimental results show significant incorporation gradients along the samples' length. The origin of the incorporation gradient is analysed, by testing the effect of experimental parameters such as the argon flux and the recrystallization velocity and direction. It is shown that samples recrystallized in a downward direction have homogeneous doping profiles over most of the length. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.