This paper presents the limitation of the cast technique for silicon growth and the obstacle to reduce the dislocation density below 10(3) cm(-2). The thermal stress induced dislocation density, independent of other dislocation sources, is determined and the result suggests that local dislocation densities as high as 10(4) cm(-2) are readily introduced alone in the cooling period of the crystal growth. Areas of high residual strain and dislocation densities are identified and presented. The experimental results are correlated with numerical simulation based on a three-dimensional Haasen-Alexander-Sumino (HAS) model. The dislocation introduction is caused by an activation of different slip systems in different ingot areas. (C) 2014 Elsevier By. All rights reserved.