We have developed a thin film growth process, which allows for the deposition of closed layers of crystalline Si onto inexpensive substrates in a continuous fashion. Deposition is performed by steady-state solution growth on either reorganized porous Si foils, or on glass substrates with a thin amorphous Si seed layer. The respective monocrystalline and polycrystalline Si films are grown up to a thickness of several ten micrometers, making them suitable for an efficient absorption of sunlight in a photovoltaic device. The structural properties of the Si films have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The determined real structure of the polycrystalline layers with grains in the dimension of several 10 mu m offers good prospects to utilize the material as an absorber layer for solar cells.