Silanes are compounds of silicon and hydrogen, including monosilane (SiH4), disilane (Si2H6), and some higher-order silicon-hydrogen compounds. Among them, monosilane is the most common, and monosilane is sometimes abbreviated as silane. Silane is a colorless, air-reactive and suffocating gas.

Applications

Glass

Silane is used in the production of special glasses to provide a reflective coating.

Semiconductors

Silane is one of the basic materials of the silicon semi-conductor industry. It is used as a source of silicon for growing polycrystalline and epitaxial (monocrystalline) silicon, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride and doping of gallium arsenide. Silane is also used as a dopant in the production of compound semiconductor devices, for chemical vapour deposition of refractory metal silicides, and for deposition of amorphous silicon on photocopier drums.

Photovoltaic Cells

Silane is also used in the production of photovoltaic cells.

Fiber Optic

Silane is used in the production process of optical fibres.